OXIDE PLANT

The oxidized mineral processing, includes the stages of crusher, vat leach, dump leach, solvent and
extraction and electrowinning (SX-EW). At the moment this plant has a capacity of 4.700.000 ton/year with
a ore grade, average of 0.8% of soluble copper.

The leaching is made in 12 vats, where acid solutions through mineral beds circulate to dissolve oxidized
copper. The rich resulting solution in copper and low acidity (PLS: pregnant or primary leach solution), is
conducted by gravity to solvent and extraction plant.

Dump leach, is oriented to the leaching of materials ROM (run off mines), by means of heap of 20 meters
of height of marginal minerals and low grade, where a dissolution of minerals oxidized by means of acid
solutions with an average ore grade of 0,40% of soluble copper. The obtained rich solution (PLS) is sent
until the solvent and extraction plant by means of pipes of 7 km in length.

In the SX plant, copper of the solution it is extracted selectively by a reagent liquid organic, extractant. The
operation of extraction is made in two stages and crosscurrent in equipment that mixes and separates by
movement the organic one in solution. The poor copper solution (raffinate) returns so much to the vat
leach like a dump leach. The organic one loaded in copper later is stripping by an acid and strongly free
electrolyte of impurities. The operation of stripping also is made in two stages and crosscurrent. The
organic one unloaded of copper returns to the extraction stages to load itself again. The rich copper
electrolyte is sent to electrowinning (EW).

In the EW plant, the copper of the electrolyte in stainless steel plates is deposited (permanent cathodes)
with the passage of a current through electrolytic cells with capacity of 61 cathodes each cell.

When the copper deposited in the cathodes reaches a weight of 70 kg these retire of the cells to come to
an automatic takeoff of deposited copper.

Copper the resulting cathodes of the process, are of high quality and purity, with certification LME (London
Metals Exchange).