Tag Archives: Outotec

Outotec refines minerals and metals focus with planned divestments

Comminution of minerals, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , ,

Outotec has taken a strategic decision to divest three of its businesses in the Metals, Energy & Water segment’s portfolio as it focuses on its core technologies in minerals processing and metals refining.

These businesses relate to aluminium, waste-to-energy and sludge incineration, the company said.

This news comes as Metso is going through the process of gaining approval for the acquisition of Outotec, a deal that will create a mineral processing giant.

Outotec said the aluminium business to be divested includes the green anode plant, rod shop (an example, pictured) and certain cast-house technologies as well as related service operations; while the waste-to-energy business to be divested comprises of biomass, wood waste and various other fuel plants including related service operations.

The last business – the sludge incineration segment – comprises delivery of plants for treatment of municipal and industrial sludge and related service operations.

In total, around 250 experts are working in these three businesses, which will be affected by these moves. In the company’s 2019 financial results, the businesses to be divested will be classified as discontinued operations, Outoect said.

For the financial year 2019, the intended actions will lower the expected sales by around €50 million ($55.5 million) but increase the adjusted EBIT by some €40 million, the company said.

Outotec’s CEO, Markku Teräsvasara, said: “Pursuing these strategic actions will enable Outotec to better focus on its core technologies in minerals processing and metals refining. We, of course, remain committed to serving our energy and aluminium customers until these divestments have been completed.”

Outotec provides modular paste backfill solution

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , ,

Outotec says its new Modular Paste Backfill Plant (MPB 80) is a high-quality, cost-effective plant solution for underground non-ferrous mining applications with low-range backfill throughput requirements.

The MPB 80 acts as an “ideal alternative” to installing a concrete batching-style plant that has been reconfigured for producing paste backfill, according to the company. The wet tailings solution uses 80 m2 of vacuum disc filtration and is geared towards mines with an ore production capacity of between 700,000 t/y and 1 Mt/y.

As Outotec says, a high-quality backfill system is vital to ensure mine integrity and the safety of personnel, as well as to minimise the volume of tailings that need to be directed to tailings dams on the surface.

“With a dedicated paste backfill plant, mines can produce high-quality paste at a lower cost than is possible with modified concrete plants and larger, previous-generation paste backfill plants.”

Because the Outotec Modular Paste Backfill Plant features a combined paste mixer and hopper in place of separate units, it enables significant reductions in both plant size and maintenance requirements, the company says. “In addition to reducing the plant footprint, this unique process design significantly reduces the need for cleaning, meaning the plant can run for multiple shifts without having to shut down,” it said.

The plant components are pre-assembled off-site and delivered in larger, pre-engineered modules, enabling a significantly shorter interval between order placement and installation and start-up.

Other key benefits include a reduction in capital expenditure without compromising paste backfill quality; a reduction in the need to direct tailings to surface dams for deposition; lower operating expenditure over the mine life with highly accurate binder addition; and a full range of operations and maintenance services available to ensure smooth, efficient operation.

Paul Sohlberg becomes Outotec’s new head of minerals processing

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining people, , , ,

Outotec has appointed Paul Sohlberg as interim Executive Vice President of its Minerals Processing business unit following Kimmo Kontola’s decision to leave the company.

The position, which also sees him join the executive board, is temporary until the expected closing of the Outotec and Metso Minerals combination, which is expected to complete in the June quarter.

Paul Sohlberg joined Outotec in 2011 and, since 2014, has worked as the President of Market Area North & Central America.

Outotec’s President and CEO, Markku Teräsvasara, said Sohlberg has “versatile experience” in business leadership roles at Outotec and Elektrobit.

“Under Paul’s leadership, we have seen strong development in North and Central America. I warmly welcome Paul to our executive board, where his task will be to further strengthen and develop our growing minerals processing business.

“At the same time, I want to thank Kimmo for his long career and contributions in developing Outotec’s minerals processing business and wish him all the best in his next career chapter.”

TOMRA seminar highlights sensor-based ore sorting benefits

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining events, Mining services, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , , , ,

TOMRA recently held a seminar on sustainable mining solutions and sensor-based sorting that, it said, addressed major challenges of the mining industry, including increasing pressure to be more financially streamlined and radically more efficient, while addressing environmental and sustainability concerns.

Sensor-based sorting (SBS) is proving to be an increasingly important tool both to formulate optimal solutions for greenfield projects and to help conquer challenges for keeping brownfields operations viable, converting the mining operation’s resource into value, according to TOMRA.

