The Bronzes recycles 78% of the water processed in 2013
Recirculated Water system allowed to mobilize 20 million m3 of water in its first year of operation.
Under the Los Bronces Development Project, Anglo American invested $ 180 million to launch its new Recirculated Water System (SAR), in order to feed the demand for process water of Confluencia Plant and also part of The Bronces. This enabled to expand the productive capacity of the operation to about 400 thousand tons per year. Thus, during 2013 recirculated about 20 million m3 of water, that it is, 78% recirculation, more than ten points above the industry average.
“This is one of the most important initiatives of the Water Efficiency Program of the Copper Business Unit, and has been internationally recognized as a great feat of engineering and an example of good practice in water management in mining,” said Marcela Angulo, Anglo American’s Sustainability Manager, referring to Global Water Award 2013, which distinguished the project.
This system is composed of five pumping stations arranged in series along its route 52.5 km long and has an installed capacity of 40.9 MWh. This allows having a nominal capacity of 610 liters per second, resulting in 19.2 million m3 nominal volume in a normal year.
Angulo added that currently the company is studying other projects to make even more efficient use of water through innovative technologies that can, for example, reduce what is retained in the tailings and prevent evaporation losses.-
Source: Diario Financiero
