News

HighService Engineering & Construction won a new contract at MLP to build a drainage system

It´s about a drainage mechanism that uses a pumping system from the bottom of the mine to evacuate the water.

HighService Engineering and Construction (HS) won a new contract called “Dewatering, Installation of mine bottom drainage system” at Minera Los Pelambres (MLP), owned by Antofagasta Minerals (AMSA).

The initiative contemplates the implementation of a water management system from the bottom of the mine to a distribution chamber, using a water impulse system called Dewatering.

“The system is based on three vertical centrifugal pumps that activate a pumping mechanism in ponds to evacuate larger floods or empty the lagoon, and change the extraction bottom of the mine,” explains Israel González, HighService Engineering & Construction General Manager.

The company’s work will consist in the construction of a drive system for the evacuation of water accumulated from the bottom of the mine, to an intermediate tank, to operate in the new growth scenario of the mine.

The project will last for 7 months and the most important disciplines for its execution are mechanical and piping.

Minera Los Pelambres is an open pit mine mainly made of copper and molybdenum concentrate, located in the Andes mountain range, Salamanca district, in the IV Region of Coquimbo, between 3,000 and 3,500 meters above sea level.

HighService Engineering & Construction won a new contract at MLP to build a drainage system2019-04-10T13:51:23-04:00

MIRS analyzed the scope of robotics to guarantee sustainable mining

The General Manager analyzes the technologies that will be key in the digital transformation of mining operations.

To analyze how robotics improves the sustainability of mining operations, the Chilean company MIRS, subsidiary of the holding HighService Corp, participated in the 5th International Codelco Mining Workshop, held within the framework of Expomin 2018.

MIRS General Manager, Javier Espinoza, talked at the seminar “Digital Transformation in Mining: the key to Sustainable Productivity”. During the occasion, the executive reviewed the technologies that will be key in the digital transformation of mining operations, analyzing case studies, as well as the challenges and risks associated with not incorporating them into the processes.

“The challenge of digital transformation goes beyond incorporating a technology into a particular process. It is about solving the most structural problem in the mining industry, which is to improve productivity along the entire value chain,” specified.

New models

During his presentation, the expert verified that the digital transformation emerges as an engine of radical change in the mining industry, providing unparalleled opportunities for the creation and capture of value in each of the stages of the process.

“Digitization changes the nature of operations and their interaction with employees, communities, government and the environment at every step of the value chain,” noted.

From exploration, through mineral processing and metal production, to sales and distribution, digitization opens the door to new commercialization models in mining operations, increasing transparency and sustainability of operations.

“Not only does it help to make it more profitable and make better decisions, but it also helps to empower employees and improve aspects such as their health and safety during work, reduces the risk of accidents and contributes to the protection of the environment, decreasing pollutant emissions and the generation of waste “, concluded Javier Espinoza.

MIRS analyzed the scope of robotics to guarantee sustainable mining2023-06-05T20:46:58-04:00

HighService Corp will exhibit in Expomin innovations that add value to mining

Operational excellence services, robotic solutions and advanced technologies that allow improving the productivity and safety of the operations will present this Chilean holding company in the largest mining event in the region.

The Chilean holding HighService Corp will have an active presence in the XV version of Expomin, the most important mining fair in Latin America, which will take place from April 23 to 27 in Santiago.

In addition to conducting technical talks that will address the issue of how to boost productivity, HighService Corp will exhibit innovative robotic solutions and applied technologies for efficient and safer mining processes.

The company and its subsidiaries HighService Service (HSS), HighService Engineering and Construction (HSIC), HighService Technology (HST) and MIRS have wide experience in the mining industry, with almost 20 years providing services and developing technological solutions tailored to the needs enterprises in the industry.

Generating value

Under the concept “Driving Productivity with Excellence and Innovation”, specialists from each of the companies of the holding will offer technical talks in which they will present comprehensive and technical services, wireless technologies and robotic solutions aimed at increasing the productivity of mining operations.

Also, MIRS general manager, Javier Espinoza, will give a conference at the 5th Expomin workshop on ‘Digital Transformation in Mining: the key to Sustainable Productivity’, to be held on Wednesday 25.

