Radomiro Tomic PROJECT

Idlers and overland tables for 17 km of overland conveyors feeding the leach pads at 3,000 m in the Atacama, Lorbrand's first major Chilean reference and the start of a thirty-year partnership with Codelco.

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PROJECT REFERENCE

Radomiro Tomic Overland Conveyors

Radomiro Tomic sits in the Andes of northern Chile's Antofagasta region, adjacent to Chuquicamata and about 1,650 km north of Santiago, where the open pit extracts oxide ore at 3,000 metres above sea level. Lorbrand first supplied the site in 1995, for the in-plant and overland conveyors that feed the leach pads and processing facilities, and has since grown into one of the largest suppliers of conveyor components to the operation. The scope covered conveyor idlers and overland tables for 17 km of overland conveyor on 1,600 mm and 1,800 mm belts, running at 6.5 m/s and rated at 8,000 t/h.
Location Calama, Antofagasta Region, Chile
Operator Codelco, División Radomiro Tomic
Lorbrand supply 1995
Industry Copper mining
Covered overland conveyor at Radomiro Tomic Sulfuros
Overland conveyor along a hillside at Radomiro Tomic
PROJECT DATA

Scale of the operation.

17 km
Overland Conveyors
8,000 t/h
Design Capacity
6.5 m/s
Belt Speed
3,000 m
Altitude
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

What sets Radomiro Tomic apart.

First Chilean Reference

First Chilean Reference

Radomiro Tomic was Lorbrand's entry point into the Chilean copper industry and its first large-scale reference in the country. From the 1995 supply, Lorbrand has grown to become one of the largest suppliers of conveyor components to the operation.

Three Decades in the Atacama

Three Decades in the Atacama

The idlers run 24/7 in the dust, heat and altitude of the Atacama, at 3,000 metres above sea level, and have done so for more than three decades on one of Chile's highest-producing copper mines.

The Door to Codelco Norte

The Door to Codelco Norte

The Radomiro Tomic work led directly to Lorbrand's selection on later Codelco Norte projects, including Chuquicamata Subterránea, and to in-plant and overland conveyor supply across a number of other Codelco operations in Chile.

Radomiro Tomic is today mined together with Chuquicamata within Codelco's Codelco Norte division and sits on the same mineralised porphyry-copper system as Chuqui. The operation began as an oxide mine, producing cathode through solvent extraction and electrowinning, and later added sulphide ore feed to the Chuquicamata concentrator. As one of Chile's highest-producing copper mines, it places strict reliability demands on conveyor idlers that run around the clock in the dust, heat and altitude of the Atacama.
The conveyor system comprises in-plant and overland conveyors feeding the leach pads and processing facilities: 17 km of overland conveyor on 1,600 mm and 1,800 mm belts, running at 6.5 m/s with a design capacity of 8,000 t/h. Lorbrand supplied the conveyor idlers and overland tables for these flights, beginning in 1995.
Radomiro Tomic was Lorbrand's entry point into the Chilean copper industry. Since that first supply, Lorbrand has grown to become one of the largest suppliers of conveyor components to the Radomiro Tomic operation, and has gone on to supply in-plant and overland conveyor components across a number of other Codelco operations in Chile, including Chuquicamata Subterránea. The relationship that began at RT now spans more than thirty years.
LORBRAND SCOPE

Engineered for Radomiro Tomic.

Conveyor idlers and overland tables for the in-plant and overland conveyors feeding the Radomiro Tomic leach pads and processing facilities: 17 km of overland conveyor on 1,600 mm and 1,800 mm belts, running at 6.5 m/s and rated at 8,000 t/h. The components run continuously at 3,000 metres in the Atacama, through dust, heat and altitude.
Overland conveyor with carry idlers in the northern Chilean desert
PROJECT OUTCOME

More than three decades of continuous service at 3,000 metres in the Atacama. Radomiro Tomic is Lorbrand's founding Chilean reference, and Lorbrand is now one of the largest suppliers of conveyor components to the operation. The Codelco partnership that started here has since carried Lorbrand components into Chuquicamata Subterránea and other Codelco operations.

— Radomiro Tomic · 1995
Crew working beside carry idlers in a conveyor gallery, Radomiro Tomic Sulfuros
PROJECT GALLERY

Radomiro Tomic on site.

Reclaimer conveyor at Radomiro Tomic
Covered overland conveyor heading towards the mine, Radomiro Tomic
RT Carry garlands with quick-release hooks
Crew beside the overland conveyor with new idlers, Radomiro Tomic
RT idlers fitted to stacker
Parallel overland conveyors at Radomiro Tomic
Overland conveyor with idlers in the Atacama Desert, Radomiro Tomic
Carry idlers on a conveyor structure with walkway, Radomiro Tomic Sulfuros
Route of the CV-002 overland conveyor along a hillside, Radomiro Tomic
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