Tag Archives: copper

Metso to provide tankhouse material handling solutions to Southern Peru Copper

Base metals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , ,

Southern Peru Copper Corporation, a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, has awarded Metso an order for the delivery of state-of-the art tankhouse material handling solutions to its Ilo and Toquepala copper cathode production plants in Peru.

The order value exceeds €10 million ($10.7 million), with Metso’s scope of delivery including cathode stripping machines for the Ilo electrorefinery and Toquepala electrowinning process. The machines are, Metso says, based on proven design to ensure high safety and long-term reliability. Both use modern robotic electrode handling to optimise layout and material handling efficiency in the existing processes.

Mikko Rantaharju, Vice President, Hydrometallurgy business line at Metso, said: “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Grupo Mexico, with which we have for a long time shared knowledge and provided equipment. At Ilo, new cathode handling technology will be implemented at the tankhouse, whereas in Toquepala, the existing stripping machine will be replaced with a new one.

“In both cases, Metso’s cathode stripping machines will enable stable production fulfilling the material handling requirements of both plants.”

Metso calls itself a leading tankhouse technology supplier for copper refineries. The offering covers key equipment based on proprietary technology, as well as basic engineering, digital solutions and services.

Inflection Resources to tap Fleet Space’s ExoSphere solution for undercover exploration

Base metals, Mineral exploration, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , ,

Fleet Space Technologies and Inflection Resources are pioneering the use of space technology and artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery of large-scale copper-gold deposits in Australia’s Macquarie Arc.

Leveraging the real-time Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) survey capabilities of Fleet Space’s end-to-end mineral exploration solution, ExoSphere, Inflection Resources has identified several new priority targets under a thick sequence of sedimentary cover masking the underlying, older prospective geology at its Duck Creek project in New South Wales.

As part of the expanded charter, Inflection Resources will deploy ExoSphere on a significant part of its tenement portfolio extending over approximately 1,818 sq.km in the Macquarie Arc of the Lachlan Fold Belt – underscoring both companies’ commitment to responsible mineral discovery, enabled by data-driven exploration with near-zero environmental impact, Fleet Space says.

“Without a major acceleration in copper discoveries, humanity’s transition to renewable energy and building the infrastructure necessary for the global AI industry are unachievable,” Fleet Space CEO & co-Founder, Flavia Tata Nardini, said. “We are proud to conduct the world’s largest mineral exploration survey with Ambient Noise Tomography in support of Inflection Resources’ data-driven exploration of the Macquarie Arc with our end-to-end solution, ExoSphere, and deliver sustainable subsurface insights at scale with our next-generation AI capabilities.”

Inflection Resources is a copper exploration company with projects across the Macquarie Arc. Inflection attempted a variety of geophysical survey techniques to prospect for copper in the basement rocks over the Duck Creek project area, however, the depth of post-mineral sedimentary cover and conductivity of those sediments resulted in these methods failing to produce reliable results. This led Inflection Resources to deploy Fleet Space’s end-to-end mineral exploration solution, ExoSphere, over the area – taking advantage of its high-resolution 3D imaging to depths of 2.5 km, which is indifferent to the conductive elements in the cover sediment, including groundwater.

The subsurface insights delivered by ExoSphere’s geophysical surveys at the Duck Creek project enabled Inflection Resources to identify multiple new high priority drill targets to be explored in the coming months, Fleet Space says. The 3D models generated by ExoSphere detected low-velocity zones in areas where previous drilling showed alteration typical of that seen in proximity to other alkalic copper-gold porphyry systems in the Macquarie Arc and high-velocity features consistent with potential intrusions. After Inflection Resources’ announcement of new targets, AngloGold Ashanti shifted the designation of Duck Creek from Phase 1 to Phase II under its Exploration Agreement with Inflection Resources – which includes drilling targets identified with ExoSphere’s geophysical surveys.

Building on the identification of these previously unknown zones of interest at Duck Creek, Inflection Resources will deploy ExoSphere to survey 1,818 sq.km of its exploration licences and leverage Fleet Space’s next-generation AI capabilities to create a copper prospectivity map of its projects across the Macquarie Arc.

