Liebherr heavy towers set for 20 year stint on Peru mines

Copper producer Xstrata Copper's mines in Antapaccay and Las Bambas, which are being developed by Bechtel Chile, installed a Liebherr 630 EC-H 40. Newmont Mining's Conga mine, which has Fluor Chile as the developer, installed a Liebherr 550 EC-H 20.

The 630 EC-H 40 is the biggest model in the company's EC-H range and can lift a maximum of 40t, and 5.4t at the full length of its 80m boom. The 550 EC-H 20 has a maximum lift capacity of 20t and can lift 3.5t at the furthest reach of 81.5m.

The cranes will be used for central lifting operations in the construction of flotation cell lines, which are used as part of the process of separating the metal.

Henning Kohler, regional manager of Liebherr Chile, said: "The three units being installed at three new mines in Peru are a first for this country. The demand in all three cases was for a heavy-lifting crane with a long boom for diverse materials handling from a centralised position.

It was also necessary that the crane be able to work at a high altitude, in conditions that are frequently below freezing point during working hours, and that they are robust enough to be able to remain in place for at least 20 years.

The German-built cranes were supplied by Liebherr Chile, and will remain in place for the next 20 years.