Speaking at a conference organized by the Institute of Peruvian Mining Engineers, Aragon said Cerro Verde’s crushing- hydro plant will cease operations this year as the company plans to expand the pit in the area where the plant is located. The decision, he explained, was reinforced by the fact that the reserves of crushed ore for leaching have already been exhausted. He also highlighted the fact that the plant operated for more than 10 years without incidents.

ROM heap leaching, ion exchange and electrowinning processes “will continue throughout the life of Cerro Verde,” Aragon said. He also noted that artificial intelligence is being applied in Cerro Verdes flotation process to analyze the geological characteristics of the mineralized rock, such as ore variability, alterations and lithologies, and clay contents.