Modernization of Ilo Copper Refinery with Permanent Cathode Technology to Produce the Heaviest Cathodes in the World

After 50 years of continuous operation, the SPCC Ilo Copper Refinery is carrying out its modernization project with the aim of renewing its major equipment, which has frequent stops that entail production losses. The project consists of implementing permanent cathode technology to replace the current copper starting sheets technology. Project implementation does not consider an increase in production; however, it has been conceptualized so that it is aligned with future expansions. The project has been divided into 5 stages, which include the development of metallurgical tests at industrial level to prove the technical feasibility of the new process. The present work describes the results achieved in the tests, in which cathodes up to 190 kg have been produced maintaining high current efficiency (> 98.0%), with an excellent metallurgical rejection rate due to physical appearance (<1%). The conception of the project and the design of the process have been carried out using the know-how of the technical staff of the Ilo Refinery, who also designed and manufactured a semi-automatic machine for stripping heavy cathodes in the tests stage. The cathodes are being commercialized as a new product (SPCC-ILO-PE), which has the same chemical quality as currently recognized SPCC-ILO copper cathodes.