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According to a recent press release from Freeport-McMoRan plans are in the works for a smelter expansion project at its Miami operations. This expansion will increase copper production and also comply with new EPA standards. Upon completion of the project, the copper concentrate throughput for the smelter will increase by approximately 30 percent to a capacity of 900,000 tons per year from the current average of 700,000 tons per year. The expanded smelter capabilities will comply with the new EPA ambient air quality standard for sulfur dioxide emissions.
The release goes on to say that a major component of the project is to install a new smelting vessel which, along with modifications to other facilities in the smelter, will allow for increased copper production. Much of the construction work will be related to emission control systems in order to capture virtually all fugitive gases and particulate emissions. The result will capture over 99 percent of the SO2 and other emissions from the Miami operations.
The additional concentrate to feed the expanded smelter will primarily come from Freeport-McMoRan’s Morenci and Chino operations. The smelter will continue to be base loaded with concentrate from the company’s Sierrita and Bagdad mines in Arizona.
Engineering work is currently underway. According to Eric Kinneberg, director of external communications for Freeport-McMoRan, they do not have details on a timeline at this point. While some construction will commence later this year, the bulk of the work is expected to begin in 2015. The new smelting vessel is scheduled to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2017 with production ramping up shortly thereafter. The construction workforce will vary greatly and is expected to number from 40 to 500 over a two year period. Freeport-McMoRan plans to hire about 20 new employees to operate and maintain the new emission control systems and facilities.
Andrea Justice started working for the Copper Area News in Feb. 2013. She is the primary reporter and photographer for Copper Futures, a special edition highlighting exceptional students and athletes from Globe, Miami, and San Carlos. Andrea works as a copy editor for several of the publications produced by Copper Area News. She is the former managing editor of the Arizona Silver Belt and San Carlos Apache Moccasin, and has over 10 years of experience working in a newsroom. She has received awards for photojournalism and design from the Arizona Newspaper Association. Andrea has strong ties to the Globe, Miami and San Carlos communities. She is a Globe High School and Eastern Arizona College graduate. She lives in Globe with her husband, Justin, and their three children, Brandon, Isiah, and Ryliegh.
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