“The challenge of digital transformation goes beyond adopting a new technology in a particular process, it is about solving the most structural problem in the mining industry: improving productivity along the entire value chain”, precise Javier Espinoza.

Technology applied to mining

One of the products that will attract attention at the company’s stand at Expomin is SensoSag, a technology patented by HighService Technology that measures the impacts produced inside a SAG mill. It is a wireless technology, with 100% online reportability, which can be appreciated thanks to its incorporation in a miniature model of a SAG mill.

“This application interprets, through algorithms, aspects such as the wear of the coatings, the dynamic behavior of the load in turn and the presence of foreign elements,” explains Guillermo Vidal Rudloff, general manager of HighService Technology.

Also on display will be the SensoTemp artificial intelligence device, which measures surface temperatures through a thermal camera, capturing data and developing trend curves that predict potential breaks, cracks or faults in general.

Another attraction that will be present at the stand is the Agilus Kuka mini robot, developed by MIRS, which will interact with the attending public.

HighService Corp will exhibit in Expomin innovations that add value to mining2023-06-05T20:46:58-04:00

Innovative technology prevents accidents due to collision or run over in mining operations

FleetSafety, a patented solution by HighService Technology, provides greater safety to vehicle operations, by extending the range of visibility around equipment and measuring distances, activating braking systems and alarms.

An innovative solution that reduces the risk of accidents in mining operations has just launched HighService Technology, a subsidiary of the holding HighService Corp.

This is the latest version of FleetSafety, an innovative development patented by the company for the protection of people and operators of mining equipment, which results in greater productivity and safety in operations.

“Our solution raises the visibility to 360 degrees around the equipment and provides alerts in cases of risk, defining security zones based on the speed and direction of the equipment,” explains Guillermo Vidal Rudloff, General Manager of HighService Technology.

Timely reaction

FleetSafety has a useful life of between five and six years and has the ability to operate autonomously, without relying on a GPS.

“Each of the components of FleetSafety are rigorously tested to provide the highest possible reliability,” the executive precise.

This system is available in three formats, according to the needs of each client.

One of them avoids collisions of mining trucks. Since the visibility for the drivers of these large vehicles is low, the system includes cameras and antennas that activate an alarm each time the truck approaches an area with the possibility of a collision.

Emergency braking

A second format of the solution aims to avoid accidents in the loading areas, thanks to the incorporation of antennas installed around the extraction blade. In this way, when the truck is loaded the auxiliary equipment enters the interaction zone of the shovel to clean the remaining material on the floor, warning by means of an audible alarm.

The third variant of FleetSafety is headed at the safety of pedestrians and minor cargo equipment at work, using portable devices that pedestrians carry in their pockets.

“The system measures distances with precision to warn of an imminent accident and generate emergency braking,” says Vidal.

The company will present this and other technological innovations at Expomin, a specialized fair that will be held in April, where the latest technologies and developments related to mining will be announced.

Innovative technology prevents accidents due to collision or run over in mining operations2023-06-05T20:46:58-04:00

HighService Service optimizes the security and availability of Los Pelambres

The subsidiary of HighService Corp holds a record of zero accidents in 19 years.

HighService Service (HSS), subsidiary of the holding HighService Corp, managed to improve the operational availability of Minera Los Pelambres, owned by the Chilean group Antofagasta Minerals, thanks to a quality maintenance policy implemented by a human group with more than 20 years of experience.

HighService Service has been working with Minera Los Pelambres for 19 years. In 2017, an integral crushing contract was awarded, which includes all the specialties, which was added to the current contracts for electrical execution and instrumentation.

“We have a strong commitment, which translates into our ongoing search for continuous improvement, both our processes and procedures and our equipment and services,” explains HighService Service Operations Manager Mario Arros.

For his part, the Maintenance Manager of Los Pelambres, Ivo Fadic Gálvez, highlights the importance of having “a partner connected to the business challenges of the company, especially in aspects of safety, labor relations, communities and productivity”.

Security

HSS also stands out for another milestone: it reached a zero accident rate with time lost in 19 years of contractual relationship with the mining company. According to Arros, behind this figure there is a policy of prevention of occupational risks based on knowledge, training and surveillance in the field.

