At the end of May 2008, Tenova Pyromet was commissioned by Doe Run Peru to design and supply a 15 meter slag launder, comprising water cooled copper launder sections which will convey matte and slag from the ISASMELT™ furnace to the settling furnace. The project part of the La Oroya Metallurgical Complex copper smelter modernization is well under way;

It marks the first time that the proven Tenova Pyromet slag launder design will be adapted for use with a matte and slag mixture. One of the challenges is that matte is normally more aggressive to copper elements than slag. This is due to the increased heat load and higher fluidity of the matte. Tenova Pyromet’s launders will be modified to improve their cooling capacity and to provide additional wear resistance in areas of matte impact.

The launders are set for delivery by February 2009.

The release added that “Developed and manufactured in South Africa using advanced Finite Element Modeling and Computer Aided Engineering techniques, Tenova Pyromet’s slag launders are used on Anglo Platinum’s Waterval Smelter in South Africa, BCL nickel smelter in Botswana, STL’s cobalt smelter in the Democratic Republic of Congo and BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam works in Australia..”

Doe Run Peru has operated the La Oroya metallurgical complex since 1997, producing high quality refined metals while at the same time working to operate in a socially and environmentally responsible manner