CiDRA Minerals Processing has announced that Anglo American has awarded it a contract to supply SONARtrac process monitoring systems to the Los Bronces Development Project. The systems were chosen to provide flow measurements at multiple key monitoring points on the new slurry pipeline, designed and managed by Ausenco PSI. These critical measurements will be used for operational control as well as leak detection along the pipeline to the concentrator plant. Ausenco PSI, under contract with Bechtel Chile, was responsible for the engineering plan and field engineering support for the expansion project’s slurry and reclaimed water pipeline.

Anglo American’s previous experience with SONARtrac technology on an existing slurry pipeline of similar design was a factor in this selection, said CiDRA. The Los Bronces Development Project involves the addition of new grinding, mineral transport, and concentration facilities that will increase the division’s production capacity by some 230,000 t/y to 490,000 t/y of fine copper in the first three years and 400,000 t/y on average in the first ten years. The scope of the new plant includes crushing and conveying, grinding and flotation circuits, utilising the largest proven equipment to maximise operating efficiency, and concentrate regrind and a molybdenum plant.

The SONARtrac flow monitoring systems will be installed at six critical points along the 52 km long, 28 in diameter slurry pipeline, which descends from the new concentrator plant high in the Andes to the valley floor. The instruments will be located at the head station and at all five energy dissipation stations, where they will provide critical information for operational control and leak detection. Two additional SONARtrac instruments will be installed on the new recovered water pipeline for operational monitoring and control. CiDRA’s SONARtrac non-intrusive flow monitoring systems make no contact with the liquid or slurry and can be removed and reinstalled without process interruption. They also demonstrate very stable output and superior levels of performance in the presence of highly variable fluid properties. For the Los Bronces application on a new slurry pipeline, Ausenco PSI recommended SONARtrac for its high level of accuracy (within 1%), which allows the meters to play a dual role in both flow measurement and leak detection.