“This area is reinforced, especially in the eventual equipment, since they are workers who move occasionally to the site. We work with prevention of occupational hazards, inductions, training of workplaces and prioritize teamwork, “he says.

HighService Service has 86 fixed operators in the concentrator plant and 96 in the Los Pelambres crushing plant. In addition, it transfers between 300 and 400 workers in the eventual maintenance service every six months.

HighService Service optimizes the security and availability of Los Pelambres2023-06-05T20:46:58-04:00

The last stage of the contract with the Oxidos Encuentro Project concludes

Executed by HighService Engineering and Construction for the client Antofagasta Minerals.

On January 31st, the last contract of HighService Engineering and Construction (HS) concluded with the Oxides Encuentro Project in the district of Centinela for the company Antofagasta Minerals, Chile’s main private mining group that concentrates its operations in the Antofagasta Region. 21 kilometers from the commune of Sierra Gorda.

The three most relevant activities of this project, which will use seawater without desalination, contemplated:

– Construction work: assembly of minor and major equipment, in addition to the normalization of the systems for the final delivery of the Plant to Operations.

– Pre Commissioning: tests of individual systems, adjustment of the plant, of individual equipment and by system, as well as tests of hydraulic lines, motors, valves and instruments.

– Start-up: tests with loading systems and resolution “in situ” of operational problems.

This project was implemented by HS, a subsidiary of HighService Corp, between March 2017 and January 2018, with a maximum staff of 156 direct and indirect workers, which totaled 198,069 hours.

Thanks to the Oxides Encuentro project, Centinela’s SX-EW plant will operate at full capacity (100,000 tons of copper per year), providing an average of 43,000 tons of copper cathodes annually for eight years, and thus counteracting the effects of depletion and fall in the ore grades that today extract from Sentinel Oxides.

The last stage of the contract with the Oxidos Encuentro Project concludes2023-06-05T20:46:58-04:00

Minera Escondida installs MIRS innovative robotic solution

This technological innovation replaces automatically and remotely the the Trommel palmettes during programmed stops at the SAG mill, improving safety and productivity.

Maintenance robot is already a reality. MIRS, a subsidiary of HighService Corp, and Minera Escondida, began the exploration of opportunities and collaboration within the framework of the BHP World Class Suppliers Program.

This gave rise to the automation of the change of the Trommel palmettes, an innovative robotic solution that responds to the challenges posed in the road map of the National High-Mining Program and the objective of increasing productivity.

“One of the main characteristics of this equipment is that it allows replacing up to 100% of the palmettes during the change of coatings of the SAG mill, avoiding operational problems, such as the interruption of the process”, explains the Commercial Manager of MIRS, Igor Elías, during the demonstration event, held at the beginning of March in Antofagasta.

The executive adds that this robotic application minimizes emergency maintenance and reduces the changeover time, improving flexibility and operational precision. “The final result is an important advance in the availability of the equipment, adding, as a result, value to our customers.”

The Challenge

On a physical level, the Trommel is attached to the SAG mill (Semi-Autogenous Grinding) and when the mill stops for maintenance, the palmets must also be changed.

The problem is that the duration of the pallets of the Trommel is not the same as that of the coatings of the mill and, therefore, the availability of the SAG grinding process is affected by stopping only to change the palms of the Trommel, generating a high impact on production.

The risk of accidents is another factor to consider, since the palmettes weigh between 80 and 100 kilos, approximately. By making a manual exchange, operators are not only exposed to possible accidents, but also to possible errors in the installation process.

Security and value for all

The manual process of replacing the palmettes takes approximately 23 minutes for each piece, while this same task is performed in just 3 minutes by the team developed by MIRS: one minute to extract the palmette and two minutes to place it.

That is to say, the automated process reduces up to 85% the replacement time of the Trommel palmettes, in SAG mills of any brand.

For all this, the objectives of this robotic solution are to preserve the safety of the workers and increase the productivity of the concentrators.

