![\"Lining-TrellexPolycer\"](\"http:\/\/www.bnmme.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Lining-TrellexPolycer.jpg\")
Despite having the world\u2019s sixth largest copper deposit, Compania Minera Dona Ines de Collahuasi is facing the same issues miners are facing the world over: that of ensuring future productivity and overall viability.<\/p>\nDespite having the world\u2019s sixth largest copper deposit, Compania Minera Dona Ines de Collahuasi is facing the same issues miners are facing the world over: that of ensuring future productivity and overall viability.<\/p>\n
As part of this process the operator instituted a new \u2018preventive improvement process\u2019, with the objective of detecting potential problems in advance to maximise performance and equipment availability.<\/p>\n
Compania Minera Dona Ines de Collahuasi contacted Metso as part of this improvement effort to manufacture and mount of a new chute with four outputs for a 11\u2019 by 11\u2019 semi-autonomous grinding (SAG) mill.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPleased with the good results and the fact that all deadlines were met without any accidents, Compania Minera Dona Ines de Collahuasi decided to order three more chutes for the pebble stage,\u201d Metso said.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a company we look for suppliers who can provide an integrated service that includes engineering, manufacturing, as well as assembly,\u201d Manuel Vera, Compania Minera Dona Ines de Collahuasi\u2019s asset management and reliability manager, said.<\/p>\n \u201cMetso\u2019s unique ability to offer an integrated solution was one of the key factors in the company\u2019s decision to collaborate with them.\u201d<\/p>\n Metso\u2019s integrated approach consisted of several phases, beginning with the gathering of field data about the existing chutes in operation.<\/p>\n Additionally, the chutes were unable to absorb the full impact of the falling ore.<\/p>\n \u201cAll this added up to an insufficient flow<\/strong>, as evidenced by the large amounts of ore in the passageways and around the transfer chute,\u201d Metso said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis excess material created premature wear<\/strong> in the conveyor belt and its support structure.\u201d<\/p>\n These findings were passed on to the design, where they resulted in proposed improvements that were then validated through HFS simulations.<\/p>\n The design improvements aimed at reducing downtimes for liner change outs, increasing overall availability as less time is needed to schedule maintenance.<\/p>\n In addition, the new design included chute door systems for inspection and maintenance.<\/p>\n The integrated solution also included carrying out the actual liner change out and the assembly of the new chutes, as well as a follow-up on the performance of the liners and a continuous improvement plan for the transfer chutes.<\/p>\n Metso installed its extended wear life Trellex Poly-Cer solution<\/strong>, a modular system of ceramics and rubber, which provides increase resistance to strong abrasives \u2013 even with high tonnages at high speeds.<\/p>\n The new design of the chute liners makes maintenance easier by streamlining the change out of the anti-wear plates within each structure.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks to Trellex Poly-Cer\u2019s greater resistance, it is typically up to ten times more wear-resistant than its steel counterpart,\u201d Metso said.<\/p>\n![\"Desarrollo-Chute-Collahuasi-2015-2\"](\"http:\/\/www.bnmme.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Desarrollo-Chute-Collahuasi-2015-2.jpg\")
It turned out that the SAG mills needed improvement and that a liner change out was relatively challenging.<\/p>\n