Eriez and BHP announced the successful commissioning of a HydroFloat coarse particle flotation (CPF) plant at BHP’s Carrapateena copper mine in South Australia. The milestone represents a significant advance in sustainable, high-efficiency mineral recovery for the mining industry.
Completed through close collaboration among BHP, Eriez, VOLPRO Pty Ltd, and Paradocs Metallurgy. The CPF project integrated HydroFloat technology into the existing processing circuit. From installation through commissioning and optimisation, BHP and Eriez worked together with VOLPRO Pty Ltd and Paradocs Metallurgy, meeting performance targets on an accelerated schedule and within budget.
“We are making great progress in building our South Australian copper province. This is a massive achievement for our team and a significant step forward for our Copper SA operations,” said Anna Wiley, asset president, BHP Copper South Australia.
“The HydroFloat is a compelling example of the smart technology, innovative thinking and investment in productivity that will carry our business forward in South Australia. As a first-of-its-kind for BHP, this breakthrough will substantially increase Carrapateena’s processing capacity while maintaining recovery.”
HydroFloat CPF recovers coarse, high-value particles that conventional flotation often loses to tailings, increasing metal recovery and plant throughput while supporting more sustainable operations and better tailings management. The HydroFloat technology will increase overall ore throughput at Carrapateena to around 20,000 tonnes per day, as well as reduce power consumption by allowing the mill to use a coarser grind size.
Source: Eriez