During this seminar at the Colorado School of Mines, TOMRA’s specialists were joined by guest speakers to examine all aspects of a sensor-based sorting operation with a broad range of topics including sorting technology, applications, plant design, test work and economic considerations.

The 62 participants came from all across the US and Canada, and included representatives from mining companies, engineering firms and students and professors eager to learn more about the applications and technology.

Corby Anderson, Harrison Western Professor at the Colorado School of Mines, opened the seminar with an introduction of recycling, recovery and sorting. The next talk focused on sensor-based sorting technologies and their applications, as well as highlighting fully operational SBS plants in the mining industry.

TOMRA’s Mathilde Robben explained the importance of setting objectives for SBS and the financial and technical aspects to evaluate.

“The most critical factors to consider when assessing the feasibility of sorting are throughput requirements, particle size and potential water usage, as well as the mineralogy of the ore,” TOMRA said, adding that having a clear understanding of where sorting can benefit in the process is paramount when planning to use this technology.

Test work is the best way to determine if SBS will work for an application, and TOMRA’s Chris Korsten explained the company’s test work philosophy to identify the best solution that will meet the mining operation’s specific conditions and objectives.

Guest speaker Erik Stepperud of Hazen Research, the industrial R&D company specialising in the mining, chemical, energy and environmental industries, shared his expertise in assays and interpretation of test results, while Craig Murray of the Saskatchewan Research Council spoke about testing and support services for projects using sorting technology.

Downstream impacts

When designing optimal sorting plants, it is critical to understand the necessary auxiliary components for materials handling, such as screens, washing and conveying, and where to place the sorter in the flowsheet to optimise the process and get the most out of SBS, according to TOMRA.

Particle size is critical to SBS, so designing optimal crushing and screening units is vital, and TOMRA invited expert speakers to cover these topics: Jörn Rohleder of Outotec, which specialises in designing leading technologies and services for the sustainable use of natural resources, discussed crushing design and Eli Cannell of Joest, a leader in vibration technology, elaborated on screening. Greg Black of Golden Eagle Technologies, meanwhile, covered the topic of dust extraction.

SBS can have a huge positive impact on the downstream operations of a flowsheet, as more waste is rejected from the process upstream. This means waste is not carried through the rest of the process, resulting in significant savings in energy, water and chemicals. A further benefit is the reduction of fine tailings that are environmentally challenging to manage.

The seminar was very well received, according to TOMRA, and achieved its goal of providing a pragmatic foundation on SBS projects. Genevieve Gosselin, Senior Technical Metallurgist at Agnico Eagle Mines, said, “The seminar gave us keys for the implementation of ore sorting in brownfields and greenfields mining projects”. Vera Gella, Metallurgist at BBA, said: “For us, the test work preparation and flowsheet design are most relevant to what we do every day and being able to quickly assess whether or not sorting is applicable to a given project. Like Jörn pointed out, if you pick the wrong crushing/SBS circuit design up front, it can drastically change the outcome of a project. It’s critical to think carefully about how to get the most out of your sorting circuit.”

It also raised awareness of aspects that participants may not have considered in the past. For Gosselin it was “how important the geology of the deposit is, and the need to evaluate this before starting bench and pilot scale testing”. Gella, on the other hand, was struck by the sustainability aspect, which is becoming increasingly important: “One of the things that we hadn’t thought about because our scope was focused on the economic tradeoff was the environmental impacts of SBS. The environment is becoming more and more of a focus for all stakeholders and will be a key driver for mining projects going forward.”

Outotec to help modernise Rich Metals’ Madneuli copper concentrator

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , ,

Outotec and Rich Metals Group Copper (RMGC) have signed a contract for the delivery of minerals processing technology and equipment to modernise the Madneuli copper concentrator in southern Georgia.

The contract is valued at around €10 million ($11.2 million) is booked in Outotec’s 2019 December quarter order intake.

Outotec’s scope of delivery includes a tertiary ball mill, Outotec® HIGmill® high intensity grinding mill, flotation cells, a complete process control system as well as a pressure filter and a high rate thickener. The deliveries will follow completion of basic engineering for the project, which is currently ongoing. RMGC is expected to take delivery of the products in the second half of 2020.

Outotec says it has been involved in the modernisation project from the early stages to support in process design to improve the efficiency and value of production. Extensive test work, along with the chemical and mineralogical characterisation of different ore samples, were carried out at the laboratories of Outotec Research Centre in Pori, Finland.

The Madneuli mine has produced around 85 Mt of copper- and gold-bearing ores, at a reported grade of 1 g/t Au and 1% Cu, over a period of 30 years, according to RMGC.

