Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde S.A.

Lead Reduction in EW Cathode During Black-

outs With The Aid of Air Sparging

Wilson Loayza.
SX-EW
Metallurgist

BASF’ s 2012 LIX Users Conference.

October 14-18. Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

www.fcx.com CONNECTING THE FUTURE®

 Contents

 Part-I.
 Purpose.
 Antecedents.
 EW Air sparging.
- Components and Installation.
- System Design Issues
- Air Flow vs. Pressure.
- Corrective Measures Taken.
- Cathode Quality Improvements.
 Part-II.
 The Issue of Lead Contamination After Plant Shutdowns.
- The Use of Air Sparging of Solve The Problems.
- Results.
 Other tankhouse Benefits Derived From EW Air Sparging.
 Conclusions.
 Purpose of the Presentations

 To shave Cerro Verde´s successful experience with EW cell air sparging to

improve cathode Quality.
 Antecedents of Cathode Qualities

 High sulfur in Cathode.

 SMCV 2009 Grade A Cathode Production Quality (Unwashed
Samples):
- High Grade: 23.2% (Pb<=3 , S<=8)
- Standard: 56.8% (3 < Pb <= 5 , 8 < S <= 15)
- Off Grade: 20.0% (5 < Pb <= 10 , 15 < S <= 25)
 This encouraged Cerro Verde to investigate alternatives to reduce High
sulfur in cathode due to high current density operation (440 A/m2 41
A/ft2)
 EW Air Sparging
Components and Installation
EW Air Sparging. System Layout
Electrolytic
cell (230
unid.). Lines of ½ ", which bind to
each manifold of cell

Pressure gauges in
the 4 corners of the
isobaric system.
4 blowers
of 30 HP

3 pipes of
Manifold income to EW,
with flowmeters.
4 "Pipes.
Form the isobaric system.

 The system was installed in 2Q 2010

 EW Air Sparging
EW Cell Air Manifold
Cell electrolytic and
 Micro-porous hoses in horizontal position. air Manifold

 Blowers feed air to manifolds via pipe loop.

Line of income to
 Hoses interconnected to attain isobaric conditions. air manifold.

 Micro-porous hoses generate micro bubbles of air. Micro-porous

hoses.
 Micro bubbles ensure adequate copper ion availability
at the surface of the cathode where EW plating
occurs, thereby improving metal deposit.

Electrolyte agitated with air.

 EW Air Sparging
Air Flow vs. Pressure

 Insufficient air supply due to microporous hose plugging.

 Electrolyte capillarity caused hose plugging with electrolyte crystals.
 System pressure increased and flow gradually decreased.

Air Flow vs. Pressure

Air Flow (l/min)

Pressure (PSI)

Pressure Flow

Date
 EW Air Sparging
Corrective Measures Taken
 Troubles shooting and system optimization.
- Air purges, blowers stopped between 10 and 12 minutes. increase the flow
from 24 to 46 l/min-cell.
- Low flow cells were connected to a compressor to unplug hose micropores
with compressed air for approximately 10 to 20 seconds.
- Both air pipe loops and cell manifolds were cleaned every 45 days on
average.
- Measures taken improved flow to 73 l/min-cell.

Air Flow (l/min-cell)

Initial Partial Higher increase
condition increase
Air Flow (l/min-cell)
 Cathode Quality Improvements

BEFORE AFTER
2009, 2010 and Jan-Apr 2011 May-Dec 2011 and Jan-Feb 2012

% HG
% HG

 Sulfur and lead contents were substantially reduced.

 Cathode physical appearance substantially improved.
Before After
 The Issue of Lead Contamination
After Plant Shutdowns
 Historically Cerro Verde EW plant shutdowns between 3 and 15 hours have
resulted in increased lead content in cathode produced subsequent to the
shutdown.
 This is due to increased lead content in the electrolyte and electrolyte entrainment
in cathode.

High Grade Cathode (Pb <= 3.0 ppm)

After days shutdowns

 The Use of Air Sparging of
Solve The Problems

 Based on cathode porosity determined via Metallography techniques developed

by FCX for cathode produced with and without air sparging, we decided to
overdose air 7 days before and after the shutdown.

IDEA. With excess of air

Without Air Flow. With Air Flow required. flow.

Porosity (3 to 4.5 %) Porosity null.

Porosity (1 to 2.5 %)
Cerro Verde Industrial Tankhouse Results

Pb+2 in Electrolyte After the Shutdowns

Before: Discontinuous lines

After: Continuous lines

After days shutdowns

 Lead in electrolyte increases normal levels of less than 3.0 ppm before the
shutdown to 5.0 or more ppm after the shutdown.
 Then, it normalizes typically after 4 days.
Cerro Verde Industrial Tankhouse Results

 Lead in cathode decreased from 5.0 w/o air to 1.3 w/air overdoses.
Cerro Verde Industrial Tankhouse Results

Pb in Cathode High Grade Cathode (Pb <= 3.0 ppm)

Before: Discontinuous lines Before: Discontinuous lines
After: Continuous lines After: Continuous lines

After days shutdowns After days shutdowns

 Other Tankhouse Benefits
Derived From EW Air Sparging

 Reduced Guar dosing.

 Cobalt make-up could be reduced, since cathode denser deposit
reduces electrolyte entrapment in cathode.
 Reduced hot wash water flow due to denser cathode deposit.
 The only drawback to using EW air sparging is reduced current
efficiency possibly due to higher iron oxidation in electrolyte and
higher acid mist generation.
 Conclusions

 EW air sparging is highly benefitial to improve cathode quality.

 In the case of Cerro Verde, it has helped us eliminate the problem of lead
contamination after plant shutdowns.
 Air sparging reduces Guar, hot wash water and possibly cobalt costs.
THANKS