Tag Archives: Metso Outotec

Metso Outotec to develop hydrogen-based DRI pilot plant in Germany

Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec says it will convert its existing 700 mm circulating fluidised bed (CFB) pilot plant in Frankfurt, Germany, for hydrogen-based direct reduction of fine ore as it looks to further drive down carbon emissions associated with the iron-making part of steel production.

The company will apply its Planet Positive Circored™ technology as part of this process, with the pilot plant able able to be used for the reduction of high-grade iron fines concentrate and to confirm the design basis for an industrial-scale Circored plant.

Commissioning of the plant is expected to take place by December 2023.

Parizat Pandey, Director, Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) at Metso Outotec, said: “The investment enables us to pilot the reduction of low-grade iron concentrate fines in larger quantities than what we do today, and, subsequently, perform downstream fines DRI electric smelting tests for hot metal production.

“The Circored processing route used in the process offers the lowest possible carbon footprint in the iron-making segment of an integrated steel plant.”

Once operational, the 700 mm pilot plant will be able to continuously produce 150-200 kg/h of direct reduced iron, using 100% hydrogen as the sole reducing agent, Metso Outotec claims. The pilot plant will have an integrated pre-heating and reduction section, followed by a gas cleaning and recirculation facility.

The investment includes installation of electric heaters in the process, making it an almost zero-carbon-emission plant, according to the company. Further, the data obtained from the use of electric heaters will be used to scale up the design of industrial heaters capable to running on renewable energy.

The Circored process is based on the fluidised bed knowledge and experience developed and applied by Metso Outotec over decades in hundreds of plants for different applications. The process applies a two-stage reactor configuration with a CFB followed by a bubbling fluidised bed downstream. The typical plant capacity is 1.25 Mt/y per line. Two or more lines can be combined using joint facilities and utility areas. In standalone plants, the produced DRI is briquetted to hot briquetted iron to enable further handling and safe transport.

If a Circored plant is integrated into an existing steelmaking facility, energy efficiency can be further increased by direct hot feeding of the DRI to an electric arc furnace, according to Metso Outotec.

Metso Outotec launches Editube Wet Electrostatic Precipitator digital optimiser

IoT, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , ,

Metso Outotec is launching a digital optimiser for its wet gas cleaning solution, the Editube™ Wet Electrostatic Precipitator (WESP), as part of its plan to further improve the quality of sulphuric acid production for its clients.

WESPs are a necessity prior to sulphuric acid plants processing metallurgical off-gas to ensure a high-quality acid, according to Metso Outotec. The Editube WESP, meanwhile, has a very high removal efficiency potential where dust levels in the outlet are commonly measured at below 0.5 mg/Nm3.

The new WESP Optimizer improves the operation of the WESP section by better adjusting it to changes in the overall process, the company explains.

Leif Skilling, Director, Gas Cleaning at Metso Outotec, said: “We are excited to launch the new WESP Optimizer. It has important built-in functions to protect the units with plastic tube bundles during low acid load operation. In addition, the Optimizer increases removal efficiency during high acid load operation, as well as provides energy savings whenever there is spare capacity. The Optimizer also monitors the behavior of each WESP, enabling faster damage detection, and provides the operators with otherwise unavailable information such as calculated removal efficiency.”

Metso Outotec says it has more than 35 years of experience with WESPs and has sold more than 125 units. This extensive experience of the Metso Outotec experts is now incorporated into the new WESP Optimizer.

Benefits of the Metso Outotec WESP Optimizer include:

  • Reduced risk of damage to plastic tubes during low acid load conditions, start-up, and commissioning;
  • Energy savings whenever there is spare capacity;
  • Higher removal efficiency and lower flashover frequency during high acid load conditions;
  • Provides operators with otherwise unavailable information;
  • Monitors the WESPs for abnormal behaviour, enabling faster detection of damages and facilitating troubleshooting; and
  • Enables faster and more accurate online support from Metso Outotec experts.

West African secures Lycopodium and Metso Outotec mills for Kiaka gold project

Comminution of minerals, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , ,

West African Resources Limited is heading towards construction at its 90%-owned Kiaka gold project in Burkina Faso, having registered strong funding interest, awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract and booked the mill package for the development.

Kiaka, an asset with 7.7 Moz of reserves and resources on its books, is the company’s second gold mine in the country on top of its operating Sanbrado asset.

