Process

The ore is extracted from the open pit located 3,100 metres above sea level, then crushed and transported 13 kilometres by conveyor belt to the concentrator plant at 1,620 metres. The drop in altitude enables the conveyor belt system to generate enough electricity to supply one tenth of the total energy requirements of Los Pelambres – an unusual advantage.

The initial plant throughput capacity at Los Pelambres was approximately 90,000 tonnes per day of ore. Through a series of optimisations and expansions this was increased to approximately 130,000 tonnes per day. Los Pelambres approved a further upgrade of its plant capacity in July 2008 through additional infrastructure including a third SAG mill and sixth ball mill. The expansion is within existing environmental permits and will increase plant capacity to approximately 175,000 tonnes per day. This is expected to increase production of payable copper by an annual average of 90,000 tonnes over the first 15 years from 2010. The total cost of this project is expected to be approximately US$1.0 billion including escalation.

A pipeline carries the concentrates to the dedicated port facility at Punta Chungo on the Pacific for shipment to smelters in the Far East, Europe and other destinations. Moving the concentrates in the form of slurry between the concentrator plant and the coast ensures very low transportation costs from mine to port.