Outokumpu Technology Oyj— Joy so Far

Starting 2007 as an independent company, maybe looking for a new name, Outokumpu Technology’s business has seemingly got off to a vigorous start, announcing orders for long-established and new technologies. On January 11, the company announced that, in addition to the flash flotation circuit already ordered, it is to supply the thickening circuit for the expansion project at the Boddington gold mine in Australia. The contract covers the design and supply of four thickeners, of which the largest will be a 74-m Supaflo high rate model. Almost all the components will be sourced locally. On January 15, the firm announced a first: leading Chinese zinc producer, Hunan Zhuye Torch Metals, signed a deal covering the design and delivery of a zinc plant expansion using Outokumpu’s Atmospheric Direct Leaching Process technology. Presently this is only in use at Kokkola in Finland and Odda in Norway, both owned by Boliden and previously by Outokumpu Oyj. Hunan Zhuye Torch Metals is a fully owned subsidiary of Zhuzhou Smelter Group and the plant is located close to the city of Zhuzhou, Hunan province in China. The contract value is nearly €30 million. The expansion will increase the plant capacity by 100,000 mt/y of zinc when it comes into operation, probably by July 2008. In order to increase the use of the Atmospheric Direct Leaching Process in China, Outokumpu Technology has also signed a Collaboration Agreement with Zhuzhou Smelter Group. Two days later, Outokumpu Technology announced it signed a contract with MMC Norilsk Nickel for the modernization of a flash smelting production line at Nadezhda metallurgical plant in Norilsk, Russia. The value of the contract is some €16 million and the renewed line will be operational by mid-2008. Outokumpu Technology and Norilsk Nickel have worked in close cooperation for more than 30 years. Two flash smelting production lines have been in operation in Nadezhda since 1981 and they have been expanded and modernized by Outokumpu Technology in 1998 and 2003. “By selecting the latest and most efficient nickel smelting technology, we will strengthen our position as the world's leading nickel producer. Outokumpu Technology as a partner was a natural choice for us, since we have years of experience in working together,” said Tav Morgan, deputy general director of Norilsk Nickel. On February 1, a flotation first: Outokumpu Technology agreed to the delivery of three TankCell-300 flotation cells to OceanaGold’s Macraes operation in New Zealand. Introduced at the “Centenary of Flotation” conference in 2005, and with an active capacity of more than 300 m3, this is the largest mechanical flotation cell in the world. The Macraes delivery will be the first installation and represents a significant development for flotation technology in general. Outokumpu Technology will provide the complete flotation circuit at Macraes and is responsible for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of the three cells, with completion scheduled for mid 2007. The TankCell-300 units at Macraes will also feature the firm’s fieldproven and patented FloatForce mixing system. OceanaGold’s Macraes mine is New Zealand’s largest producer of gold, with the annual capacity to process 6 million metric tons. A single train configuration of 1/1/1 TankCell-300s, combined with two existing TankCell-150s, will replace the site’s original three trains of column flotation, representing a significant reduction not only in footprint, but also in operational costs such as maintenance and spare parts. The larger TankCell design also offers optimized froth stability for lowgrade ores, as well as ongoing savings from lower air and power consumption. This latest flotation contract follows previous installations by Outokumpu Technology installed over many years at Macraes, including flotation, thickening and automation equipment systems.