WAF’s feasibility study, released in August 2022, outlined pre-production capital costs of $430 million and a 2.5-year pre-tax pay back at a $1,750/oz gold price for the project. Kiaka was expected to operate over an 18.5-year life of mine, producing, on average, 219,000 oz/y of gold (on a 100% basis).

West African Executive Chairman, Richard Hyde, said strong competitive bids from its debt finance process supported the company’s targeted debt of $300 million for the project.

In the meantime, WAF has signed a notice of award with Lycopodium based on the engineering company’s priced proposal for the EPCM of a new carbon-in-leach treatment plant for Kiaka. This award incorporated Lycopodium’s early commencement of the engineering and procurement portion of the contract to complete the engineering and tendering of the long-lead mill package.

Lycopodium was also the contractor on the Sanbrado construction project.

In line with this, Lycopodium and WAF have undertaken a competitive tender process for the supply and delivery of the SAG and ball mill package for Kiaka.

Following the evaluation of tenders, the company selected Metso Outotec to supply the 18 MW SAG mill and 9 MW ball mill. Metso Outotec also provided the SAG and ball mills at Sanbrado (construction of the comminution circuit, pictured). WAF has signed the order with Mesto Outotec, which contains a firm pricing and delivery schedule for the mill package components that fits well into the Kiaka construction schedule, it said.

The mining company says it has mobilised earthworks equipment to the Kiaka project site. The initial areas to be cleared include the permanent camp area and the process plant area. Access road upgrades are also planned to be undertaken during the current dry season.

The construction schedule for Kiaka remains on track, with major works expected to commence in the March quarter and first gold in 2025.

WAF says it also remains on target to meet 2022 production and cost guidance of 220,000-240,000 oz of gold produced at an all-in sustaining cost of less than $1,100/oz.

Metso Outotec to deliver VSF X technology to Kyzyl Aray Copper project

Base metals, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec says it has signed an agreement with Kyzyl Aray Copper, a subsidiary of Caravan Resources, for the supply of copper solvent extraction and electrowinning technology for a plant to be built in the Karagandy region of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The order of approximately €35 million ($37 million) covers a technology package delivery that includes the modular VSF®X solvent extraction plant and the main process equipment for the electrowinning plant.

Mikko Rantaharju, Vice President, Hydrometallurgy, at Metso Outotec, said: “We are looking forward to working with Kyzyl Aray Copper on this project. The energy-efficient VSF X solvent extraction plant, which is part of our Planet Positive product range, reduces emissions and is safe to operate.

“The Kyzyl Aray Copper project will become an important new reference for Metso Outotec in the growing Kazakhstan copper market as a supplier of a complete production plant that uses solvent extraction and electrowinning technology for copper recovery.”

Metso Outotec says its Vertical Smooth Flow (VSF) plants offer lower lifetime costs, significantly shorter lead times and sustainable life-cycle technology built on decades of experience in solvent extraction.

Metso Outotec bolsters mining pump capability in South America

Base metals, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, ,

Metso Outotec has opened a new pump assembly plant in Lima, Peru, responding to the increasing market demand for large pumps used in mining applications in South America, and, at the same time, reducing delivery times to its customers in the region.

Once fully operational, the plant will be able to deliver standard Metso Outotec pumps with competitive lead times to regional customers, the OEM says.

Freddy Carrion, Pump Operations Manager at the new plant, said: “Pumps are critical parts in the mining process and used in various applications, from grinding to tailings. The new state-of-the-art assembly plant in Peru is specifically customised for the production of large Planet Positive MD Series pumps, which are typically used in demanding grinding circuit applications.”

Kalle Sipilä, Vice President, Pumps at Metso Outotec, added: “We selected Lima in Peru as the location for the assembly plant to reduce lead times and transport-related CO2 emissions. The plant is conveniently located close to the harbour and airport, enabling fast logistics to our end customers. Good availability and lead times are further enabled by a local supplier network, and we ensure high quality by having our own organisation carry out inspections. The new plant also has an expert proposal and engineering team to serve our customers.”

Metso Outotec has high sustainability targets for CO2 for its own operations and the supply chain. The target is net-zero CO2 emissions from the company’s own operations by 2030 and a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions from logistics by 2025.

OZ Minerals Carrapateena debottlenecking accelerates with HIGmill addition

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Precious metals, , , , , , , , ,

OZ Minerals’ Carrapateena operation in South Australia is gaining momentum with its processing plant running in excess of nameplate through a cost-effective and efficient debottlenecking strategy.

The latest sign of this strategy taking shape comes in the form of the installation of a second HIGmill from Metso Outotec.