“We are happy to support RMGC’s target to improve the performance of their operations. Outotec’s process technology and proprietary equipment will assure sustainable beneficiation of the complex orebodies RMGC is processing,” Kimmo Kontola, Head of Outotec’s Minerals Processing business, said.

Metso and Outotec tie-up wins backing at EGM

Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining mergers and acquisitions, , , ,

Metso says its Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) has seen the Board of Directors’ partial demerger plan and combination with Outotec approved.

The decisions of the EGM will become effective as of the registration of the completion of the partial demerger, which is expected to take place in the June quarter of 2020, subject to the statutory creditor hearing process and receipt of all required regulatory and other approvals, including competition clearances.

The combination of Metso Minerals and Outotec is highly complementary and will create a unique company in the industry, according to the two companies. “Metso Outotec will leverage the strengths of both companies, including technology and R&D, product and process excellence, scale and global service offering footprint. The combination will deliver significant benefits to all stakeholders,” they said.

As part of the deal, Metso Flow Control, which was recently split off from the Metso Minerals division, will become a pure-play listed entity under the name of Neles.

Pursuant to the demerger plan, all such assets, rights, debts and liabilities of Metso which relate to, or primarily serve, Metso’s Minerals business will transfer, without liquidation of Metso, to Outotec.

The planned combination received approval from the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority earlier this month.

Outotec celebrates 70 years of technology innovation at Pori ORC

Base metals, Energy minerals, Environmental, Metallurgy, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining industry recognition, Mining services, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , ,

Outotec is, this week, celebrating 70 years of sustainable technology development at its Outotec Research Centre (ORC) in Pori, Finland.

The ORC in Pori is unique in the industry, according to the company, with its expertise in the minerals and metals processing value chain ranging from ores to finished metals and recycling.

The centre was established in 1949 and, since then, has been a part of the company’s long-term research and development strategy. The company is holding a two-day seminar to celebrate 70 years of process development on October 15–16, with speakers including leading researchers, professors and industrial influencers.

One of several cutting-edge technologies developed at the ORC is Outotec Flash Smelting, which is still one of the world’s most commonly used processes to produce primary copper and nickel. This innovation was developed at the ORC at the end of 1940s.

The centre’s laboratories conduct tests on raw materials for Outotec’s customers and the related production processes. Current testing capabilities include nine laboratories and pilot plants, with, annually, some 200 research projects conducted, and more than 250,000 samples analysed.

Outotec said: “There is a genuine need for continuous development of processes since ore deposits are becoming leaner in grade and more difficult to utilise. The conventional methods are often insufficient to make them financially viable. Outotec’s research centre in Pori supports customers in selecting and, if necessary, developing new solutions for the efficient and environmentally sustainable extraction of valuable minerals from raw materials.”

The company said it can take decades for a completely new technology to establish itself in the market, but once the technology platform is developed, new applications may quickly be found. This has happened to cobalt and lithium processing technologies in recent years with the electrification of transport, it said.

Jarkko Partinen, Vice President, Technology and R&D at the ORC, said the cobalt extraction technology developed in Pori back in the 1960s is, today, gaining in importance due to the advent of electric transport.

“Thanks to our continuous research and development work, we are able to offer customers new and efficient ways of processing materials such as battery chemicals,” he added.

Kalle Härkki, Head of Outotec’s Metals, Energy & Water business area, said Outotec’s customers each face unique challenges and it is the company’s job to create solutions that help them succeed.

“We are proud of our process and technology expertise, and having our own research centre is a competitive strength,” he said. “ORC has been characterised by research into environmental protection, the circular economy, and resource efficiency before any of these topics became mainstream. One of the earliest studies, which dates back to 1951 and would nowadays be linked to the circular economy, examined useful applications for sulphur gas roasting residues.”

ORC employs 180 research and development professionals, 45 of which are process and technology development engineers, half of whom hold a doctorate level degree. There is a dedicated group working in modelling and digitalising process expertise.

The laboratories employ more than 100 professionals most of them working in three shifts specialised in building and maintaining test rigs and equipment, conducting the test work planned by the process development engineers, and analysing samples taken from the tests.

In 2018, the ORC welcomed more than 1,300 visitors, the vast majority of which were customers, researchers and people attending training.

Outotec improving energy consumption, efficiency at Glencore Nikkelverk refinery

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

Outotec has agreed with Glencore Nikkelverk AS on the delivery of coated titanium anodes to the new tankhouse for its copper electrowinning plant in Norway.