Inflection Resources’ President & CEO, Alistair Waddell, said: “The end-to-end capabilities of ExoSphere and the 3D subsurface insights it unlocked has helped Inflection rapidly identify several new high-priority targets at our Duck Creek project and demonstrated that the ExoSphere system can accelerate the data-driven exploration of our projects. We’re excited to work with Fleet Space again and deploy ExoSphere on a large scale across Inflection’s projects in the Macquarie Arc and leverage Fleet Space’s AI-powered prospectivity insights to aid our exploration strategy across Australia’s premier porphyry copper-gold province.”

The copper prospectivity map created with ExoSphere’s AI engine for Inflection Resources’ exploration licences in the Macquarie Arc is an example of the AI-powered insights that are possible with large-scale, multimodal, 3D subsurface data, Fleet Space says. Fleet Space’s real-time data acquisition capabilities are enabled by its proprietary satellite constellation, smart seismic sensors (Geodes) and 3D data processing to enhance onsite decision making at each phase of a drilling campaign. From target validation, prospecting or reducing uncertainty across a project, ExoSphere’s end-to-end capabilities unlock 3D and AI-powered insights that enhance data-driven exploration with unprecedented speed, scale and accuracy.

ExoSphere’s 3D Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) survey data has been shown to be up to three times more important than other geophysical methods for the construction of a multimodal foundation model. This is due to ANT’s inherent scalability which allows for the generation of high-quality 3D data sets at any scale with equal effectiveness. By integrating the ANT survey results with data from other geophysical techniques, such as magnetic, gravity, EM, IP and more, ExoSphere’s AI engine can be fine-tuned to deliver a wide range of subsurface insights to accelerate mineral exploration worldwide.

DIG CT’s coiled-tubing rig completes deepest hole to date at Moonera project

Mineral exploration, Mining equipment, , , , , , , ,

DIG CT, a niche mineral exploration drilling company founded in Western Australia, has reported that after three successful months drilling at Premier1 Lithium’s 40%-owned Moonera project, in the Madura Province of WA, its CT500 rig has delved to 500.9 m, yielding high-quality core samples every 50 m.

DIG is focused on showcasing and commercialising MinEx Cooperative Research Centre’s (MinEx CRC) prototype Coil Tubing (CT) rig globally, with the Moonera project acting as the latest place the technology will be showcased.

The company reported: “As with any drilling program, there have been challenges, specifically record rain and flooding – all within our inaugural week of drilling!”

The highlights include:

  • Successfully completing two drill holes with a third about to commence; and
  • Drilling the deepest hole and core section the CT500 rig has ever achieved;

Moonera, a copper and rare earth elements joint venture project, is around one hour’s drive east of Cocklebiddy or more specifically, 1,231 km east of Perth, Western Australia, and 271 km to the Western/South Australian border. The project was aptly named given its proximity to Moonera Agricultural Station, known for its vast pastoral enterprises (sheep grazing), reported to be larger than some sovereign countries.

Back in March, Premier1 Lithium said that the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) previously advised SensOre (now Premier1) in 2023 that it wished to use the coiled-tube drilling method to test its applicability in the area. The program, as it was envisaged then, consisted of three to four deep drill holes and was part of a precompetitive stratigraphic borehole program which will fill a gap in GSWA drilling in the region.

This work is part of a long-running precompetitive geoscience program by GSWA which will improve understanding of the mineral, energy and groundwater potential of the region. MinEx CRC seeks to obtain drill core, chips and downhole data (such as semi-automated scanned geochemistry) from a series of stratigraphic boreholes up to an approximate depth of 700 m, penetrating through cover of the Eucla Basin. The obtained multi-element data will allow Premier1 to further test the copper and rare earth element potential of the project at no cost. The boreholes also further test the use of novel, smaller footprint coiled-tube drilling techniques for stratigraphic drilling in covered geological terranes.

DIG CT says the CT500 rig is now expected to move onto the Pilbara where the coiled-tube drilling techniques will be further tested.

Capstone Copper eyes ore recovery boost at Mantos Blancos from ShovelSense use

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

Capstone Copper has announced the implementation of ShovelSense® sensor technology at its Mantos Blancos operation, in Chile.

MineSense’s ShovelSense system uses X-ray Fluorescence based sensing technology that is mounted directly to digging equipment such as front-end loaders and shovels to accurately characterise and grade with each bucket, and differentiate between low, medium and high grade mineralised material.

This tool, Capstone Copper says, allows it to detect the characteristics of the extracted ore early, optimising operations and improving ore recovery by up to 36%. Tests on the use of these sensors have shown a potential increase in fine copper production, making it a key technology for this year, the company added.

