Tag Archives: FQM

Metso Outotec to deliver world’s largest Premier grinding mills to Kansanshi copper mine

6th July 2022Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipmentball mill, Comminution, copper, First Quantum Minerals, FQM, Kansanshi, Kansanshi S3 Expansion, Megaliner, Planet Positive, Premier grinding mills, SAG mill, ZambiaDaniel Gleeson

First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has awarded an order to Metso Outotec for two very large horizontal grinding mills for the company’s copper mine expansion at Kansanshi in Zambia.

Metso Outotec’s delivery includes two Planet Positive Premier™ grinding mills with a total installed power of 50 MW – the largest Premier grinding mills Metso Outotec has delivered to date.

To meet the need for efficient and fast replacement of the lining systems, as well as ensuring a long wear life, the ball mill will be equipped with the Metso Outotec Megaliner™ and the SAG mill will be equipped with Metso Outotec metallic mill lining and a high-performance discharge system, it explained.

FQM’s Kansanshi mine, located near Solwezi in the North-western Province of Zambia, is among the largest copper mines in the world and the largest in Africa.

First Quantum Minerals is currently working on its further expansion (the Kansanshi S3 Expansion), which includes a standalone 25 Mt/y processing plant that will increase copper production substantially.

Once the expansion is completed, copper production from Kansanshi is expected to average approximately 250,000 t/y for the remaining life of mine to 2044.

The Premier horizontal grinding mills are customisable solutions built on state-of-the-art grinding mill technology, process expertise, and design capability, Metso Outotec says. The Premier horizontal grinding mills are engineered to “excel and create vast possibilities” for customers and applications.

Earlier this week, Metso Outotec was awarded what it says was a major contract for the delivery of sustainable crushing, screening and grinding technologies to a greenfield iron ore project in South America.

FQM awards Ravensthorpe nickel E&I package to SIMPEC

15th December 2020Base metals, Mine operation news, Mineral project development, Mining servicesFirst Quantum Minerals, FQM, METS, nickel, Ravensthorpe, Shoemaker-Levy, SIMPEC, Western AustraliaDaniel Gleeson

SIMPEC says it has been contracted by First Quantum Minerals (FQM) to deliver an electrical and instrumentation (E&I) package at the Ravensthorpe nickel operations’ Shoemaker-Levy project, in Western Australia.

This material, newly awarded contract is SIMPEC’s first with FQM, the company said.

The contract scope is for the E&I portion of work for Shoemaker-Levy, with the value expected to be around A$9 million ($6.8 million).

The works are planned to commence immediately and be completed by mid-2021, the WestStar Industrial subsidiary says.

With FQM restarting Ravensthorpe in early 2020, it has been expanding into a second stage nickel laterite deposit, Shoemaker-Levy, to provide the operation with a long-term life of around 30 years.

FQM’s Cobre Las Cruces to fill open-pit output void with tailings reprocessing project

20th November 2020Base metals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining project newsCobre Las Cruces, copper, First Quantum Minerals, FQM, Spain, tailings reprocessingDaniel Gleeson

First Quantum Minerals’ majority-owned Cobre Las Cruces mine looks to have pushed out production for at least another year after devising a way to reprocess tailings at the copper operation in Spain.

A method was developed to reprocess tailings from already mined material, which is expected to yield around 22,000 t of copper over the next two years, First Quantum reported.

“Significant changes will be required to ensure the mine can adapt to the new processes required, but we have no doubt everyone at Las Cruces is up to the job,” it said.

In First Quantum’s most recent September quarter results, the company said 2020 was expected to be the final full year of production for the open pit at Cobre Las Cruces.

“Following the completion of open-pit mining, copper production will continue until early 2021 with the processing of stockpiled ore,” it said in the report, noting copper production guidance for 2020 of 55,000 t.

It added that extension of the current mine life through the re-processing of high-grade tailings was being assessed.

Alongside this tailings reprocessing strategy, Cobre Las Cruces is continuing its technical and study work on the polymetallic refinery project at Cobre Las Cruces.

Environmental permits for this project – which involves switching to a polymetallurgical processing route and developing an underground mine – are expected to be received before the end of the year, with water permits due in 2021, FQM said.

MACA to help FQM with Ravensthorpe nickel mine restart

20th November 2019Base metals, Mine operation news, Mineral project development, Mining servicescontract mining, First Quantum Minerals, FQM, Geoff Baker, MACA, nickel, Ravensthorpe, Western AustraliaDaniel Gleeson

MACA says it has received a letter of award from First Quantum Minerals related to carrying out open-pit mining services at the Ravensthorpe nickel project in Western Australia.

On care and maintenance since October 1, 2017, due to the persistently low nickel price, Ravensthorpe involves open-pit mining and beneficiation of nickel laterite ore, pressure acid leaching, atmospheric leaching, counter current decantation, precipitation and filtration to produce a mixed hydroxide precipitate product, containing approximately 40% nickel and 1.4% cobalt on a dry basis.

First Quantum hinted earlier this year that a restart could be on the cards following a sustained nickel price run. Restart costs, should favourable conditions prevail, are estimated at $10 million, the company has previously said.

The final contract award with MACA is subject to finalisation of documentation with all major terms having been agreed, the ASX-listed contractor said.

Mobilisation to site is expected to commence in December with operations commencing from January.

The project will consist of open-pit mining services including drilling and blasting, and loading and hauling, and is expected to generate around A$480 million ($327 million) in revenue for MACA over the initial five-year term.

MACA said its total work in hand position now stands at A$2.5 billion and its financial year 2020 revenue is expected to be around A$770 million.

MACA Operations Director, Geoff Baker, said: “We are very pleased to have been selected preferred contractor and look forward to developing a long-term working relationship with the First Quantum team at the Ravensthorpe nickel project.”