Infrastructure study for chloride leaching demonstration heap testing

In recent years, the gradual decrease of available oxide resources and the increase of primary and secondary sulphide ores in the Radomiro Tomic division have impacted the results of the leaching process, which has been reflected in the decrease of copper recovery. This situation has driven the generation of projects with competitive technologies and alternatives to the conventional ones (crushing – milling – flotation), to improve these results.

In this context, the idea of implementing chloride leaching of sulphides with temperature and generating the necessary information that allows Codelco to validate the incorporation of this competitive technology at industrial level arises.

The scope of the project went from the trade off stage to the development of the feasibility stage with specification of equipment for procurement and formulation of technical bases for contract bidding.

In the trade off stage, the objective was to identify and evaluate alternatives for a demonstration plant to carry out a chloride leaching test with temperature, applied to the Radomiro Tomic Division ores, and to recommend the best option. To achieve this, PA Engineering conducted four trades off studies, which had the following objectives: location selection, determine the best alternative for heap heating, determine the best option for power supply to the heating system and select the best alternative for ore preparation and loading under the conditions required to use the chloride leaching technology with temperature.

In the feasibility stage, the work performed by PA Engineering considered the development of the engineering according to Codelco’s standards for a feasibility stage, using the BIM methodology, where all the designs proposed in the first stage and the documentation of the chapters of Codelco’s investment system were developed. During this phase, specifications were developed for the purchase of the main equipment and technical bases for the investment and operation stage contracts.