The delivery will include over 5,000 of the new mixed metal oxide coated titanium anodes, with the order value, booked into Outotec’s September quarter order intake, being some €10 million ($11 million).

Glencore’s Nikkleverk refinery in Kristiansand, Norway, produces around 40,000 t/y of copper.

Outotec’s coated titanium anodes were tested on-site for five years, with the results verifying that Outotec anodes will significantly reduce energy consumption and provide higher current efficiency than traditional lead anodes, the company said.

Outotec said: “Outotec Coated Titanium Anodes provide totally lead-free electrowinning operations and increased occupational health and safety by eliminating lead and lead sludge handling.”

The end result for Glencore Nikkelverk AS is green technology electrowinning operations with higher quality copper product at lower energy consumption and operating costs, it concluded.

Kalle Härkki, Head of Outotec’s Metals, Energy & Water business area, said: “This is one more reference delivery of Outotec Coated Titanium Anodes in the copper electrowinning industry. The energy efficiency benefits and lower operating costs of our anodes enable Glencore Nikkelverk to improve their profitability in a sustainable way.”

Outotec consolidates filtration expertise with new Larox PF-DS filter press

Automation, Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Water management, , , , , ,

Outotec says its new Larox® PF-DS tower press filter combines two proven technologies in one unit to meet the challenging process requirements of the chemical process industry.

With filtration applications getting more demanding due to challenging materials, increased cake washing needs, strong acid processes, and fine grinding, there is an increasing need for technologies that can handle these challenges in a reliable and more automated manner, Outotec says.

The new Larox PF-DS is a tower press filter where the plate pack is composed of polypropylene membrane filter plates stacked on top of each other. The cake forms between the closed filter plates on the top and bottom side of the filtration chamber, hence it being called a double-side filter.

The mechanical operation and frame of the Larox PF-DS are shared with the Outotec Larox PF pressure filter while the unique filtration process is powered by the double-side plate pack from the Outotec Larox DS filter (earlier known as Hoesch® DS).

The individual filter chamber has a double-side filtration area of 4.7 m2 and an operating pressure of up to 16 bar. The plates are stacked vertically to give a total filtration area of 38–94 m2 depending on the unit size, according to Outotec.

One endless filter cloth runs through the whole filter and one side of the filter cloth is used for filtration. A wide range of different cloth types is available to meet the application needs, the company said. This filter cloth ensures efficient discharge of all cake from each individual chamber at every cycle, eliminating the need for manual intervention.

With the PF-DS now sharing the mechanical design with the PF family, local Outotec service teams are available for technical support and maintenance needs. Likewise, the availability and compatibility of the spare parts is significantly improved compared with earlier technology.

Outotec said: “PF-DS Filters are fully automatic, operating either with a standalone panel or through a distributed control system. Automation extends beyond basic filter sequencing to full process control, ensuring consistent results under varying process conditions.”

The filtration process is a batch operation which includes filtration, membrane pressing and air drying stages, with several options for cake washing added to the process depending on customer needs.

When the process cycle is ended, filter cakes will be discharged from the one side of the filter. Due to the cloth being on both sides of the chamber together with the cloth scrapers, cake discharge is fully automatic without an operator present.

After each cycle, the moving filter cloth passes through water sprays to remove any embedded solids. This maintains cloth permeability, consistent filter performance and extends cloth life, according to Outotec.

The single cloth system makes cloth change simple and quick, typically taking as little as 30 minutes. Furthermore, cloth inspection can be carried out without the need for equipment shutdown.

Metso Outotec planned combination wins Finnish FSA approval

Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Water management, , , , ,

The planned combination of Metso and Outotec has received approval from the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority, the two companies have reported.

The approval is tied to the Finnish language demerger prospectus relating to the combination of Outotec and Metso.

Outotec and Metso announced on July 4, that the boards of directors of Outotec and Metso had approved a combination agreement and a demerger plan that would see Metso Outotec Corp created.

As part of the deal, Metso Flow Control, which was recently split off from the Metso Minerals division, will become a pure-play listed entity under the name of Neles.

The combination of Metso Minerals and Outotec is highly complementary and will create a unique company in the industry, according to the two companies. “Metso Outotec will leverage the strengths of both companies, including technology and R&D, product and process excellence, scale and global service offering footprint. The combination will deliver significant benefits to all stakeholders,” they said.

An extraordinary general meeting of Outotec and Metso shareholders was expected to convene on October 29 to approve the demerger plan, with the registration of the completion of the demerger with the trade register maintained by the Finnish Patent and Registration Office expected to take place in the June quarter of 2020, subject to other approvals.