Codelco is the world’s largest copper producer, generating around 1,8 Mt or 15% of the world’s total copper output per year. The Chilean
state-owned copper mining company is headquartered in Santiago and owns the world’s largest known copper reserves and resources. The Norte division consists of three open pit mines producing approximately 896 000 tons of electro-refined and electro-wined cathodes.
The miner has a joint venture, Kairos Mining, which was created in strategic alliance with Honeywell. Through the Kairos Mining alliance, Codelco started a long-term comprehensive automation programme for its mineral concentrator plants located at Codelco Norte, Andina and El Teniente sites.
Challenge
Codelco recognised the need for further optimisation at its Norte plant, but it was unable to install wired instruments in the thickeners pool which could suddenly empty because there was no way to measure levels except manually. Codelco could not retrieve accurate or timely water levels of both the dark (untreated) and recovered (clean treated) water of the pool; if clear water levels are too low, then not enough water is recovered. In addition, the topography of the region presented many obstacles including climate and distance challenges.
“The former inability of gauging online and the high cost of maintaining the wired traditional network (frequently broken by heavy trucks and machinery) caused very low availability of measurement,” said Guillermo Cortés, concentrator automation leader, Codelco.
Solution
Codelco chose Honeywell’s OneWireless to connect new field devices at the Norte mine to the existing Honeywell TPS control system. The OneWireless network is used to connect Siemens S7 300 PLCs to the Honeywell TPS system; the PLCs are then used to manage equipment and instruments installed at each tank and pool. Since installing the OneWireless solution, the use of water is much more efficient because the level of water in the thickeners can be accurately gauged.
There are seven OneWireless multinodes covering the site, allowing operators in the control room to call information from the PLCs under the Honeywell TPS control system. This information can be fed into the Profit Controller application to optimise process control of the facility.
After the successful implementation of the network to support PLCs, Codelco decided to install Honeywell XYR 6000 high level analogue input transmitters to monitor the level of the clear and dark water using ultrasonic transmitters. The information is automatically transmitted to operators who can make sure water levels are accurate. “We can now gauge and manage the thickeners’ level and flow, the efficiency of the whole process has improved greatly,” said Cortés.
Benefits
Codelco applied the OneWireless solution to the final part of the concentration process where water is recovered for reuse in the process. The efficiency of this process has improved greatly since the implementation and many other benefits also accrued from the OneWireless implementation, including:
* Fast access to real-time data using ISA 100 standards.
* Ability to retrieve timely and accurate water levels of the thickener pools.
* Control room operators can call information remotely from PLCs.
* Information fed into Honeywell Profit Controller provides more accurate decision-making.
* Saved money by not using costly wiring.
“Honeywell’s OneWireless has given us a comprehensive solution through the ability to gauge multiple variables and transmit them in real-time with high availability. We can now gauge and manage the thickeners’ operating parameters precisely with consequent improvement in our water recovery process,” concluded Cortés.
For more information contact Boni Magudelela, Honeywell Southern Africa, +27 (0)11 695 8000, [email protected], www.honeywell.co.za
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