This high-intensity grinding mill has been installed in parallel to the existing mill at the copper-gold operation to increase regrind capacity for all ore types to maintain optimal concentrate grades, the company says.

“We selected HIGmills due to the simplicity of installation and the total cost of ownership,” the company told IM. “As both HIGmills are identical, this allows for commonality of spares and predictable operation.”

The initial processing plant at Carrapateena was designed to produce at a nameplate of 4.25 Mt/y, yet, through debottlenecking and continued process improvement, the plant has recently run at annualised run rate in excess of 5 Mt/y, the company said. This is also an increase on the 4.6 Mt/y processed in 2021.

Like other ‘connected’ equipment within the Carrapateena processing plant, the new HIGmill has been fully integrated into a SCADA system monitored by the control room. It can also be monitored remotely at OZ Minerals’ Adelaide remote operations centre, the company added.

Beyond debottlenecking, OZ Minerals is planning a major expansion at Carrapateena through the development of a block cave operation, which was signed off by the OZ Minerals Board in early 2021.

The expansion, which will involve converting the lower part of the current sub-level cave into a series of block caves, is expected to prolong operations at the copper-gold mine, while boosting production to 12 Mt/y. This will see average copper production come in at 110,000-120,000 t/y and gold output average 110,000-120,000 oz/y from 2026, compared with production of 55,262 t and 89,778 oz, respectively, in 2021.

Under the expansion project, the company is targeting block cave 1 to begin operations by 2026 and block cave 2 by 2038.

While the block cave is being established, a second process plant will be built in parallel to the existing one. Below surface, construction of the second crusher is expected to be completed towards the end of next year, and processing plant optimisation is ongoing. These will help produce a concentrate to be transported to port and subsequently to smelters by ships, the company told IM.

Metso Outotec to deliver thickeners for nickel HPAL project in Indonesia

Base metals, Energy minerals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , ,

Metso Outotec says it will deliver thickeners for a nickel laterite hydrometallurgy project owned by China’s Ningbo Lygend Resources Technology Ltd on Ono island in Indonesia.

The order covers 25 state-of-the-art thickener units for its nickel laterite HPAL (High Pressure Acid Leaching) project, the OEM says.

Metso Outotec’s scope of delivery includes several Planet Positive thickening products, including High Rate, High Compression, and Paste Thickening technologies equipped with ReactorwellTM feed system where applicable, it added.

“Ningbo Lygend produces high quality MHP (Mixed Hydroxide Precipitation) raw material for battery production in Indonesia,” Paul Sohlberg, Senior Vice President, Minerals Separation, Metso Outotec, said. “They chose Metso Outotec thickeners for their project, thanks to our sustainable, state-of-the-art technology combined with our good understanding and references of similar process plants. The Metso Outotec thickeners enable optimised production and high recovery rates.”

Metso Outotec says it is a global leader in the design, fabrication and supply of thickening and clarifying solutions and related services for the mining industry and has delivered over 2,400 thickeners to its customers worldwide.

The Ningbo Lygend Resources order strengthens the company’s position in nickel laterite HPAL applications, it added.

Rio Tinto verifies use of Pilbara ore for low-carbon iron-making using BioIron

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

Rio Tinto says it has proven the effectiveness of its low-carbon iron-making process using ores from its mines in Australia in a small-scale pilot plant in Germany, and is now planning the development of a larger-scale pilot plant to further assess its potential to help decarbonise the steel value chain.

The process, known as BioIron™, uses raw biomass instead of metallurgical coal as a reductant and microwave energy to convert Pilbara iron ore to metallic iron in the steelmaking process. BioIron has the potential to support near-zero CO2 steelmaking, and can result in net negative emissions if linked with carbon capture and storage, according to the company.

Over the past 18 months, the process has been tested extensively in Germany by a project team from Rio Tinto, Metso Outotec and the University of Nottingham’s Microwave Process Engineering Group. Development work was conducted in a small-scale pilot plant using batches of 1,000 golf ball-sized iron ore and biomass briquettes.

Rio Tinto Chief Commercial Officer, Alf Barrios, said: “Finding low-carbon solutions for iron and steelmaking is critical for the world as we tackle the challenges of climate change. Proving BioIron works at this scale is an exciting development given the implications it could have for global decarbonisation.

“The results from this initial testing phase show great promise and demonstrate that the BioIron process is well suited to Pilbara iron ore fines. BioIron is just one of the pathways we are developing in our decarbonisation work with our customers, universities and industry to reduce carbon emissions right across the steel value chain.”

