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FCC Aqualia started operations of the
Huechún nanofiltration plant in Til Til, situated
in the metropolitan area, in Chile. Designed,
built, and operated by the Company, the
infrastructure serves two purposes: it treats
the salinated water from the hydraulic barrier
of the reservoir of tailings from the mining
activities of Codelco (Corporación Nacional
del Cobre de Chile) and, pumps the water
produced for its subsequent reuse.
Codelco División Andina is the world’s
leading copper producer. The contract,
initiated at the end of 2014, contemplates the
design, procurement, supply, construction,
commissioning, and operations during a 12-
year period.
This infrastructure is the fourth one built by
Aqualia in Chile since it started operations in
Tailings are the toxic leftover materials
from mining processes and the
concentration of minerals usually
comprising a mixture of dirt, minerals,
water, and rocks. Tailings contain
high concentration of chemicals and
elements that affect the environment
and, consequently, must be transported
and stored in “Tailings tanks or pools”
where the contaminants slowly settle at
the bottom and the water is recovered
and evaporated.
With production flow of 100 litres per second, the plant includes the following
treatment units: flow measurement; raw water tank; filtration; washing of filters; micro
filtration; chemical treatment prior to nanofiltration; pumps feeding the nanofiltration;
nanofiltration; storage deposit; pumping of runoff; chemical cleaning of frames;
electrical works with SCADA control and automation system; pipes, administrative
offices in modified containers for the storage and control area.
FCC Aqualia
starts-up the Huechún
nanofiltration plant in Chile
this Andean country in 2011, and the second
one in the northern metropolitan area of
Santiago de Chile. Last year, the Company
completed the Cadellada treatment plant, a
turnkey project worth 17.5 million USD which
marked yet another step in its diversification
strategy.
According to FCC Aqualia’s country
manager in Chile, José Ropero “the trust
that Codelco has deposited in us represents
a new opportunity for FCC Aqualia to
demonstrate the global solutions that it
can provide, as a leading company, to
the mining industry. At the same time, we
will continue to seek new opportunities to
develop models similar to those that have
been implemented successfully in other
countries such as Mexico, Uruguay, Italy and
the Czech Republic”.
The plant treats salinated
water from the mine
exploited by Codelco
Andina (Corporación
Nacional del Cobre)
in Til (Chile)
About tailings
Treatment units
View of the nanofiltration containers at the plant.
Sand filters and runoff tank.