With the advancements that have been achieved in the metallurgical extraction process as it relates tornlower grade or more complex ore bodies, the use of oxygen over the years has expanded dramatically. As thernmines life has been extended longer than many oxygen plants were designed for, a new bottle neck has beenrnexposed in the equation for profitable extended mine production.rnSome basic questions come up very quickly; are the Air Separation Units (ASU) designed to therncurrent safety standards, can the existing plant be improved as it relates to the reliability, can the powerrnconsumption be reduced while maintaining production (Make oxygen more cost effective), can the purity of thernexisting plant be modified, and lastly can the production be increased? In many cases some or all of thesernrequired require minimal investment to yield significant results.rnThis paper will discuss some of the options/case studies that would be available to a mine owner orrnengineering firm wanting to look at improving the bottom line of an existing investment.
展开▼
