Vale Base Metals within the coming years is ready to deploy coarse particle flotation for its Salobo III copper operation in Brazil. The mission was lately referenced throughout VBM Day on March 31, 2026 when Alfredo Santana, Chief Working Officer, gave some examples of how VBM is driving excellence throughout its operations. He stated that using CPF at Salobo will allow manufacturing to extend from 35 Mt of copper ore milled in 2025 to an anticipated 42 Mt in 2029.
The element behind the mission is detailed within the newest Technical Report for Salobo which was dated December 31, 2025. CPF is a flotation know-how designed to allow the processing of considerably coarser particle dimension distributions in comparison with typical mechanical flotation, with the potential to scale back particular grinding power consumption and help elevated plant throughput.
The report states that preliminary assessments point out that operation at a coarser major grind dimension might enable a considerable enhance in processing capability at Salobo, doubtlessly of as much as roughly 50%, whereas largely utilising the present grinding circuit configuration. “By repowering the plant with out the addition of recent ball mills, the CPF mission might ship a fabric enhance in capability with comparatively decrease capital depth, whereas additionally lowering particular grinding power consumption.”
The CPF configuration permits for the early elimination of coarse materials from the processing circuit, “producing a rough tailings stream creating potential alternatives for future optimisation of coarse tailings administration. General, the adoption of CPF represents a possible strategic development to enhancing course of effectivity, power efficiency, and the sustainability profile of the Salobo Operations.
The Salobo processing plant at present operates with a standard comminution and flotation flowsheet designed for a major grind dimension of roughly P80 106 µm. As a part of the proposed course of configuration to help elevated throughput and coarse particle restoration, modifications to the grinding, classification, flotation, and chosen utility methods have been assessed to allow the mixing of CPF into the present Salobo plant.
Within the crushing space, the deliberate modifications are primarily targeted on the elimination of capability constraints related to elevated plant throughput. Modifications embrace upgrades to the secondary crushing and screening circuits, with the alternative and enlargement of screening tools and the repowering of conveyors, feeders, and drive methods. These modifications are supposed to make sure steady and steady operation beneath the revised working circumstances, stopping throughput limitations upstream of the focus plant.
The concentrator stockpile related materials dealing with methods can be upgraded to accommodate the upper working throughput. Modifications embrace mechanical upgrades to conveyors and feeders, in addition to structural changes the place required. These modifications are designed to make sure dependable and constant ore supply to the grinding circuit and to minimise the chance of operational interruptions or instability.
To help implementation of the CPF Venture, modifications to the present ball milling and classification system are deliberate. These modifications embrace alternative of the present hydrocyclone clusters, relocation of related structural metal and piping, and upgrades to {the electrical} room to accommodate the revised tools configuration and working obligation.
The present grinding circuit includes two clusters of ten 26‑in hydrocyclones, which classify the milled product that feeds the traditional rougher flotation circuit. Below the CPF mission foundation, the hydrocyclone classification obligation can be adjusted to coarsen the grinding product, rising the typical particle dimension reporting to the Eriez HydroFloat® CPF circuit (which is able to embrace three HydroFloat CPF cells), which is designed to get better worth from coarser particle dimension fractions than these usually handled by typical mechanical flotation. To accommodate this working regime, the present cyclone clusters can be changed by two clusters of bigger diameter hydrocyclones.
Below the CPF mission foundation, the first grind P80 is deliberate to extend to roughly 250 µm, enabling elevated mass throughput by means of the grinding circuit; nevertheless, this product dimension is taken into account coarse for typical mechanical flotation. To allow integration of coarse flotation with the present plant, a secondary classification stage can be launched. A brand new hydrocyclone cluster will obtain overflow from the first grinding cyclone cluster and break up the slurry into two dimension fractions – a wonderful fraction (predominantly <106 µm), directed to the present typical mechanical flotation circuit; and a rough fraction, directed to the CPF circuit using the HydroFloat® cells.
The CPF circuit relies on HydroFloat® know-how, which mixes flotation and fluidised‑mattress separation ideas to get better worth from coarse particle dimension fractions. The HydroFloat® focus can be processed by means of a further grinding stage to scale back particle dimension to a goal P80 of roughly 106 µm, appropriate for subsequent remedy within the typical flotation circuit. This obligation can be offered by two extra Metso vertical stirred mills (VTM1500), in keeping with the present Salobo configuration, operated in closed circuit with the brand new hydrocyclones.
The product from this extra grinding stage will then be mixed with the overflow (wonderful fraction) from the primary CPF cyclone cluster to type a mixed feed to the traditional flotation circuit. This built-in configuration is meant to enhance total restoration, notably for worth contained in coarse fractions; enhance power utilisation by limiting regrinding of already liberated materials; and supply an built-in grinding–classification–flotation association with operational flexibility.
The traditional flotation circuit can be tailored to function in an built-in configuration with the CPF circuit. The wonderful fraction generated by the revised classification system will proceed to be processed by means of the present mechanical flotation cells and columns. Further streams originating from CPF focus regrinding can be integrated into the circuit. These modifications are supposed to take care of typical flotation efficiency whereas accommodating the built-in flowsheet.
The CPF implementation and related capability enhance would require upgrades to {the electrical} distribution system, together with new electrical masses, electrical rooms, panels, and substations. In parallel, automation, management, and telecommunications methods can be expanded and built-in to make sure that all new tools and course of areas are totally integrated into the present plant management and monitoring infrastructure.
The mission contains the development and modification of civil and structural infrastructure required to help the brand new course of tools and utilities. This contains foundations, metal buildings, pipe racks, and industrial buildings, in addition to upgrades to chose help amenities. The scope has been developed to maximise using present infrastructure, decrease extra footprint and make sure the protected and environment friendly integration of the CPF circuit into the working plant.
The prevailing compressed air system contains six devoted compressors, with 5 items working and one standby, supplying air to the flotation columns. As well as, three compressors provide the principle Service Air and Instrument Air distribution networks for the concentrator. The system contains related strain vessels and dryers to take care of air high quality appropriate for instrumentation and course of tools.
To satisfy the extra air demand related to the CPF mission, three new oil‑injected rotary screw compressors can be put in. These items will provide compressed air for the coarse flotation circuit and instrument air for the brand new methods and can be built-in into the present strain vessels to take care of reliability and supply redundancy.
To help the extra water demand related to the CPF circuit, upgrades to the recovered water reservoir pumping system are deliberate. A complete of eight new water pumps can be put in on the recovered water reservoir, comprising 4 working items and 4 standby items, to provide course of water to the brand new demand factors inside the coarse flotation circuit. The recovered water can be distributed to the CPF circuit for course of dilution, utility water provide, and pump sealing companies.
Contemplating the complete scope of the Salobo III Venture, together with the CPF circuit and modifications to stream charges of present tools, the whole water demand for infrastructure sizing will increase to six,800 m³/h. To accommodate this elevated demand, enlargement of the water reclaim and pumping system on the TSF can be required. The scope of labor contains modification of the present pumps and procurement of extra pumping capability.
