Aker Kvaerner awarded another major copper-gold project in Chile

 

Aker Kvaerner conducted the feasibility study and early works studies for the Esperanza project from August 2006 until September 2007. The newly awarded Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EP-CM) contract is the continuation of that former work.  The project will be executed in two phases. The first phase will supply Engineering and Procurement, and the second phase will supply Construction Management.

 

The scope of work for Aker Kvaerner is the design of the facilities for the production of copper concentrates and the Construction of the Early Works from the ore extracted out of the Esperanza deposit. This project will also include in the second phase the mine infrastructure, port facilities, sea water pipeline to feed process plant, a long distance ore pipeline for copper concentrates and the processing plant; Aker Kvaerner has the first option in the award of the second phase.

 

Dave Lawson, President of Aker Kvaerner Metals, comments "The direct award of this high profile contract reinforces Aker Kvaerner position as the leading supplier of large environmentally sound EPCM projects."

 

The Esperanza copper-gold project is located in Antofagasta (Region II) in northern Chile, approximately four kilometres south of the Group's El Tesoro mine, at an elevation of 2 100 metres above sea level. Esperanza is a sulphide deposit which will produce copper concentrate containing gold and silver by-product credits through conventional milling and flotation process. Ore throughput is expected to average 97 000 tonnes per day.

 

First production is expected at the end of 2010. In its first ten years of operation Esperanza is expected to produce an annual average of approximately 700,000 tonnes of concentrate containing 195 000 tonnes of payable copper, 229 000 ounces of payable gold and 1 556 000 ounces of payable silver.  The project is currently going through the normal environmental impact evaluation process by the Chilean authorities.

 

Antofagasta Minerals S.A (AMSA) is a subsidiary of Antofagasta Minerals plc.  Antofagasta plc is a company that is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: ANTO) and controls its mining operations and projects through Antofagasta Minerals, the first group of national private capitals in the Chilean mining.  The Group is based in London and has three business divisions: Mining, Transport and Water, with the first of those being the most important.

 

ENDS

 

 

Media:

 

Lola Kolbach, Communications Manager, Aker Kvaerner Metals, Santiago, Chile
Tel: +56 2 336 3520

Torbjørn S. Andersen, SVP Group Communications, Aker Kvaerner. Tel: +47 67 51 30 36, Mob: +47 928 85 542

 

Investor relations:
Lasse Torkildsen, VP Investor Relations, Aker Kvaerner. Tel: +47 67 51 30 39

 

Suppliers:
For further information about sourcing and potential subcontracts for this project, please contact: Stan Bogiel, Senior VP Global Sourcing, Aker Kvaerner, Process & Construction Tel: +1 713-270-3519, Mob: +1 832-274-4753

Fax: +1 713 270 2710.

 

Career opportunities:
Visit http://www.akerkvaerner.com/Internet/CareerCentre

 

AKER KVÆRNER ASA, through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("Aker Kvaerner"), is a leading global provider of engineering and construction services, technology products and integrated solutions. The business within Aker Kvaerner comprises several industries, including Oil & Gas, Refining & Chemicals, Mining & Metals and Power Generation. The Aker Kvaerner group is organised in a number of separate legal entities. Aker Kvaerner is used as the common brand/trademark for most of these entities.

 

The parent company in the group is Aker Kværner ASA. Aker Kvaerner has aggregated annual revenues of approximately NOK 50 billion and employs approximately 23 000 people in about 30 countries.

 

Aker Kvaerner is part of Aker (www.akerasa.com), a group of premier companies with a focus on energy, maritime and marine-resources industries. The Aker companies share a common set of values and long traditions of industrial innovation. As an industrial owner with a 40.27 percent holding in Aker Kvaerner, Aker ASA takes an active role in the development of its holdings

 

 

Aker Kvaerner's Process and Construction business area is a world leader in the project management, design and construction of major projects spanning refining, petrochemical processing, metals and mining, power generation, and acid plants.  From initial concept through technology development, process technology application, design, procurement, construction, maintenance, modification and decommissioning, we provide our customers with the full life cycle of services.  Process and Construction provides sound local expertise, combined with the depth and strength of global project operations.

 

 

Aker Kvaerner Metals provides design, engineering, procurement, construction and project management services for mining and metals processing facilities on every continent.   With its Metals Headquarters based in Santiago, Chile, and other metals offices located in Toronto, Canada; Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.; combined with regional metals capabilities in Perth, Brisbane, and Melbourne, Australia; Mumbai, India and Stockton-on-Tees, U.K,  Aker Kvaerner provides global capability to serve its clients across the full project cycle from studies through to design engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and startup.  Specialized expertise spans: Precious Metals, Nickel, Copper, Molybdenum, Iron Ore, Zinc, Uranium, Evaporites and Industrial Minerals.

 

 

Antofagasta Minerals S.A (AMSA) is a subsidiary of Antofagasta Minerals plc.  Antofagasta plc is a company that is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: ANTO) and controls its mining operations and projects through Antofagasta Minerals, the first group of national private capitals in the Chilean mining The Group that is based in London and has three business divisions: Mining, Transport and Water, with the first of those being the most important. Antofagasta plc is one of the largest international copper producing companies in the industry.
Today its activities are mainly concentrated in Chile where it owns and operates three copper mines, Los
Pelambres, El Tesoro and Michilla, with a total production of 466 thousand tonnes in 2006, at an average
cash cost of 40.2 c/lb. The Group's mining division, Antofagasta Minerals, is also actively involved in
exploration particularly in Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Pakistan.

 

This press release may include forward-looking information or statements and is subject to our disclaimer, see our web-pages www.akerkvaerner.com