Mining industry

In 2021, Ellatzite-Med installed a new milling unit in the Grinding and Flotation Department of the Flotation Complex. The commissioning of the new unit is of key importance for providing an uninterrupted workflow process at times of scheduled repairs of the other 11 milling units and for sustaining production targets. The new Milling Unit No.12 enables to produce the same quantities of copper concentrate, but from lower-grade copper ores. As a result, efficient use of exhaustible natural resources is achieved, as well as considerable reduction of the mining waste, providing an opportunity for extending the operational life of the mine.

The milling unit helps optimise the time for scheduled repairs and maintenance of the other milling units. It provides flexibility in processing different amounts of copper ores and reduces the amount of mining waste deposited in the waste dumps of Ellatzite mine. By doing so, sustainable and efficient beneficiation of lower-grade copper ores is achieved.

The expected result of this investment is to reduce the amount of mining waste generated at the Mine Complex by the year 2031, which is set out in Ellatzite-Med’s Waste Management Plan.