SUCCESS WITH SUMITOMO
approaches in optimising process per-
Sumitomo is a major producer globally
formance, combined with world class
of Zinc, Lead and Silver from their
water and energy conservation.”
Minera San Cristóbal (MSC) operation
Located in the south-western
in Bolivia. “It’s a fascinating place,”
Bolivian province of Nor Lípez, and
explains Dr Adair. “It operates with
operating since 2007, the mine pro-
a head grade of around 1.7% Zn where
duces around 1,500 metric tons of
traditionally Zinc/Lead/Silver opera-
Zinc-Silver and Lead-Silver concen-
tions would be looking at an equivalent
trates each day. To achieve this result,
of >7% Zn or more. In spite of this,
MSC needs to move a daily average
the operation is one of the world’s
of 150,000 tons of rock, 52,000 tons
most profitable thanks to remarkable
of which goes to the process plant
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
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Ben Adair Dr Ben Adair has three decades’ experience in the mining industry. Splitting his time between roles in applied R&D, and working for majors such as Rio Tinto, he joined CRC ORE in 2015. Prior to this he worked at the University of Queensland, both as Director of the JKMRC and then running an industry funded Ore Sorting Centre. His primary interests are in step change technology to improve the energy, production and water signatures of operating sites in the minerals sector. “I’ve been able to bring a skillset to CRC ORE which has been honed on the practical challenges facing the industry,” says Dr Adair. “The experiences I’ve had at processing plants, auditing mining sites and at innovation labs in R&D, have given me the ability to see whether a particular approach can be practically implemented or not. There are many wonderful ideas out there, but can they stand up to the industrial process? That’s why the work we do at CRC ORE is so important.” a n z . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m