 

Minera Escondida installs MIRS innovative robotic solution2023-06-05T20:46:58-04:00

HighService Engineering & Construction wins a new contract at Minera Los Pelambres

HighService Corp subsidiary will execute industrial assembly works, as established in the agreement that came into effect this month

HighService Engineering & Construction (HSIC), a subsidiary of the holding HighService Corp, announced the award of a new contract at Minera Los Pelambres (MLP), owned by the Chilean group Antofagasta Minerals (AMSA).

The contract, called ‘Service bottlenecks P&G Plant Stage II’, came into force in February and includes industrial assembly work, mainly mechanics and structure.

The agreement includes the following works: make modifications to the material transport equipment for the Gravel Plant, modify the chutes, repower the engines, change the transmission and incorporate frequency variators in the belts that feed the crushers.

HighService Engineering & Construction General Manager, Israel González, highlighted the confidence that Los Pelambres has placed in the company, assuring that: “This new contract, with one of the most important mining site in the country, comes to support the work carried out by HighService Engineering and Construction in a working relationship with experience, and motivates us to continue improving the service we provide in mining and other industries. ”

Los Pelambres ranks sixth in production nationwide and is the seventh largest copper producer in the world. The company operates since the end of 1999 in the province of Choapa, Coquimbo Region, with a processing capacity of 210 thousand tons per day of ore.

 

HighService Engineering & Construction wins a new contract at Minera Los Pelambres2023-06-05T20:46:58-04:00

HighService Engineering & Construction implements Operational Excellence Project

Adoption of the “Lean Construction” method is positioning the company as a leader in high productivity services

Productivity and efficiency in the management of the projects have become a comparative advantage for the company HighService Engineering and Construction (HSIC), belonging to the holding HighService Corp.

This is due to the fact that the company, within the framework of its Operational Excellence Project, has implemented the “Lean Construction” model, which seeks to maximize the value and minimize the potential losses that can be generated in the projects, through tools that improve productivity of the processes, ensuring the deadlines and costs committed to their customers.

One of the benefits of this methodology is that downtimes are avoided due to poorly executed activities, incorrect work instructions, overcrowded areas, lack of resources, rework due to poor execution and poor planning of the works.

“Thanks to Lean Construction’s approach, we have significantly improved our procedures and execution processes, which positively impacts the final outcome of each project, benefiting our clients with successful contracts,” explains HS General Manager, Israel González.

Continuous improvement

The implementation of this methodology has generated a profound impact on the company, which has had to establish eight main objectives.

According to Anibal Amira, Manager of Development and Productivity, these stages are summarized in: 1. Stabilizing the processes; 2. Standardize and document the operations associated with critical processes; 3. Establish a methodology to determine critical risks and prevention and mitigation measures; 4. Improve critical business processes; 5. Establish a standard that allows evaluating performance and maturity; 6. Establish metrics and generate a new BSC that ensures the business; 7. Form leaders and ensure competence of hierarchical positions; and 8. Improve communication processes.

“Thanks to this new way of work, today we are a much more productive and efficient company, both internally and in the work we do for our customers,” assured the executive.

The company says that measuring the productivity of a site is a simple process, but achieving good results in productivity needs the support of the entire organization. In this way, HSIC is focused on the implementation of this project, programming the services, defining agile processes, establishing traceable records, adjusting the production capacity of the services, stipulating new formats, etc. “All this in a process of continuous improvement to achieve operational excellence in the execution of our contracts,” says Roberto Toledo, Quality Manager.

Greater savings and profits

Israel González assures that the use of the method “Lean Construction” has meant to obtain positive results in the projects, which have an impact on savings and profits for HSIC and its clients.

“The final result is the improvement of the entire engineering and construction process, and the reduction of all activities that do not add value, in order to achieve a simple flow, uniform and in a shorter execution time”, explains the manager general of the company.

The executive adds that, for this reason, the “Lean Construction” method considers construction not only as a transformation, but as a flow of resources to obtain a product. “In this way, you can visualize the abundant losses that are usually found in construction, and that the traditional work system that operates in the industry does not allow to see, anticipate or resolve,” he concludes.

HighService Engineering & Construction implements Operational Excellence Project2023-06-05T20:46:58-04:00
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