Created by Group G:Created by Group G:Amanda WashingtonAmanda Washington

Brian QuinnBrian QuinnRachel StrittmatterRachel StrittmatterSteven SantangeloSteven SantangeloSydney WaclawikSydney Waclawik

General BackgroundGeneral Background

• The northern Chilean deserts contain great mineral wealth, especially copper

• This area dominates the country in terms of population and agricultural resources

General BackgroundGeneral Background

• Copper has played a large role in the Chilean economy since at least 1825

• Copper greatly impacts the Chilean economy

General BackgroundGeneral Background

• Codelco has 5 divisons– Codelco Norte– Salvador– Ventanas– Andina– El Teniente

*All are operated in the northern or central part of chile

Global/National Global/National EnvironmentEnvironment

Environmental ManagementEnvironmental Management

• Administration plans to control regulated contaminators issued by the mining process

• Efforts are being made to reduce the amount of liquid waste

• Efforts are being made to minimize Codelco’s impact on the environment

• Technological research is in the process of making a less harmful mining process

Codelco Good NeighborCodelco Good Neighbor

• A program designed to work with the communities of its mining areas

• Is in favor of the economic development of the neighboring populations

• Promotes long term projects such as tourist programs, volunteer work, and involving the indigenous populations with the area

• Creates solutions for enviornmental problems

Policy on Sustainable Policy on Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopment

• “The mission of Codelco is to develop in a responsible and agile way, all of its capacity for the mining and related businesses, in order to maximize economic value and its contribution to the Chilean State in the long-term.” (http://

www.codelco.com/english/desarrollo/fr_politica.html)

• Has a high priority for both economic success and community success

Policy on Sustainable Policy on Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopment

• Fosters competitiveness and a drive for success within the company

• Develops ethical and responsible business practices

• Respects all human rights and the dignities of all employees

• Takes responsibility for all harmful environmental impacts on surrounding areas

Other InformationOther Information

• The world’s largest copper miner• Provides the world with more than 10% of

its copper• Andina is the third-largest division of

Codelco and produces 14% of the company’s total output

Engineering PrinciplesEngineering Principles

Engineering PrinciplesEngineering Principles

The Process by which Copper is mined and purified:

1 Geological Explorationo Land is surveyed and

inspected. Ore law and best form of exploitation are determined

2 Extractiono Mineralized rocks of

suitable size are extracted from the mine and are shipped to the plant by truck/train

3 Crushingo Electric crushers, reduce

the rocks into ore particles that are no larger than a ½ inch in size.

4 Millingo The ore particles from the last

step are are reduced to a size of 180 microns (≈1.27 cm). Then they are combined with water and other reagents to make a pulp

5 Flotationo Pulp is put into flotation cells,

and bubbles carry the copper and other sulfide ores to the surface. The froth formed is dried which forms copper concentrate

6 Smeltingo Copper concentrate is treated

at high temps to form RAF (fire refined) Copper. Then this RAF Copper is cast into 225 kg plates called anodes

Engineering PrinciplesEngineering PrinciplesThe Process continued:7. Electrorefination

o These plates are put into electrolytic cells where copper is stripped by an electric current from the anodes and are plated to cathodes. This produces 99.99% pure copper.

8. Leachingo Sulfuric acid is applied to

stock piles of mineralized material which dissolves the copper contained in the oxide ores from the flotation step. The copper sulfide solution created is then concentrated.

9 Electrowinningo This is the same as

electrorefination, but instead 99.99% pure copper is extracted from the copper sulfide.

10 Inspectiono All the copper cathodes are

inspected and packaged for shipping

11 Shippingo The cathodes are transported

by trains and trucks to shipping ports, where they are shipped out all over the world

Engineering PrinciplesEngineering Principles

o Workers should definitely have skills and background in engineering– Required to operate

heavy/technical machinery– Planning and analytical

skills in order to plan mine shafts and dig sites

– Sustainability is important to reduce negative environmental effects

– Chemistry and other processes involved in purification

Health and Safety IssuesHealth and Safety Issues

• Copper is a natural element that is essential to living organisms.

• Excess copper consumption can produce some short term effects:– Nausea and vomiting– Wilsons’s disease which may lead to more toxic

effects

• Safety Issues Include:– Heavy machinery– Production machinery (smelter)

Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

• Guidelines to protect the environment, the employees, and the communities related to the corporation; and it introduces in management the preventive principle, which aims to the control of environmental aspects and risks related to all its activities, the copper mining and its byproducts.– So new engineering techniques and technologies

must be created in order to fulfill the requirements set forth by the sustainable development policy.

Engineers and ScienceEngineers and Science

• Since the environment has become an important issue over the past few decades, new engineering principles are needed to change the way which things were done in the past. In order for these changes to be made, for a sustainable development, the engineers must fully understand the materials that they are working with and the byproducts produced from manufacturing. For these reasons engineers need a solid background in the sciences to develop new technologies.

Industry AnalysisIndustry Analysis

The IndustryThe Industry

• Codelco is in the mining industry– Their main product is

refined copper– They also produce

copper sub products, refined products, and unrefined products

Codelco’s CompetitorsCodelco’s Competitors

• Freeport-McMoRan of Phoenix, AZ• Copper, gold, and silver producers• 2nd largest producer of copper (after Codelco)

• Grupo México of México• Mexico’s largest mining company• 3rd largest producer of copper worldwide

• Rio Trinto of Melbourne, Australia• One of the world’s largest mining companies• Produces iron, copper, uranium, industrial minerals

(borax, salt, talc), gold, and diamonds

Major Product CategoriesMajor Product Categories

• Copper (obviously)

• Mining companies in Chile also most commonly produce coal, iron, precious metals, and industrial materials

• Chile is known to mine and produce many other materials not listed

Unique Challenges/OpportunitiesUnique Challenges/Opportunities

• Environmental Restrictions– Farmers and fishermen fight Codelco in court due to the

emissions left off in the water and air

• Can utilize all forms of copper– Refined products

• Cathodes and wire rods

– Unrefined products• Concentrates (copper, iron and sulfide) • Blister and anodes (metallic copper)

– Sub products• Molybdenum and Sulphuric Acid

What is the importance What is the importance of copper?of copper?

Copper has important Copper has important properties for the development properties for the development of societies: of societies: •High electrical and heat conductivityHigh electrical and heat conductivity•Resistance to corrosionResistance to corrosion•Durability Durability

•It can also be recycled.It can also be recycled.

Its high conductivity will serve to transmit more efficiently the energy generated by alternative non polluting sources. It is also possible to foresee its use in environmentally friendly products, such as electrical vehicles.

• Copper´s high conductivity also makes possible a more efficient use of energy, thus adding not only to the quality of the products, but also to the ecological aim of burning less fossil fuel to prevent climatic change.

• In the case of microprocessors, the manufacturers have already chosen copper as material to build new high speed models, thanks to its properties of electrical and thermal conductivity.

• DSL has allowed to increase copper wire capacity. The new system has made a strong entry to markets and its use as alternative connectivity will grow.

• Many companies now focus on their corporate social responsibility, which is the view that they can help the community by being environmentally friendly or helping lower-class America.

Importance to BusinessImportance to Business

• From the business perspective if you work within the CSR part of the firm, you could market a product that is environmentally friendly, thanks to copper. It would also be more cost efficient since copper is cheaper than other products used.

Importance to EngineeringImportance to Engineering

• Almost all electrical devices rely on copper wiring because copper is inexpensive and highly conductive. With the fast pace of technology, engineers could use copper to make the product faster and more efficient.

The End!The End!