“We are grateful for the collaborative work of the superintendencies ofgeology, maintenance, operations and planning, which were decisive throughout the implementation process,” the company added.

Mantos Blancos is an open-pit mine in the Antofagasta region of Chile. The operation currently mines and processes both sulphide and oxide ores.

Following the completion and current ramp up of the Mantos Blancos Concentrator Debottlenecking Development Project (MBCDP, or Mantos Blancos Expansion), the mine will primarily treat sulphide ore in an expanded concentrator. It has a plant capacity of 7.3 Mt/y.

Hermosa

South32 selects Nogales location for Hermosa ROC

Automation, IoT, Mineral project development, Mining software, Precious metals, , , , , , ,

South32’s Hermosa project has announced that it would construct its remote operations centre (ROC) in Nogales, Arizona, USA, with the facility set to be named Centro.

Hermosa is, South32 says, currently the only advanced mining project in the US capable of producing two federally designated critical minerals – zinc and manganese.

The ROC location decision follows two years of extensive analysis and careful consideration of Hermosa’s county-wide planning and employment goals to retain the economic benefits of the project in the Santa Cruz County area, it says.

As part of the location announcement, the Hermosa project is also debuting a new name for the ROC: Centro, a name chosen by the community in an online vote that took place earlier this year.

Hermosa Project President, Pat Risner, said: “Locating Centro in Nogales enables us to help transform the Santa Cruz County economy, by creating and training local residents without prior mining experience to fill high-skilled, good-paying jobs so the next generation has more opportunities right here at home.”

The selected location, just off Interstate 19 near the Mariposa Industrial Park, is approximately 70 miles (113 km) south of Tucson and approximately 28 miles to the Hermosa mine site. The building location will reduce commuter traffic to and from the mine site, as well as help build out local roads and infrastructure in the surrounding area, South32 explained.

Designed as a commercial building with an office-like setting, Centro will accommodate employees and the automation technology needed to remotely monitor and operate some of the underground and surface equipment located at the mine site. Centro will host around 200 full-time employees over several shifts in a 24-hour period.

Centro will be part of a 9 acre (3.6 ha) complex that will also include an employee parking lot, a park & ride service area to take employees and contractors to our other sites, and a garden. Construction will begin by the end of 2024.

In addition to Centro in Nogales, the Hermosa project is assessing the potential to site additional buildings, operational and/or job training infrastructure throughout Santa Cruz County.

As the first mining project added to the federal government’s FAST-41 permitting process, the Hermosa project aims to put southern Arizona in the driver’s seat of the clean energy race, supplying two critical minerals needed for the expansion of clean energy technologies and associated infrastructure.

Back in February, South32’s board gave final investment approval to develop the Taylor deposit, part of the Hermosa project, saying it would cost some $2.16 billion based on feasibility study results.

It is a project that is set to apply ‘next generation mine’ design principles using automation and technology to drive efficiencies and lower operational greenhouse gas emissions. This includes a plan to incorporate battery-electric LHDs, drilling and ancillary fleets. This strategy, included in the feasibility study, results in improved efficiency, reduced diesel consumption and greenhouse emissions compared with the prefeasibility study on the project.

Almalyk MMC

Metso and Almalyk MMC sign technology agreement for new copper smelter

Base metals, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

Metso and JSC Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical company (Almalyk MMC) have signed a frame agreement on significant process technology deliveries for Almalyk MMC’s new copper smelter investment in Uzbekistan.

The companies have collaborated on the development of minerals processing and metallurgical operations since 2011, Metso says.

Equipment package contracts under the framework agreement will be booked once they have been signed and become effective. Metso says it estimates that the majority of those contracts will be signed this year. The frame agreement is a continuation of Metso’s and Almalyk MMC’s contract signed at the end of 2022 for the design and basic engineering work for the copper smelter.

The planned production capacity of the new copper smelter, which will be integrated with the company’s existing operations in Almalyk, is 300,000 t/y of copper cathodes and 1.8 Mt/y of sulphuric acid.

“We are very pleased to be selected as the strategic partner for Almalyk MMC’s smelter project,” Piia Karhu, President of Metso’s Metals business area, said. “Metso will provide Almalyk MMC with the most advanced sustainable Planet Positive technology for their copper refining processes.”

