Integrated Mine-to-Mill Optimization of

Toromocho Operation at Minera Chinalco Peru

September 28th , 2023 Minera Chinalco Perú: D. Fangrong, D. Yang, A. Muñoz,

Hatch: W. Valery, R. Valle, K. Duffy, C. Plasencia
 Table of Contents
1 Introduction

2 Ore Characterization

3 Effect of SAG Feed Size

4 Phase I Grinding Circuit – Results

5 Phase II Grinding Circuit – Results

6 Throughput Forecast Modelling

7 Conclusions
Copyright © Hatch 2021. All Rights Reserved.
1 Introduction
Introduction

• Toromocho, located in the Central

Andean Region of Peru, at 4,500 m.a.s.l.
• Estimated reserves of 1.52 billion tonnes
of ore grading about 0.48% copper.
• Operations commenced in 2007.
• Current plant throughput is 6,700 tph.

Copyright © Hatch 2020. All Rights Reserved. 4

Comminution Circuit Primary Crushing

Grinding Phase I Grinding Circuit

Equipment Description
Circuit

Primary 60’’ x 113”

Gyratory Crusher
Crushing 745 kW
40’ x 26’
SAG Mill 1
28 MW

Pebble Crushers Raptor XL 1100

Phase I
1&2 750 kW.

28’ x 44’
Ball Mills 1 & 2
22 MW
36’ x 17’
SAG Mill 2
13.5 MW
28’ x 44’
Phase II Ball Mill 3
22 MW
MP1000
Pebble Crusher 3
745 kW

Project Objective:
Maximize the plant throughput while
maintaining the final product size using the
existing assets. Phase II Grinding Circuit
2 Ore Characterisation
Ore Characterization and Typical Blending
2019 2022 Geomet
Unit Design 2014 Samples
Survey Testwork Ore is harder than
BWi kWh/t 12.9 13.3 14.3 13.2 14.2 14.2
considered during
SAG Power Index minutes 75 129 120 99 - -
DWi kWh/m3 6.2* 8.9* 8.5* 7.5* 7.3* 7.0
design phase
*Estimated from Hatch in-house relationships.

Hornfels is the hardest ore

type and represents ~ 10%
of blending composition

7
3 Effect of SAG Feed Size
DK0
Effect of SAG Feed Size
ROM Size Distribution

Since 2017 ROM P80 reduced from 5.5” to 2.5”

9
Effect of SAG Feed Size
SAG Feed Size Distribution
2019 Coarsening over time

Average PSD
PSD 2023 Variation (Δ)
2019
P80 (mm) 38 58 +20
P50 (mm) 9.5 22 +12.5
Fines (%-10mm) 51 32 -19
10
Grinding Circuit Survey
4 Phase I Grinding Circuit - Results
Phase I Grinding Circuit - Results
SAG Mill Discharge Limited
• Phase I SAG mill is discharge capacity constrained
• Any effort to increase throughput rates with higher power draws and circuit optimization will be limited
by the discharge capacity of the mill
• Recommendations: Increase pebble port apertures 80 mm
Improve discharge capacity (pulp lifter design)

Existing Radial Proposed Radial Pulp-Lifter Design Proposed Curved Pulp-Lifter Design
Pulp-Lifter Design 8% more discharge capacity 23% more discharge capacity

Simulation 1: ~ 9% of throughput increase with some coarsening of P80 13

Phase I Grinding Circuit - Results
Optimized SAG Mill Ball Charge
• SAG mill receives fine feed
• Recommendation: Operate like large ball mill – with high ball charge

Increase SAG mill ball charge from 19 to 20 %

Simulation 2: 2 – 3 % of throughput increase with some coarsening of P80 14

Phase I Grinding Circuit - Results
Reduce Pebble Crushing CSS

• Pebble crusher No. 1 operated with finer CSS of

CSS reduced
to 11mm 11 mm in 2020
• Increasing utilization of installed power
• 10 – 15 % of the time bypass of pebble crushers

At higher throughputs, pebble production will increase

significantly becoming a second main bottleneck

A separate study was conducted to address

this bottleneck

Simulation 3: Both crushers with CSS of 11mm increase throughput ~ 2% and coarser P80 15
Phase I Grinding Circuit - Results
Increase Ball Mill Power
• To reduce P80 back in line with target:
Increase Ball Charge
(Requires installation of ball retaining ring)
Reduce Speed

