Antofagasta: Advancing AI to optimise copper processing
As London’s top pure-play copper miner, Antofagasta plc is embracing digital innovation to shape the future of mining. The company continues to accelerate the roll-out of cutting-edge technology across its mining operations to improve performance, safety, productivity and cost efficiency to maximise asset performance.
At Antucoya, one of Antofagasta’s copper mines located in the north of Chile, the Group is using an AI-based system to help make faster and more accurate decisions known as the “Integrated System of Operational Recommendations” system (Spanish acronym “SIRO”). The SIRO system specifically aims to optimise the usage of sulphuric acid, which is a key consumable used in the leaching of copper from ores, in the type of process utilised at Antucoya. By optimising the dosing levels, acid that was previously overdosed in certain materials is now redirected to ore that had historically been underdosed. This improves overall recovery without increasing total consumption, enabling Antucoya to reduce costs and increase copper yields across a variety of ore types.
Deployed through a dedicated cloud software platform, the SIRO system combines real time data collection from ore samples across Antucoya’s leach pads with AI and advanced analytics. This system connects directly to the plant’s control systems, enabling a greater level of precision when applying quantities of sulphuric acid to leach pads, with decisions based on a range of factors that include the grade of the ore being treated, the volume of the ore being tested, the ambient temperature, and frequency of treatment rates.
This innovative enhancement using AI was developed and tested in 2024, and during industrial trials in 2025, the SIRO system delivered strong results by achieving consistently higher than expected recoveries across the three modules tested. In these trials, we observed a 6% to 8% increase in copper recoveries, showing promising results that will continue to be validated using the implemented tool. The trials also confirmed that the SIRO system can generate optimised dosing recommendations in just seven minutes, thereby allowing for faster decision making.
Looking ahead, Antofagasta’s focus will be on embedding the tool into daily operations and expanding this intelligent and sustainable approach to processing at other mines across the Group.
The work completed at Antucoya in developing the SIRO system is a demonstration of Antofagasta’s commitment to developing mining for a better future via technological innovation, operational excellence, and the responsible use of natural resources.