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What does gangue mean in copper ore processing?
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copper processing
Molten copper being made into plates.
In the context of copper processing, gangue refers to the unwanted or valueless rocks and minerals that are naturally mixed with the desired copper-bearing minerals within an ore deposit.12
Because ore is typically mined as a mass, the copper minerals must be separated from the gangue through mineral processing, also known as ore dressing. During this stage, the material is crushed and ground to liberate the copper minerals from the gangue. In processes like flotation, the copper minerals are selectively collected, while the gangue minerals remain in the cell to be discarded as tailings.12