BioIron’s potential was confirmed in a comprehensive and independent technical review by Hatch, the global engineering, project management and professional services firm, Rio said. Hatch noted the thorough work completed by the team and BioIron’s capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while converting Pilbara iron ore into iron and steel.

The BioIron process will now be tested on a larger scale, at a specially designed continuous pilot plant with a capacity of 1 t/h. The design of the pilot plant is underway and Rio Tinto is considering suitable locations for its construction.

The BioIron process works using lignocellulosic biomass including agricultural by-products (eg wheat straw, canola stalks, barley straw, sugar cane bagasse) or purpose-grown crops. The biomass is blended with iron ore and heated by a combination of combusting gases released by the biomass and high-efficiency microwaves that can be powered by renewable energy.

Rio says it is aware of the complexities around the use of biomass supply and is working to ensure only sustainable sources of biomass are used. Accordingly, the company is undertaking a benchmarking study of biomass certification processes. Through discussions with environmental groups, as a first step Rio Tinto has ruled out sources that support the logging of old growth and High Conservation Value forests.

Metso Outotec breaks ground on new Karratha service centre

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec has celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony of the company’s biggest service centre globally to be built in Karratha, Western Australia.

The investment, which was announced in November 2021, will result in a centre offering comprehensive maintenance and repair services for mining and aggregates customers in the Pilbara and Gascoyne regions, the company said.

Located in one of the world’s largest mining regions, the centre offers increased productivity and shorter lead times as well as substantial environmental advantages due to shorter transportation journey, according to Metso Outotec.

The new service centre’s lot size is over 35,000 sq.m, with a 5,000 sq.m workshop and a total of 18,000 sq.m of storage space.

The total investment value is around €32 million ($32 million), including the purchase of the land, assets and construction of the service centre. It is expected to be operational during the December quarter of 2023.

Martin Karlsson, Senior Vice President, Professional Services, Metso Outotec, said: “This is a great day for Metso Outotec and our customers. Reaching this milestone means that the construction work on the site is proceeding after a thorough planning phase. The service centre is an expansion to our footprint and an important strategic investment in supporting our customers. The strong operational support and leading process knowledge we provide, will help our customers to meet their targets.”

The centre will be equipped to repair and refurbish, for example, large mining crushers, grinding mills, screens and car dumpers. Further, it will act as a base for field services, hold inventory for critical wear and spare parts, as well as providing a customer training facility.

Stuart Sneyd, President, Asia Pacific market area, Metso Outotec, said: “By investing in this state-of-the-art service centre, we are demonstrating our long-term commitment to the Pilbara Region and the communities there. We can offer shorter lead times, and environmentally efficient service and delivery capabilities. The functionalities of the building have been carefully designed, and we are able to support our customers with a comprehensive service and repairs capability for all their needs.”

Metso Outotec has, today, 140 service centres globally, over 3,000 field services professionals and additional support resources close to customer operations.

Metso Outotec expands its Metrics monitoring system portfolio to screening equipment

Automation, Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

Metso Outotec says it is growing the applications for its cloud-based Metrics monitoring system portfolio, expanding to cover the tools, sensors and dashboard access for monitoring customers’ stationary screening equipment.

Metrics is one of the company’s key digital solutions for customers, providing 24/7 online monitoring capabilities. It, the company says, offers improved safety, increased uptime and throughput, and reduced unplanned maintenance. Metrics enables operators, controllers and service professionals to see real-time analysis of vibrating screen performance and bearing condition.

The platform is also designed for intuitive operation, according to the company, with an easy-to-read screen dashboard with OEM insights making it possible to quickly detect potential issues and take corrective action in time.

In June, Metso Outotec announced a global cooperation agreement with Dynamox, which offers an innovative condition monitoring platform. Metrics for screens is the first solution using Dynamox’s easy-to-install instrumentation that can be complemented with comprehensive value-added services and remote monitoring capabilities in the customer’s value chain, Metso Outotec said.

Jan Wirth, Technology Director with Metso Outotec’s Screening Solutions business, said: “The customer feedback received has helped us to offer a solution focused on customer centricity and sustainability. Metrics for screens helps customers to optimise their process, as they can easily see how the changes implemented have impacted their screening operations. In addition, continuous monitoring helps in the avoidance of several potential breakdowns. It also has a positive impact on sustainability, as running the screen in an optimal way enables increased uptime and less consumption of media, spare parts, oil and energy.

“Our strong development roadmap will enable us to release more data-driven and value-added services soon.”