“ APC automates the implementation of the Operating Model across our plant control systems , unlocking optimisation that has previously been beyond our reach ”
Q . WHAT BENEFITS HAVE YOU SEEN ACROSS OPERATIONS ?
» “ At our large plants , there are many APCs . Take , for example , our copper operations at Los Bronces . Our endstate for Los Bronces has over 100 of these virtual operators , we are three years into the programme , we have completed about half , and last year the half that we have completed contributed over $ 60mn to the underlying operational performance of Los Bronces through improved recoveries , energy savings and throughput improvements … Our goal is to have all available processes under APC by 2024 . Last year , we reached the half-way mark and the systems that we have put in place contributed over $ 170 million to underlying earnings . We are on track to double that record next year .
APC lets us optimise our energy inputs and our water consumption . Last year , we saved $ 5mn
from our power bill
Q . HOW IS APC IMPROVING ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY ?
» “ APC lets us optimise our energy inputs and our water consumption . Last year , we saved 173,000GJ of energy , dropping over $ 5mn from our power bill . Most of this came from our Chilean copper operations where APC controls the grinding mills but a 7 % energy reduction across the entire system . Each time we build one of these controls we look for opportunities to solve the same problem that exists elsewhere in the Group . The copper mill logic is being retrofitted to our PGM operations and the early stages of this project have already reduced our power and consumption there by 4 % across the system .”
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