The mine is located 1700 m above sea level in an area of water scarcity. Seawater is supplied from the water-cooling system of a coastal thermoelectric power plant via a 143 km pipeline. It is an expensive undertaking – and likely to become more so. The mine is thus committed to recovering as much water as possible.
Implementation of the APC solution resulted in a:
- 14% reduction in water to tailings at a potential saving of USD 18 million per year.¹
- 15% decrease in flocculant consumption at an OPEX saving of USD 350,000 per year.²
- 3% solids (w/w) increase in underflow density.
As a result, the amount of water sent to tailings has been reduced by 5.1 million cubic meters per year, improving water sustainability in this water-stressed region. Pumping costs and associated energy consumption are also reduced.
¹ Based on average water cost of USD 3.50/m3.
² Based on flocculant cost of USD 4.00/kg.