Almalyk MMC is the main copper producer in Uzbekistan. The company produces refined copper, gold, silver, zinc, molybdenum, lead concentrate and other products.

Lifezone Metals edges closer to base metal refinement plan at Kabanga nickel project

Base metals, Energy minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, , , , , , , ,

Lifezone Metals Limited says it has received a Multi-Metal Processing Facility Licence from the Government of Tanzania to refine nickel, copper and cobalt from its Kabanga nickel project at Kahama, located beside Barrick Gold’s former Buzwagi gold mine.

The Kabanga nickel project is in northwest Tanzania and is believed to be one of the world’s largest and highest-grade undeveloped nickel sulphide deposits, Lifezone says. The Kahama Multi-Metal Processing Facility site is around 340 km southwest of Kabanga. Lifezone’s subsidiary, Tembo Nickel Corporation Ltd is the operating entity for Kabanga and Kahama, and is 16% owned by the Government of Tanzania.

Notably, through the application of Lifezone’s Hydromet Technology, Kabanga and Kahama will be able to produce finished metals in-country, potentially reducing capital and operating costs, as well as reducing costs associated with transport of concentrate or other intermediate products. Full in-country beneficiation will contribute towards local content optimisation and eventually national development through the principle of equitable sharing of economic benefits, Lifezone says.

A definitive feasibility study for Kabanga remains on track for completion by the September quarter of 2024.

This licence news came alongside a separate announcement involving the signing of a binding subscription agreement for the issuance of $50 million of convertible debentures with a consortium of marquee mining investors. These are on top of BHP, Glencore and BlackRock as investors in the business. The proceeds are going towards development of Kabanga.

Lifezone Metals’ Hydromet Technology is a transformational method of metals recovery that has the potential to replace smelting for base and precious metals refining, according to the company. Pyrometallurgical smelting is one of the largest contributors to pollutive gas emissions, greenhouse gases and energy inefficiency in the production of metals products and the use of Hydromet Technology will help to unlock nickel, copper and cobalt from Kabanga, providing lower cost, lower emissions (relative to smelting) and traceable metals for electric vehicle batteries and to support the global energy transition, it says.

Chris Showalter, Lifezone CEO, said: “The ongoing level of commitment and support that we have received from the Government of Tanzania in the advancement of our Kabanga nickel project is exemplary. With the receipt of our Kabanga Special Mining Licence, and now the Kahama Refinery Licence, we have a clear path to delivering a direct-to-metal solution and enabling the production of nickel, copper and cobalt in Tanzania and by Tanzanians.”

The issuance of the Kahama Refinery License follows the formal gazettement of the Special Economic Zone (Declaration) Notice, 2024, which declared the Buzwagi Mining Area, within Kahama District in Shinyanga Region, a Special Economic Zone. The Kahama Refinery will be located within the Special Economic Zone, which will provide certain tax and other economic benefits for the project, according to Lifezone.

In addition, the Kahama Refinery stands to benefit from access to a highly trained workforce and legacy infrastructure from the Buzwagi gold mine, including existing camp and office buildings, regional power connections, airstrip, road connections and railway in near proximity, the company says.

This “plug-and-play” industrial hub brings significant project execution and capital cost benefits, as well as turning a past-producing mine liability into a long-term asset. Lifezone will not be taking on any legacy liabilities in relation to the closure of the Buzwagi gold mine, it added.

Rio Tinto backs BEV use at Kennecott Underground with growing Sandvik fleet

Automation, Base metals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rio Tinto is progressing its mobile equipment electrification move at the Kennecott underground operation near Salt Lake City, Utah, having transitioned from using Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions battery-electric loaders and trucks in a proof of concept to commercially deploying Sandvik battery-electric TH550B trucks and a Sandvik LH518iB loader.

Just last year, Rio Tinto approved $498 million of funding to deliver underground development and infrastructure for an area known as the North Rim Skarn (NRS). Production from the NRS is due to commence this year and is expected to ramp up over two years, to deliver around 70,000 tonnes of additional mined copper over the next 10 years alongside open-pit operations at Kennecott.

This followed a September 2022 announcement where Rio Tinto approved development capital totalling $55 million to start underground mining in an area known as the Lower Commercial Skarn (LCS) at Kennecott. Underground mining within LCS started in February 2023 and is expected to deliver a total of around 30,000 tonnes of additional mined copper through the period to 2028.

