MONGOLIA - Finnish mineral processinig giant OUTOKUMPU TECHNOLOGY has signed a deal to build its first HydroCopper plant for ERDENET MINING CORP for its mine near the town of Erdenet. The first phase of work carries a price tag of 3.5 million, or Cdn$5.23 million. The contract is a breakthrough for HydroCopper, and Outokumpu Technology expects that there are good markets for this new technology.
The engineering work for the Erdenet plant in this first phase will take up to six months. Negotiations will continue for the second phase, including detailed design, delivery of process equipment, installation, commissioning and training. According to Erdenet Mining's board decision, the second phase will be implemented immediately after the first phase. The new hydrometallurgical plant is scheduled to be operational in 2009.
HydroCopper is Outokumpu's new process to produce copper directly from concentrates at the mine site, shortening the process from mine to metal. This reduces significantly the related working capital and freight costs. Environmentally sound and cost-effective HydroCopper, the company says, is a competitive process and especially suitable for units producing up to 150,000 t/y of copper. More about the process is available at www.OutokumpuTechnology.com.
Erdenet Mining is a Mongolian-Russian limited liability company, which has the largest copper, silver and molybdenum mining operations in Mongolia. With the HydroCopper process the company plans to produce initially 50,000 tons of copper wire rod per year.
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