It has supplied a US$15 million package of pumps, cyclones and associated rubber-lined products to the Antamina copper mine in the Peruvian Andes.
The mine – owned by NORANDA and Rio Algom (each 37.5%) and TECK Corporation (25%) – is due to start production in June. It will process 70,000 tons per day and have an expected life-span of 20 years.
ASH 450MCH slurry pumps, used for mill regrind duties, being installed at the Antamina copper mine, located 4300 metres up the Andes about 500kms to the north-east of Lima.
Weir’s South American subsidiary, VULCO, co-ordinated the group’s combined capability in discussions with the main contractor, Bechtel Corporation, with whom it had worked closely on its previous largest contract, pumps worth US$10m, for the world’s largest copper mine at Collahuasi.
The contract has involved Weir’s various international pump-making operations, including Warman-ASH horizontal slurry pumps, Galigher, Floway (all USA), Weir Pumps (UK) and GEHO (Holland).
Ricardo Garib, who runs Weir’s operations in South America, said: All product manufacturing has now been completed under a fast-track programme and successfully commissioned. We are delighted with the way the project has been handled and it shows the strong world-wide capability of the Weir Group for the global mining industry.
On-going aftermarket services will be provided by local Weir companies in South America, managed by VULCO Peru general manager Oscar Bauer.
