Mining Magazine > Panorama > Rosemont selects FLSmidth filters

FLSmidth has received an order worth approximately US$31million from Rosemont Copper Co for the supply of 14 filter presses. These minerals-type automated filter presses will be the largest in the world and will be installed as part of Rosemont Copper's planned copper concentrator in Arizona, US. FLSmidth's Salt Lake City office is executing the order with project completion scheduled for March 2012.

The heavy duty, 2m x 2m filter presses will dewater tailings produced from processing 68,000t/d of ore at the concentrator to an optimal 16% moisture level, thus maximising the recovery of water for re-use in the process.

Additionally, the remaining cake can be dry stacked, which is an integral part of the progressive tailings disposal and reclamation program being conducted by Rosemont Copper. This eliminates the need for tailings ponds and promotes ongoing reclamation and re-vegetation of the surrounding landscape.

At this site, Rosemont Copper plans to set a standard for sustainable practices, including using less than half of the water used by traditional mines and reclaiming the site as permanent open space by re-vegetating throughout the life of the mine. FLSmidth's filter press technology will play a central role in achieving this.