Simulation 4: Operate with higher ball charge will reduce P80 by about 20 μm 16
Phase I Grinding Circuit - Results
Primary Crusher Gap

• Available power
• Possible reduction of gap to increase
SAG throughput
• However insufficient volumetric
capacity once operating both grinding
lines (Phases I and II)
• Instead, a GAP increase would be
required

Simulation 5: Wider GAP will reduce SAG throughput slightly (~1%) 17

Phase I Grinding Circuit – Simulation Results
Cumulative Benefits

About 14% increase

in throughput
while maintaining
current product size
(P80)

• Additional quick-win
opportunities were
identified related to:
• SAG mill discharge
screen aperture,
• Ball mill feed density,
ball charge, and ball
size.

18
5 Phase II Grinding Circuit - Results
Phase II Grinding Circuit - Results
Increase SAG Mill Speed
Increase Speed
• Variable and low SAG mill speed
Operate consistently at 76% of critical speed (C.S)
Increase Power Draw ~6%

Current

Increase Speed 76%

Simulation 1: ~6% SAG throughput increase with slightly coarser P80 (~ 9 μm) 20
Phase II Grinding Circuit - Results
Increase Ball Charge in Ball Mill
Increase Ball Charge from 32 to 35 %
• To reduce product size :
Increase power draw ~7%

DK020.8 MW

20.8 MW
Simulation 2: Operate with higher ball charge will reduce P80 (~ 4 μm) 21
Phase II Grinding Circuit - Results
Increase Slurry Density in the Ball Mill
• Dilute ball mill feed reduces grinding efficiency

Decrease water addition

72 % solids
Reduce P80 ~ 10 μm will allow
Increased flotation recovery and therefore revenue

Reduction of operating work index will allow

Lower energy consumption and therefore costs

Simulation 3: Increase slurry density will reduce P80 ~ 10 μm and operating work index 22
Phase II Grinding Circuit - Results
Send Crushed Pebbles to the Ball Mill
• Power-based modelling indicates throughput is SAG limited
• Redirecting crushed pebbles to the ball mill shifts the load to use available ball mill power
TPH - Solids (Sim) % Solids (Sim)
Trommel1-O/S Volume Flow (Sim) P80 (Sim)
398.771 97.252 CYC-O/F
Pebble Crusher 157.876 44.675 2,246.975 30.062
Power (Calc) 503.722 6,053.505 0.182

CYC
Sim 4 - crushed pebble to ball mill Units in Parallel 16
Pressure, kPa (Exp) 88.000
Pressure, kPa (Calc) 88.658
Ball Mill-Prod
6,960.459
5,265.838
72.000
0.624 CYC-U/F
Requires additional
SAG Feed
2,247.000 96.000 SAG-Prod
6,561.689
3,884.521
81.676
1.095
conveyors and plant
919.728 74.645 2,247.000
1,652.974
73.100
8.408 layout modifications

Trommel-U/S
1,848.229 62.359
1,795.099 1.571

Sump-Prod
8,808.663 56.800
9,938.026 0.717

Simulation 4: ~7% throughput increase with coarser P80 (182 μm) 23

Phase II Grinding Circuit - Simulation Results
Cumulative Benefits

About 13.5% increase in

throughput

Slight coarsening of
product size
(but still finer than
target: 195 um)

24
6 Throughput Forecast Modelling
Throughput Forecast Modelling
A power-based throughput forecast model was developed by Hatch for the Phase I grinding circuit

Calibration Validation

95% Prediction Interval Weekly Monthly

Standard Error 11% 3.5% 26

7 Conclusions
Conclusions
• Optimization opportunities were identified to
increase throughput:
 14% for Phase I while maintaining product size

 13.5% for Phase II with some coarsening of

product size (but finer than target)
• Implementation is in progress.
• Throughput forecast model developed for Phase I
considering ore characteristics and feed size:
 Good accuracy which is expected to improve
further with additional ore characterization data
 Can be extended to include Phase II

• Integrated optimization of flotation circuit ongoing

(survey conducted in parallel).

Copyright © Hatch 2020. All Rights Reserved. 28

Many thanks!