HEAP LEACHING AND SX
are after in their SX and how the company’s
modular VSF ® X plants are satisfying those needs.
Nivala said: “Customers are really looking for
a proven technology from a reliable technology
provider. And, of course, a fast delivery and short
lead time – that is a very high priority for
customers nowadays.”
The modular VSFX installations, which are
based on the proven vertical smooth flow (VSF)
mixer-settler technology the company has been
using for more than two decades, “can meet
these requirements very well”, Nivala said.
Customers are also conscious of reducing their
construction costs, realising that site activities
and mechanical installation – especially in
remote locations – can have a big impact on the
investment/return balance.
“With the VSFX, the site mechanical
installation can be done safely, fast and the
needed manpower is much less compared with a
conventional SX plant,” Nivala said. “That is a
huge benefit.”
While the modular SX solution was launched
back in 2013, Nivala said today there is an even
stronger business case for incorporating the
VSFX technology into a process flowsheet.
“There is more need for fast-track deliveries
and the VSFX is very suitable for that,” he said.
“We are also seeing SX plant demand for
battery metal processes like nickel, cobalt and
lithium. The SX configurations for these metals
“With the VSFX, the site
mechanical installation can be
done safely, fast and the needed
manpower is much less compared
with a conventional SX plant,”
Outotec’s Timo Nivala says
are much more complex and more
settler units are needed compared
with, say, copper SX. So, there are
a lot of activities in that area as
well.”
The ability to provide a standardised plant
offering for fast and accurate budget proposals in
feasibility or prefeasibility study stage is also
very useful for potential customers, according to
Nivala.
Such is the success of this recent technology
innovation that all greenfield SX plants Outotec
has delivered since 2013 – the year of the VSFX
launch – have been these modular plants.
This is seven plants in total spread over
copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and phosphoric acid
operations; and countries such as Chile, Turkey,
Egypt, Macedonia, DRC, Finland and Russia.
Performance wise, the plants had a lot to live
up to with the conventional VSF plants, but
Nivala said, after some initial teething problems
with the first project on, for example, controlling
the flows and achieving an even dispersion
distribution to the whole settler, the VSFX
systems have performed well.
“Now, we are getting the same performance in
the modular VSFX as we are with our well-
proven, conventional, VSF plants,” he said,
adding that the company is providing the same
performance guarantees for entrainments and
flow through for both the modular and standard
VSF plants.
While the ability to install these units quickly
and efficiently is one of the technology’s key
selling points, the prefabricated nature of the
units and the ability to offer the VSFX in stainless
steel has significantly reduced the need for
welding or lamination, Nivala said.
“And, as there is less welding and less work,
there is less leaks with these units,” he said.
“What this really means is that the
commissioning time has been shorter compared
with the conventional settler design, as well as
the time for hot commissioning. Production has
also been able to start earlier,” he said. IM
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