Almar Water Solutions has been awarded a new operation and maintenance contract from Mantos Copper and its Mantos Blancos copper operation in northern Chile.

As part of the agreement, Almar Water Solutions, part of Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, through Osmoflo SpA, will operate the water treatment plant for Mantos Blancos.

This new three-year contract will include 24/7 service provided by experienced professionals who will transfer to the client’s facilities in the Antofagasta region, thus promoting local job creation, Almar said. It will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of a reverse-osmosis process-water plant, which will produce quality water to be used to carry out the mining activity at Mantos Blancos, according to the company.

The Mantos Blancos project is a mining complex located in Region II, 45 km northeast of the city of Antofagasta, at an elevation of 800 m above sea level. It comprises an open-pit mine, crushing plants and installations for processing oxidised and sulphide ores.

Gonzalo Gómez-Rodulfo, Services Manager at Almar Water Solutions, after the signing of the contract, said: “This new project strengthens the services area of Almar Water Solutions and will help Mantos Blancos to guarantee the operational excellence of its water infrastructure, enabling it to optimise costs and increase its annual copper production.”

The company added: “After the acquisition of Osmoflo SpA in 2019, Almar Water Solutions has become a new ally in the operation and maintenance of water treatment plants, offering optimum and efficient performance of the assets, using state-of-the-art management systems and computerised models.

“With this new project, Almar Water Solutions now has a portfolio with multiple operation and maintenance projects, especially in the Latin American region, which presents special conditions in terms of its geography and the distribution of water resources.”