Edmonton-based Altiplano Metals has received a magnetic separator and dewatering equipment for the El Peñón processing plant in Chile.

The plant will process ore from the Farellon iron oxide-copper-gold mine near La Serena, Chile.

Altiplano is now completing the four concrete platforms to support construction of the plant. Civil work for the integration of the equipment into the final processing circuit has commenced.

The company will use magnetic separation to process tailings from the copper flotation to recover magnetic iron. The process will produce a concentrate of greater than 61% iron with a moisture content of less than 15%.

The process aims to recover 82% of the water used, which can then be reused in the milling and flotation process.

Altiplano also plans on producing dry tailings. Concentrates produced by the flotation process will be pumped to a conditioning tank, and will have flocculant added to thicken the solution. Excess water will be recovered and reused in the circuit.

Sales of approximately 3.6 million pounds of copper with an average grade of 1.74% have generated over US$7.2 million for Altiplano. The funds have been re-invested into the equipment, as well as in underground drilling, expanding underground development, and improving ventilation.