Project Characteristics

Desalination Plant for the Spence Mine

"The construction of this desalination plant falls within the scope of project Spence Growth Option (SGO), a collaboration between Chilean MINERA SPENCE S.A. (a subsidiary of the BHP Billiton Australian multinational company) and the CAITAN, SpA. investment consortium, which Tedagua is a part of holding 40% of shares. The project is located on lands in the vicinity of the city of Mejillones, in the region of Antofagasta, and will be developed in 2 stages. The design, construction and commissioning phases will be performed as part of the first stage, with a duration of 30 months. It will be followed by the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) stage, with a duration of 20 years that may be extended by 5 + 5 years. The project consists of the construction of a seawater desalination plant that will supply the water required for the production processes of the Spence Mine. This desalination plant will implement reverse osmosis technology and will have a production capacity of 86,400 m³ per day. It will be complemented by its seawater intake works and the marine intake and outfall pipes, as well as a 154 km long steel pipeline with a diameter of 36"" (900 mm) and 3 pumping stations that will pump the desalinated water to the facilities of Spence Mine, overcoming slopes of over 2,000 m, plus a 66 KV 75 km long overhead power line."