Franke Mine Site

Surface mines

The Franke Mine Site extracts copper oxides from its China, China Sur, San Guillermo, Japan, and Franke mines. Extractions are performed using conventional open-pit methods. The mining operation is conducted almost entirely with its own personnel and equipment.

Location

It is located 102 kilometers southeast of the city of Taltal, in the II Region of Antofagasta, at approximately 1,850 meters above sea level. It borders the Altamira Mine, five kilometers southeast of the Aguilucho Mine and twenty-five kilometers north of the Barreal Seco Mine.

It has camp facilities, offices, a casino, as well as recreational areas and all the necessary infrastructure to accommodate up to 1,000 workers.

Leaching Plant

It has the capacity to process a total of four million tons per year, with a monthly average of 334,000 tons. The supply grades of oxidized copper ore are in the order of 0.65% total copper.

The nominal production capacity of copper cathodes is 30,000 tons per year

THE PLANT PROCESS CONSISTS OF 4 MAIN STAGES:

Size reduction

This includes a primary, secondary, and tertiary crushing circuit.

Ore pretreatment

This process is conducted in two agglomeration and acid curing drums. The cured and agglomerated ore is then left to rest in the pile for 48 hours before being watered.

Leaching

The heap area is 1,100 m long by 320 m wide, forming twelve strips of ore. Each strip is composed of eight modules with an approximate capacity of 11,000 to 12,000 tons of ore, at a heap height of two meters. The leaching cycle is 90 days.

Concentration

This is conducted by solvent extraction (SX) and electrodeposition to produce copper cathodes in the electrolytic plant (EW).

STAFF

Contractors

350 people

Contractors

322 people