Process control and automation services and solutions provider MIPAC has been contracted through Xstrata Technology to design and commission the plant wide control system and electrical systems for a major upgrade to Kazzinc’s Ust-Kamenogorsk plants in Kazakhstan.
“The plant wide control system from MIPAC is a key component of the major modernisation project that will establish Kazzinc as a copper producer. The project will significantly improve the environmental performance of our lead smelter and contribute to an increase in the economic value of Kazzinc’s product lines through a decrease in our operations costs,” Kazzinc president Nick Popovic said.
The Ust-Kamenogorsk metallurgical complex, owned and operated by Kazzinc, currently consists of a zinc refinery, a lead smelter and a precious metals refinery.
The Ust-Kamenogorsk New Metallurgy project will add a new copper smelter and copper refinery to the complex as well as replacing the core lead smelting technology with the innovative ISASMELT process.
MIPAC is contracted to supply the measurement and control design standards to be used across all of the new plants in the New Metallurgy project.
MIPAC will design and configure the plant wide Emerson DeltaV Distributed Control System.
MIPAC is also responsible for the design and supply of electrical controls and instrumentation for the new ISASMELT lead and copper plants and the IsaProcess copper refinery, both from .
“The MIPAC implemented plant wide control system will remove significant risk and project execution difficulty. MIPAC will implement its latest control and plant operations concepts and techniques resulting in a smooth commissioning and appropriately designed plant controls for Kazzinc’s ongoing operations,” Project manager and MIPAC director Don Robinson said.
The project role is similar to MIPAC’s role at Mopani in Zambia which was awarded the national PACE award for automation and control earlier in 2006.
Kazzinc is Eastern Kazakhstan’s largest industrial producer and so constant improvements to environmental performance are critical. This project will notably contribute to Kazzinc’s goal of reducing all dust and gas emissions from its metallurgical operations to insignificant levels.
Additionally, the new copper smelter and refinery will allow Kazzinc to produce value added refined copper, rather than just exporting copper concentrate and blister copper. This greatly improves the economic value of Kazzinc’s product line and reduces transport overheads.
Kazzinc is a major fully integrated Zinc producer with considerable Copper, precious metals and Lead credits. All the company’s operations are in Kazakhstan, spread over six towns.