News 2/Dic/2004

Raúl Sáez Award

Copper Cathode Inspection System The Cathode Selector System Project , proCCat, wich was distinguished with the Raúl Saez Award 2004, involved in the design, engineering, construction and commissioning of an automated system for the inspection and selection of copper cathodes according to quality criteria. The iniciative was developted for Cerro Colorado with the colaboration of Aplik.

Through proCCat the quality of the cathodes can be characterized according to attributes and qualities observed through a high resolution vision system. The project also automatized the cathode manipulation before its inspection until its separation in packages depending the type of quality. The proposed observation mode also provides information support that facilitates both the decision-making for the corrections as the necessary control actions.

The engineering work of the project was a one hundred percent national, as well as mechanical development, wich was made in full in national metal workshops. The result was an absolutely new system, worldwide, thus Cerro Colorado has filled a patent application.

More information:

Page of the Ministry of Mining

Chilean Mining Article

Award Ceremony

Receiving Award The award ceremony was presided by the Minister of Mining, Mr. Alfonso Dulanto Rencoret. Were present the most important personalities of the national mining activity, as Mr. Kevin O'Kane President of the Cerro Colorado Company and the Executive President of CODELCO. The picture shows to the Minister of Mining next to Kevin O'Kane with the trophy. Accompany staff of Cerro Colorado and Aplik.

Aplik in the award ceremony

Aplik Shows the Award Aplik staff in the award ceremony: in the picture can be seen the Aplik CEO, Mr. Guillermo Vidal, next ti the Minister of Mining, Mr. Alfonso Dulanto Rencoret, the Aplik President Mr. Victor Lonza and Aplik partners.

Welcome Speech of Kevin O'Kane

Kevin O'Kane The President of the Cerro Colorado Company, Mr. Kevin O'Kane, during the welcome speech had praising words for Aplik, who described as the partner in the Cerro Colorado technological developments. Also in an interview with 'Minería Global' stated:

What improvements do you expect to achive in the metalurgical process with the implementation of this new system?
The system will allows to capture information about the final quality of the cathodes wich can be related to the metalurgical variables of the process. This will help us to take decisions respect to the timely corrections of the deviations of the process. In fact we already working with Aplik company on a second stage of the project specifically oriented to optimize the capture and processing of this information and its tracking.