Estudio de alternativas operacionales para el aumento de calidad catódica grado A en la nave EW de División Radomiro Tomic, CODELCO.
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2026
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Universidad de Concepción
Resumen
División Radomiro Tomic (DRT) de CODELCO opera actualmente la nave de electro obtención más grande el mundo y se encuentra enfrentando el crítico desafío de asegurar la mayor cantidad de producción de cátodos grado A bajo los estándares de la London Metal Exchange (LME). Adicionalmente, DRT se encuentra en un periodo de transición desde una producción históricamente de óxidos de cobre, en transición a una lixiviación clorurada. En este contexto, dada la mayor disponibilidad de soluciones con las que se contará, resulta crítico incrementar la producción catódica grado A y, por tanto, se espera que la nave opere en su total capacidad de modo de maximizar la producción manteniendo altos niveles de calidad catódica.
En este sentido, se plantea en una primera etapa, un estudio que permita identificar las variables operacionales de mayor relevancia en la calidad catódica y con ello, evaluar alternativas de mejora operacional para aumentar el nivel de aceptación de cátodos grado A. Para ello, se realizó un levantamiento de data histórica para evaluar las correlaciones entre la calidad y variables de proceso se aplicaron herramientas estadísticas como la correlación de Pearson sobre variables de proceso determinantes.
De acuerdo con la calidad catódica de DRT, la calidad química no se ve perjudicada en gran parte, ya que un 91,5% corresponde a calidad química grado RT, mientras que el objetivo por aumentar la calidad catódica está en minimizar los defectos físicos para aumentar el 79,0% de calidad física global de la nave de EW.
Concluyendo que, de 10 variables de proceso seleccionadas, tan solo 4 son estadísticamente significativas. Los resultados muestran que el desempeño operativo de la nave de EW entre Febrero 2024 a Julio 2025, se ve influenciado principalmente por las siguientes relaciones estadísticas entre calidad física y variables de proceso en orden de importancia decreciente, (1) Dosificación de DXG, (2) Dosificación de Guar, (3) Densidad de corriente, (4) Concentración de cobre en avance. Generando un plan de mejora con foco en los aditivos e identificando que la calidad catódica depende de una gestión precisa no solo de variables de proceso, sino también de la disciplina operacional.
Radomiro Tomic Division (DRT) of CODELCO currently operates the largest electrowinning plant in the world and is facing the critical challenge of securing the highest possible production of Grade A cathodes under London Metal Exchange (LME) standards. Additionally, DRT is in a transition phase from a historically oxide-based copper production to chloride leaching. In this context, given the greater availability of solutions that will be processed, it is critical to increase Grade A cathode production; therefore, the electrowinning plant is expected to operate at full capacity in order to maximize production while maintaining high cathode quality standards. In this regard, a first-stage study is proposed to identify the most relevant operational variables affecting cathode quality and, based on this, to evaluate operational improvement alternatives to increase the acceptance rate of Grade A cathodes. For this purpose, historical data were compiled to assess correlations between cathode quality and process variables, applying statistical tools such as Pearson correlation to key process variables. According to DRT’s cathode quality performance, chemical quality is largely not compromised, as 91.5% of production meets RT-grade chemical quality. Consequently, the main objective for improving cathode quality is to minimize physical defects in order to increase the current 79.0% overall physical quality of the EW plant. It is concluded that, out of 10 selected process variables, only 4 are statistically significant. The results show that the operational performance of the EW plant between February 2024 and July 2025 is mainly influenced by the following statistically significant relationships between physical quality and process variables, in decreasing order of importance: (1) DXG dosage, (2) guar dosage, (3) current density, and (4) copper concentration in the advance solution. Based on this, an improvement plan focused on additives was developed, and it was identified that cathode quality depends on precise management not only of process variables, but also of operational discipline.
Radomiro Tomic Division (DRT) of CODELCO currently operates the largest electrowinning plant in the world and is facing the critical challenge of securing the highest possible production of Grade A cathodes under London Metal Exchange (LME) standards. Additionally, DRT is in a transition phase from a historically oxide-based copper production to chloride leaching. In this context, given the greater availability of solutions that will be processed, it is critical to increase Grade A cathode production; therefore, the electrowinning plant is expected to operate at full capacity in order to maximize production while maintaining high cathode quality standards. In this regard, a first-stage study is proposed to identify the most relevant operational variables affecting cathode quality and, based on this, to evaluate operational improvement alternatives to increase the acceptance rate of Grade A cathodes. For this purpose, historical data were compiled to assess correlations between cathode quality and process variables, applying statistical tools such as Pearson correlation to key process variables. According to DRT’s cathode quality performance, chemical quality is largely not compromised, as 91.5% of production meets RT-grade chemical quality. Consequently, the main objective for improving cathode quality is to minimize physical defects in order to increase the current 79.0% overall physical quality of the EW plant. It is concluded that, out of 10 selected process variables, only 4 are statistically significant. The results show that the operational performance of the EW plant between February 2024 and July 2025 is mainly influenced by the following statistically significant relationships between physical quality and process variables, in decreasing order of importance: (1) DXG dosage, (2) guar dosage, (3) current density, and (4) copper concentration in the advance solution. Based on this, an improvement plan focused on additives was developed, and it was identified that cathode quality depends on precise management not only of process variables, but also of operational discipline.
Descripción
Tesis presentada para optar al título de Ingeniero/a Civil de Metalúrigico/a.
Palabras clave
Electrodos, Electrones, Cobre Oxidación, Lixiviación de suelos