Sign In


Forgot Password?

Don't have account, Sign Up Here

Forgot Password

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.


Have an account? Sign In Now

Sorry, you do not have permission to Add a Post, You must login to Add a Post.


Forgot Password?

Need An Account, Sign Up Here

Sorry, you do not have permission to add Article.


Forgot Password?

Need An Account, Sign Up Here

Please briefly explain why you feel this Post should be reported.

Please briefly explain why you feel this Comment should be reported.

Please briefly explain why you feel this user should be reported.

Mining Doc Logo Mining Doc Logo Mining Doc Logo
Sign InSign Up

Mining Doc

Mining Doc Navigation

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact us
  • Mining articles
  • Online Courses
  • Jobs
Search
Sign up

Mobile menu

Close
join for free
  • Home
  • Online courses
  • Case study
  • Mining Community
  • Solutions listing
    • Lase Solutions
    • O-PitBlast Solutions
    • Continuous Mining
    • Longwall mining
    • Geosight Scanners
    • LoopX AI
    • Blasting solutions
    • Geotechnical
    • Submersible Pumps
    • Mine rescue system
    • Ore sorting
  • Add Blog
  • Feed
  • User Profile
  • Posts
    • New Posts
    • Trending Posts
    • Must read Posts
    • Hot Posts
  • Polls
  • Badges
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact us
  • Mining articles
  • Online Courses
  • Jobs

Mining Doc Latest Posts

Mining Doc
  • 0
  • 0
Mining DocBeginner
Added: February 26, 20252025-02-26T03:49:49-05:00 2025-02-26T03:49:49-05:00In: Mining Finance and Economy

Does high-grade deposit always equal high return?

  • 0
  • 0

The hidden costs in smelting, refining, and transportation can be the real factors that decide whether an investment is worth it.

Net smelter returns (NSR) show the true value you will get from the ore.

Different metals take different journeys from mine to market, and every step along the way chips away at their value.

Take ????. It is often mined alongside lead, which complicates processing. It’s not just the mining that costs. It’s the separation, the refining, and then the penalties for impurities like iron.  A typical zinc concentrate might see its NSR drop to around 43%. If a deposit looks rich on paper, the final profit might be much lower.

?????? does better in terms of NSR. A copper concentrate with 23.9% copper content can still yield about 67% NSR after transportation and smelting fees.

The reason?

Copper is in high demand, and any recoverable by-products, like gold or silver, can give a nice boost to the returns. Penalties for arsenic still exist, but copper’s simpler supply chain and strong global need keep it a better option compared to zinc.

???? struggles with more costs. Its processing often involves combining treatment and refining charges. This knocks the NSR down to around 35%. Even though lead ores sometimes contain valuable by-products like silver, it’s hard to reach high profitability. Lead is commonly found in polymetallic ores. This leads to extra penalties and higher refining costs.

??????, when mined alongside platinum group metals, also has a complicated supply chain. A bulk nickel-copper concentrate might have around 8.9% nickel and 13.5% copper, achieving a 56% NSR. While PGMs are valuable, their refining process is complex and expensive. This means even though the gross value of nickel deposits can be high, the actual returns are smaller once processing is factored in.

Then you have polymetallic deposits. Which mix metals like copper, lead, zinc, and some precious metals. These might look attractive because of the range of recoverable materials, but they come with trade-offs.

When metals are mixed together, the processing becomes more complex and costly. Smelters charge penalties for certain metal combinations, and recovery rates can be lower. A polymetallic ore with both zinc and copper can end up reducing the NSR for both metals because the processing conditions don’t favor either one entirely.

Even commodity cycles play a part. In boom times, copper and gold tend to benefit the most from higher NSRs, since their supply chains are more efficient. Lead and zinc see smaller gains because their processing remains costly regardless of the market conditions. During market peaks, zinc might only manage a 43% NSR, while copper can push past 67%.

Before investing, ask two things:

  • What’s the NSR for the metal?
  • What will it cost to refine, process, and transport the ore?
Credit: Phil O’Connell
0
  • 0 0 Comments
  • 476 Views
  • 476 Reactions
  • 0 Followers
  • 0
    • Report
  • Share
    Share
    • Share on Facebook
    • Share on Twitter
    • Share on LinkedIn
    • Share on WhatsApp

Related Posts

  • What is selective mining?
  • What is Internal Return Rate (IRR) of a mining project?
  • How do environmental and social factors impact mining project economics?

You must login to add an Comment.


Forgot Password?

Need An Account, Sign Up Here
aalan

Sidebar

Ads – Mining Solutions

aalanaalan
  • Recent
  • Key considerations and techniques involved in mine ventilation systems
    • On: July 15, 2025

    Key considerations and techniques involved in mine ventilation systems

  • How to Switch Working Conditions of Mobile Stone Crusher in the Face of Various Aggregate Demands
    • On: July 11, 2025

    How to Switch Working Conditions of Mobile Stone Crusher in ...

  • Australian rare earth stocks soar on MP Materials' multi-billion US deal
    • On: July 11, 2025

    Australian rare earth stocks soar on MP Materials' multi-billion US ...

  • Copper traders look to Chinese buyers in post Trump-tariff world
    • On: July 11, 2025

    Copper traders look to Chinese buyers in post Trump-tariff world

  • The role of assayer in mining
    • On: July 8, 2025

    The role of assayer in mining

  • Factors influencing energy distribution during blasting
    • On: July 8, 2025

    Factors influencing energy distribution during blasting

  • Let’s talk about the Detour Lake mine project in Quebec-Canada
    • On: July 8, 2025

    Let’s talk about the Detour Lake mine project in Quebec-Canada

Go to Home page to view more

Top Members

Olena Skyba

Olena Skyba

  • 150 Posts
  • 2 Comments
Pundit
Marcial

Marcial

  • 91 Posts
  • 0 Comments
Enlightened
LASE Industrielle Lasertechnik GmbH

LASE Industrielle Lasertechnik GmbH

  • 13 Posts
  • 0 Comments
Professional
Job Posting (View more here)


Job Description:
Senior, Metallurgist - Metallurgy

Location: Papua New Guinea


Apply on the company website


Job Description: Water Treatment Electrician


Location: Canada

Click here to apply


Job: Advisor, Exploration Drilling


Location: Canada


Apply on the company website
Trending on Mining Doc

Trending Communities

Fixed Plant General Information Geology Mining Case Studies Mining Engineering Mining Events Mining Finance and Economy Mining Human Resources Mining Industry Research Mining Operations Mining Software Solutions Mining Sustainability Mining Technology Solutions Mobile Plant Equipment

Explore

  • Home
  • Online courses
  • Case study
  • Mining Community
  • Solutions listing
    • Lase Solutions
    • O-PitBlast Solutions
    • Continuous Mining
    • Longwall mining
    • Geosight Scanners
    • LoopX AI
    • Blasting solutions
    • Geotechnical
    • Submersible Pumps
    • Mine rescue system
    • Ore sorting
  • Add Blog
  • Feed
  • User Profile
  • Posts
    • New Posts
    • Trending Posts
    • Must read Posts
    • Hot Posts
  • Polls
  • Badges

Footer

Mining Doc

Join our community and connect with other people in the Mining industry for knowledge sharing.

Legal Stuff

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Help

  • Support
  • FAQs
  • How to add new content and how to promote a content
  • Compliance and guidelines
  • Subscribe to Mining Doc

Follow

© 2025 Mining Doc. All Rights Reserved