PLANTA DE FUNDICION – PROCESO PRODUCTIVO

Smelting: The Tin concentrates treatment process is performed in batches, in 4 well defined stages: melting, reduction, granulation and cleaning. Application of each of these procedures allows us to:

• Melt the concentrates with flux (limestone), recirculating with a Tin and coal content, which acts as a reducing agent.
• Reduce the percentage of Tin present in the clinker phase by the introduction of carbon and extracting raw Tin for refining in pots.

• Granulate slag evacuated by the furnace when the Tin content is less than 1% up to a minimum level of slag that allows the start a new batch. Once this slag has been ground by the grinding plant, it will go on to serve as filler paste in the San Rafael mine.

• Restore the optimal conditions of the gas handling system, cleaning and restoring material left behind on the walls of the gas cooler and ducts, and which contain Tin.

Refinery: Crude tin produced in the smelting process contains impurities such as iron, copper, arsenic, antimony, lead, bismuth and Indium. These impurities are removed sequentially, using a Pyro-metallurgical process, in 50 ton capacity cast iron pots, taking advantage of the different physicochemical properties of each of them, until Tin refined with 99.94% of purity and a maximum of 0.02% of lead is extracted, which is then molded into ingots and other forms of presentation.

By-product plant: The various recycling items generated in the smelter and refinery, such as of iron, copper, arsenic antimony and welding dross, are stored and processed by the by-products plant in well-defined channels, according to the nature of the impurities.

Slag grinding plant: Slag produced by the smelter is transferred to the grinding plant for treatment and later sent to the San Rafael mine, to be used as filler paste.

Production and Marketing: Production is primarily intended for sale overseas, where we compete advantageously on the international markets that demand high purity metals, guaranteeing its customers a minimum content of 99.94% of Tin and a maximum of 0.02% lead.