Chilean mining and aggregates company Cedric Minería has announced a major overhaul of its aggregates business following a significant investment in advanced wet processing technology from CDE.
The family business, which expanded into aggregates production in 2003, has revealed plans for a new state-of-the-art wet processing solution at its Buin operation.
Established in 1981, Cedric Minería specialised in the production of calcium carbonate and sulphur products before diversifying its interests and launching its silica operation, Mina Nancy, near the city of Calama in Antofagasta Region.
It soon secured listing as a strategic supplier of silica to state-owned copper mining company Codelco, the largest producer of copper in the world, for its copper smelting plant located in Chuquicamata in northern Chile.
Following the success of its silica business, Cedric Minería soon after commissioned its first aggregates processing plant in Buin which supplies the local market with a range of washed sand and gravel products for precast concrete, asphalt, pipe bedding and more. Among its customers are Prefabricados de Hormigón GRAU S.A., a leading company in the field of precast concrete in the Chilean construction industry.
This summer, CDE will commission the EvoWashTM sand wash plant and an AquaCycleTM water management system at the company’s Buin site, replacing their existing washing screws.
Utilizing CDE cyclone technology, the new plant will enable Cedric Minería to produce two grades of high quality, in-spec fine sands: 0-5mm and 0-8mm.
A compact, modular sand washing system, CDE’s EvoWash screens and separates the smaller sand and gravel fractions through an integrated high-frequency dewatering screen, sump and hydrocyclones which provide unrivalled control of silt cut points and eliminates the loss of quality fines with significant commercial value.
An alternative to water extraction and the costly process of pumping water to the plant, CDE’s AquaCycle, the highly efficient water management solution, significantly reduces costly water consumption by ensuring up to 90% of process water is recycled for immediate recirculation. It helps to accelerate return on investment by maximising production efficiency, minimising the loss of valuable fines and reducing water and energy costs. A single, compact and user-friendly unit, it can be applied to high and low tonnages across many market sectors.
Cedric Minería owner Cedric Fernández says the investment in CDE technology is a significant step forward for the company:
“We’re making a huge technological leap forward with this new plant. Cedric Minería branched into the aggregates business almost two decades ago and throughout that time we have operated a traditional system. The existing plant has served us well, but we need a modern solution that is future-ready. Our latest investment in CDE wet processing technology represents the beginning of a new chapter for our company.”
Last year, the Government of Chile revealed a comprehensive economic recovery plan – Step by Step, Chile Recovers – to support the country to get back up and running through a range of initiatives, including a portfolio of 2,130 public works investment projects to be delivered between 2020-2022.
In January, it announced the fifth and largest call for bids as part of the plan after it published 501 tenders for new projects nationwide, representing an investment of 900 billion pesos and creating up to 33,000 new jobs in the construction industry.
Mr Fernández says the Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the construction industry but anticipates strong future demand for sand and aggregates to support the country’s public works investments.
“This is the right time to invest in our aggregates business, as market projections point toward sharp increases in aggregate consumption to support the delivery of the Step-by-Step recovery plan. CDE’s proven solution will enable us to play our role in supporting the national effort.”
CDE Business Development Executive Gustavo Brasil says older technology is very much under the spotlight for materials processors as they work to remedy inefficiencies.
“Recognizing the limitations of the existing setup, the team at Cedric Minería are setting out on an ambitious transformation project to replace a traditional processing plant with a much more advanced and efficient technological solution.”
He says the CDE solution engineered for Cedric Minería will revolutionize its current process.
“We’re very pleased to partner with Cedric and his team on this exciting journey. CDE’s Evowash solution will enable Cedric Minería to produce superior fine sands with less moisture content while the AquaCycle water management system will deliver massive efficiency gains by recycling process water and driving down operational costs.”