These two investments will support Kennecott in building a world-class underground mine which will leverage battery-electric vehicle (BEV) technology, following a trial with Sandvik equipment in 2022 involving an LH518B loader and Z50 truck.

The first LH518iB loader in North America has just been delivered to site, with the automation-capable vehicle equipped with Sandvik’s patented self-swapping battery system, including the AutoSwap and AutoConnect functions, to minimise infrastructure needs and enable the loader to return to operation significantly sooner than ‘fast-charge’ mining BEVs, Sandvik claims.

Since launching the vehicle in March 2023, Sandvik has confirmed orders or made deliveries of the LH518iB to operations owned by LKAB, Boliden,Torex Gold, Foran Mining, Rana Gruber and Byrnecut.

Rio Tinto will complement these machines with a fleet of Sandvik TH550Bs, some of which are already operating on site. This 50-t payload truck combine Sandvik’s 50 years of experience in developing loaders and trucks with Artisan™’s innovative electric drivelines and battery packs. The electric drivetrain delivers 560 kW of power and 6,000 Nm of total torque output, allowing for higher ramp speeds for shorter cycle times and an efficient ore moving process, according to the OEM. All of this comes with zero emissions.

They also come with AutoSwap and AutoConnect functions that Sandvik has refined for battery swap processes that take only a few minutes.

Rio Tinto has previously stated on battery-electric vehicle use: “BEVs create a safer and healthier workplace for employees underground, increase the productivity of the mine and reduce emissions from operations.”

DMC Mining to construct Clark exploration decline at South32 Hermosa

Base metals, Mineral project development, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , ,

DMC Mining Services says it will construct the Clark exploration decline at the South32-owned Hermosa site in Arizona, USA, as part of a recent contract award.

In an announcement last month, South32 said the board had provided the final investment approval to develop the Taylor deposit, part of the wider Hermosa project, with funding of $2.16 billion. This followed the release of a feasibility study outlining a circa-4.3 Mt/y operation with average payable zinc-equivalent output of circa-253,000 t/y over a 28-year mine life.

Beyond Taylor, however, South32 has been working on its Clark development option, currently the only advanced project in the USA with a clear pathway to produce battery-grade manganese from locally sourced ore, according to the company.

In May 2023, South32 released the results of a selection phase pre-feasibility study (PFS-S) for the Clark deposit, which confirmed the potential for an underground mine integrated with Taylor, and a separate process plant, capable of supplying battery-grade manganese. Study work has progressed to a definition phase pre-feasibility study, with South32 confirming the commencement of construction of an exploration decline, due to be completed in late 2025, to enable access to ore for demonstration-scale production. This is where DMC Mining comes in.

In announcing this contract award, DMC Mining said: “Throughout the meticulous planning phase, South32 and DMC have been united by a shared vision and unwavering values, setting the stage for unparalleled success. Together, we’re not just setting the bar, we’re raising it, ready to redefine industry standards!

“This project not only underscores our commitment to delivering superior project solutions, but also signifies a significant stride in our dedication to serving our clients in the US market.”

Vale Base Metals targets pyrrhotite with latest recovery innovation challenge

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Sustainable mining, , , ,

Vale Base Metals has launched the Pyrrhotite Resource Recovery Innovation Challenge to, it says, facilitate and enhance recovery of valuable metals and minerals contained in pyrrhotite.

The challenge reflects a commitment to driving innovative environmental solutions with a goal to identify and accelerate development of novel approaches to process low-grade pyrrhotite tailings, the solid remnants resulting from the mineral processing of sulphide ore.

Adam McMillan, Director of Research and Innovation for Vale Base Metals, said: “We’re committed to safely delivering critical minerals essential for the world’s energy transition and continued sustainable economic development. Open innovation is a key enabler that allows us to rapidly identify and trial innovative solutions that can help us unlock value from waste and we look forward to reviewing the innovative solutions this challenge inspires.”

Through this challenge, Vale Base Metals says it is inviting researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs to propose innovative technological solutions that can help to unlock value through circular mining while ensuring environmental responsibility.

Proposals will be evaluated until August 2024, with innovation laureates announced in September. Selected solutions will be awarded a prize of C$25,000 ($18,420) from Vale Base Metals.

For more information about the challenge and how to participate, click here