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Brisbane, 10 February 2011
Xstrata Technology’s IsaMill™, the energy efficient grinding technology, has been selected for the Xstrata Copper’s recently approved Las Bambas Project. The project, owned and operated by Xstrata Copper, is located in the Apurímac Region of Southern Peru, and will be one of the biggest greenfield copper mines to come on stream globally in the next decade.
Xstrata Technology will provide three M3000 IsaMills™ in the regrind circuit of the new concentrator. Each mill will be powered by 1500 kW (2000 hp) motors and will use ceramic media. The new concentrator will be designed to treat 140,000 tonnes per day in a two line operation and will initially produce 400,000 tonnes per annum copper in concentrates. The IsaMills™ will be included in the concentrate regrinding circuit, and like Xstrata Copper’s Antapaccay installation, will incorporate Xstrata Coppers’ standard concentrator design concept.
Bob Drabik Executive General Manager of Xstrata Copper Project Development South America said: “We have chosen IsaMill technology for our Antapaccay and Las Bambas projects in southern Peru because of the equipment’s energy efficiency and ability to deliver a precise size distribution curve with minimal over-grinding which in turn helps to reduce excessive circulating loads. A primary consideration when developing our new projects is to seek ways to minimize our environmental footprint and IsaMill technology helps us to achieve this due to its efficient energy usage and smaller size than other comparable mills.”
Mr Stephen Schmidt, Operations Manager - Mineral Processing, Xstrata Technology, said the IsaMills™ are being supplied as a full package, where Xstrata Technology will be responsible for the supply of the IsaMills™, steelwork, feed and discharge pumpboxes, as well as the new proprietary IsaCharger™ media transfer system. Importantly the M3000 IsaMills™ will include the new High Flow design that permits high tonnage throughput, and still delivers superior energy efficiency. The commissioning of the mills is planned for 2014.
Xstrata Technology will manage the project from its Vancouver office, as well as providing project support and commissioning services from their Santiago office, who are also working on the two M3000 IsaMills™ that are to be used for Antapaccay project.
Ends
Xstrata contact
Stephen Schmidt
Operations Manager – Mineral Processing
Telephone +61 7 3833 8500
Email sschmidt@xstratatech.com.au
Web www.isamill.com
Notes to editors
ABOUT XSTRATA PLC
Xstrata is a global diversified mining group, listed on the London and Swiss Stock Exchanges. Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, Xstrata maintains a meaningful position in seven major international commodity markets: copper, coking coal, thermal coal, ferrochrome, nickel, vanadium and zinc with additional exposure to gold, cobalt, lead and silver. The Xstrata Group also comprises a growing platinum group metals business, iron ore projects, recycling facilities and a suite of global technology products, many of which are industry leaders. The Group's operations and projects span 20 countries.
XSTRATA TECHNOLOGY
Xstrata Technology develops markets and supports technologies for the global mining, mineral processing and metals extraction industries. It has offices in Australia, South Africa, Canada and Chile, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Xstrata plc. For further information please visit www.xstratatech.com.