For decades, this mine’s oxide ores have been mined and leached to produce copper cathodes. It is the site of one of the world’s first SX/EW facilities, built in 1972. The core of what is now TNT’s design team has been designing, supplying and installing mobile stacking equipment for this mine since 1994, when it was conducting its heap leach operations in a valley-fill configuration with multiple lifts.
From 1997 to 1999, TNT designed, supplied and erected a self-propelled feed conveyor undercarriage system along with two standard portable conveyors for the initial expansion and two additional portable conveyors for the next expansion. On the first expansion, TNT conducted a study to determine the viability of increasing production from 1,500 to 1,800 t/h, and developed, delivered and installed a cost-effective solution. On the second, TNT determined that upgrading the system’s motors and modifying its electrical systems would permit a further production rate increase to 2,100 t/h.
In 2004-05 TNT applied TNT’s patented Super Portable® technology to the design and supply of a 54” x 275’ Horizontal Conveyor and 54” x 180’ / 200’ Radial Stacker with 20’ telescoping stinger. The Super Portable technology allows fully independent movement of pieces of mobile conveying equipment on the stacking pad.
In subsequent years, TNT has continued to support this mine’s operations in its new stacking areas by designing and supplying a total of seven new 2,600 t/h, 42” x 125’ portable conveyors and two new 42” overland conveyors (1,700 m and 550 m (downhill – regenerative)), as well as upgrades to all the existing mobile conveyors.
