Chilean state minerals company Enami will see its Hernán Videla Lira smelting plant’s 2010 production reduced by close to 3% as a result of a 10-day stoppage at the facility, a company spokesperson told BNamericas.
The plant, also known as Paipote, stopped operations on March 31 after a hot gas fan at one of its two sulfuric acid plants failed, something the company was unable to forecast, Enami said in a filling submitted to securities regulator SVS.
The facility, located in northern region III, is Chile’s oldest smelting plant and Enami’s largest, producing close to 350,000t/y of fire refined copper in the form of anodes to be converted into cathodes at state copper producer Codelco’s Ventanas refinery in central region V.
The site also produces close to 290,000t/y of sulfuric acid at the two plants, which treat sulfur gases coming from the smelting process.
Enami’s main role is to promote Chile’s small and midsize mining sector by carrying out toll milling and processing, and granting credit at favorable rates to companies.
