Southwest Energy Efficiency Project

Kennecott Copper

In 1998, Kennecott Copper upgraded two air-fueled smelting furnaces at its large Utah facility to operate on oxy-fuels which are low in nitrogen content. The large furnaces refine impure copper into large metal plates before final processing. As a result of this upgrade, it achieved 55% energy savings and a 50% reduction in its NOx emissions. More details are available through Utah Industries of the Future.

The company has achieved additional energy savings at each of its four SAG mill facilities, which grind large pieces of ore at a rate of 1,500 tons per hour.

Through a computer simulation, the company discovered that it could improve the performance of the process by changing the configuration of how ore is deposited into the machinery and then processed. Doing so cut power consumption from 7 MW per mill to 6 MW -- a 14% reduction in energy use – while improving productivity and lowering maintenance costs.

© 2002-2008 Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
2260 Baseline Rd. Suite 212, Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 447-0078 fax: (303) 786-8054 info@swenergy.org

Last Updated: 01/28/2008