Designed for the Mine of the Future: Why South32 Selected Jameson Concentrator for Hermosa

Брисбен, Австралия

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South32's Hermosa project is setting a new benchmark for mine design, with Glencore Technology's Jameson Concentrator selected to support a safer, more efficient and increasingly automated processing operation. 

Located in Arizona, USA, Hermosa is a critical minerals project designed to supply zinc, manganese, silver and other metals essential to the energy transition. 

With a focus on maximising performance while minimising environmental impact, Hermosa is being engineered as a best-practice critical minerals operation. This made the Jameson Concentrator's compact footprint and energy efficiency the first key factor in its selection. 

With limited surface space, the Jameson Concentrator configuration reduced the flotation circuit from an alternative of approximately 22 conventional flotation cells to just 11 Jameson Cells, requiring only around 60% of the footprint. Glencore Technology projections also indicate energy savings of approximately 30% compared to a conventional tank cell circuit, reducing both operating costs and carbon emissions. 

A second consideration was Hermosa's focus on automation and remote operation. The processing plant will be operated remotely from Centro, South32's operations centre in the nearby city of Nogales. 

"When you're designing a mine around automation and remote operation, fast process feedback and reliable data become essential," commented Scott Martin, Glencore Technology's Sales Director, Americas. 

"The Jameson Concentrator is particularly well suited to this environment. With residence times of just five to ten minutes, compared to 40–60 minutes for conventional flotation circuits, operators can see the impact of process changes much sooner. That enables faster optimisation, more frequent control actions, and creates a strong foundation for advanced process control and future AI-driven operation." 

Operational flexibility was another factor influencing South32's selection. 

"One of the advantages of the Jameson Cell is that it gives operators options," said Martin. "As ore characteristics change, individual cells can be reassigned to different duties, allowing the circuit to adapt without major modifications. That's an important capability for a project designed to operate for decades, especially one operated remotely." 

By allowing cells to switch between roughing and cleaning duties, the circuit can be continually optimised as feed characteristics evolve throughout the life of the mine 

Together, the advantages of smaller footprint, lower energy consumption, automation readiness and operational flexibility, made the Jameson Concentrator a natural fit for Hermosa's long-term vision. 

Hermosa provides a glimpse into how future mines will be designed and operated. In selecting the Jameson Concentrator, South32 has demonstrated that the next generation of mineral processing will be defined not only by recovery, but by technologies that enable smarter, simpler and more sustainable operations. 

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