The sound of barreros returns17 Apr 2015 18:58
The company Emed Tartessus has made this Friday the first blasting in mining facilities Rio Tinto, whose reopening projects from 2008, which allowed the residents of this town, after 14 years, to hear the sound of the holes.
The blast took place on Friday at 14.00 and has enjoyed the presence of institutional representatives and the general director of Mines of the Junta de Andalucía, José María Asensio, or the president of the council, Ignacio Caraballo.
It involved the detonation programmed and sequenced 6,500 kilos of explosives to fly 28,000 tons of waste mineral, whose removal will allow access by a new ramp to areas relevant operation.
Asensio, speaking to journalists prior to the event, stated that the bombing is "a milestone entry into the mine production, not only from a technical standpoint and exploitation but also psychological, for us and for the population, is very relevant. "
He explained that they do mean "is beginning to move not only the technical or engineering work but also the ground" therefore "listen to that first hole in the mining is welcome and we share with all citizens ".
Noting that are already 600 people working at this mine, he noted, regarding the ore, that the bombing is the first step, being provided, according to company estimates that the first concentrates are removed "before the end of the summer. "
For its part, the CEO of EMED, Alberto Lavandeira, wanted to highlight the symbolism of the event: "This is a historic day, the result of great efforts of our employees and many other people who are not here today; took a year working to set that up and today is a very exciting day for us. "
About upcoming milestones clarified that "the next step is to continue working; we came here just a year ago, and we said this we were going to start, and we are true: we are very advanced in the coming months there will be a soft-start facilities, and produce normally, hopefully the next 20 years ".
The Project is undertaking the last preparatory work in order to start producing copper in the coming months. To do this you work in a 1st phase in the refurbishment of existing treatment facilities mineral, to a capacity to process 5 million tonnes of ore per year.
To reach this first blasting the company has had to obtain the necessary permits both to exploit the mine, which was awarded by the Junta de Andalucía last January; as for blasting after authorization by the Prefectures in Huelva late last March.
Phase 1 of the Rio Tinto Project involves an investment of 212 million Euros and the creation of a staff of 250 people, to which must be added indirect jobs and induced generated which may pose around triple that amount. About 70% of workers are people from the mining.
In parallel, the company is designing and expanding its operations in Rio Tinto, with the aim of increasing the capacity of ore treatment plant between 9 and 15 million t
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