Mining
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Copper oxide, copper sulfide – the Andes possess a wealth of natural resources, which has been barely tapped, and which is needed in the industrialized countries for a variety of purposes. For two decades, Brenntag has been collaborating with manufacturers in the development of chemical processes for industrial scale mining applications. The company achieved a breakthrough 15 years ago with US manufacturer Chevron Phillips’ Orfom® SX 12 solvent diluent.
Today, Brenntag is the exclusive distributor of a wide range of specialty chemicals. foaming agents, depressants, flocculant polymers and coagulants for the processing of ore sulfide. These come from leading companies such as Chevron Phillips, Dow Chemical, OMG, Rhodia and Hercules. Notably, the mining industry in Chile and Peru uses customized chemicals from Brenntag to extract a wide range of minerals.
“We serve almost all of the major mining corporations working in the southern Andean region” states Jorge Rojas, head of the Mining Unit of Brenntag Andino Sur. The company is also gearing up to serve the markets in Argentina and Brazil, where as yet unexploited mines bearing metallic and non-metallic ores are being increasingly worked. |
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Subsidiaries
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History
The region Andino Sur: We start 15 years ago with the develop of the isoparaffinic solvent. Iso-paraffinic solvent, a revolutionary reactive agent for copper mining by solvent extraction, was introduced by (Interquimica, now Brenntag) BRENNTAG to the Mining industry of the South Andean region (Peru, Bolivia, Chile) 15 years ago. The introduction of this product was possible only after an extensive technical feasibility study, a thorough financial evaluation, and pilot plant studies. After 7 years of tests and evaluation, this effort paid off: the superior performance of our product resulted in long term provider contracts. This new technology opened the door to the world of mining, where the approach is extremely technical, and where all products, including commodities, must pass successive stages of laboratory tests and field studies. This evaluation process can take several years before products receive final customer approval. Two processes exist for the processing of minerals. The oldest process is Froth Flotation, which is used for processing sulfurated minerals. The second and most modern process is Leaching-Solvent Extraction-Electro Wining, used for the processing of oxidized minerals. This process, which is less costly and more environmentally friendly, is driving the development of new projects, especially in Latin America. Chile and Peru have been the traditional leaders in the Latin American mining industry, however Brazil and Argentina will become the big players in this area in the near future.
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Product portfolio Number of products (20).
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Brands
Applications
Suppliers
Benefits
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Customers Purchasing companies We are supplying products to various Mining Companies in Chile, such as: Quebrada Blanca and Carmen de Andacollo (Aur Resources); Cerro Colorado and Escondida (BHP); Minera Zaldivar (Placer Dome); Minera Mantos Blancos (Angloamerica); El Abra and Candelaria (Phelps Dodge) Minera Collahuasi; Minera Ray-Rock; Codelco (Chilean Government); Minera Cerro Dominador; Lipesed; Minera Florida. We also have important presence in the Peruvian market, maintaining provider contracts with Southern Peru (Grupo Mexico), Tintaya (BHP) and Cerro Verde (Phelps Dodge)
Value added services Our add value depend on the product. Isoparafinic Solvent is logistic and technical support thought our supplier CP-chem. We make same blends to adjust the performance of the product to the particular ore of our customers. Dust control, we sell solutions for there dust problems. |
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