Transporting 875,000 tonnes of copper concentrate per year through a special six-inch diameter steel pipeline

The 312 km Alumbrera copper concentrate pipeline system is designed to transport approximately 875,000 tonnes of copper concentrate per year through a special six-inch diameter steel pipeline. The pipeline begins at a mine and concentrator facility northwest of Andalgala, Argentina, and ends at tankage feeding at a filter plant located near Tucuman.

Ausenco PSI’s scope included initial feasibility study, laboratory testing, basic & detailed design, construction inspection, preoperational testing and system start-up. The scope also included pump station and pipeline designs, vendor selection, field inspection, survey supervision, construction management, SCADA system supply, and fiber optic telecommunications system design.

This is the world’s longest copper ore concentrate slurry pipeline.