In Chile, copper mining operations are under increasing pressure to balance production efficiency with strict water management and tailings safety requirements. Many mines operate in desert or semi-desert regions where freshwater supply is limited and costly, making process water recovery a strategic necessity rather than a sustainability add-on. At the same time, regulatory expectations around tailings stability and long-term storage continue to rise, pushing operators to improve thickening and dewatering performance across the entire tailings handling chain.
This case focuses on a large-scale copper processing site in northern Chile using high-density thickeners as a key step before tailings transport and partial dry stacking. The mine processes finely ground ore, resulting in tailings with a high proportion of ultra-fine particles. Under fluctuating feed conditions, the operation faced challenges including slow settling, variable underflow density, and unstable overflow clarity.
These issues limited the efficiency of water reuse within the plant and increased the operational burden on downstream dewatering equipment. Existing flocculation practices were sensitive to changes in ore mineralogy, making it difficult for operators to maintain consistent performance during continuous, multi-shift operation.
To stabilize the thickening process, Bluwat Chemicals worked with the site to introduce a BLUFLOC® anionic polyacrylamide optimized for copper tailings applications.
The selected grade features a high molecular weight in the range of approximately 5–25 million, which supports effective polymer bridging even in slurries dominated by fine particles. Supplied as an off-white granular powder with minimum 89% active content, the product is well suited for transport and storage in remote mining locations.
For daily operation, the polymer is prepared at a working solution concentration of 0.1–0.5%, allowing accurate dosing and reliable floc formation within high-rate and high-density thickener systems. The product’s low residual monomer content (≤0.05%) and tolerance to typical mining pH conditions support long-term, continuous use without compromising operational stability.
These characteristics were selected specifically to address Chilean mining realities: limited water availability, long operating hours, and the need for predictable thickener performance with minimal manual intervention.
After implementation, the site reported more consistent tailings settling behavior and improved control over thickener underflow density. Clearer overflow water enabled higher internal reuse rates, reducing dependence on external water sources and improving overall water balance at the plant.
From an operational standpoint, the improved floc structure helped dampen the impact of short-term feed fluctuations, allowing operators to maintain steady conditions over extended production runs. In many cases, this resulted in more stable polymer consumption and reduced operational adjustments, contributing to smoother coordination between thickening and downstream dewatering stages.
Improved consistency also supported safer tailings handling by delivering a more uniform material to transport and stacking systems.
This Chilean case highlights how BLUFLOC® polyacrylamide from Bluwat Chemicals can support reliable tailings thickening and water recovery in copper mining operations facing water scarcity and fine-particle challenges. The solution is particularly well suited for mines operating high-density thickeners or preparing tailings for partial dry stacking.
For mining operators with similar conditions, the next step is often a structured evaluation of tailings characteristics and thickener performance, followed by targeted laboratory or on-site testing. Working with Bluwat Chemicals as a technical partner enables tailored polyacrylamide selection that aligns with both operational goals and long-term regulatory requirements.
