SNC-Lavalin (Montreal, Quebec, Canada; www.snclavalin.com) has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract by Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco), one of the largest copper producers in the world, for the construction of two sulfuric acid plants at the Chuquicamata Copper Smelter Complex, located in the Antofagasta region of northern Chile.
This project incorporates the best-in-class sulfuric acid production technology by MECS Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont, with whom SNC-Lavalin has successfully executed projects for over 50 years. The plants will treat off-gas from the Chuquicamata smelter, each producing up to 2,048 metric tons of market grade sulfuric acid per day. These new plants will replace those currently in operation at the facility and are part of Codelco’s ongoing environmental compliance plans.
Construction is expected to begin in early 2017 with SNC-Lavalin performing basic and detailed engineering, procurement of equipment, and construction of the acid plants via their Santiago and Toronto offices.