Triple Bottom Line Thinking for High Arsenic Bearing Copper-Gold Project in Northern Peru: Assessing the Viability of an Integrated Mine, Mill, and Hydrometallurgical Refinery

Growth in global urbanization, industrialization and infrastructure expansions will require the development of non-traditional copper resources such as those containing high arsenic to meet the demand for future mine supply. Arsenic levels are rising in current and future mines in resource rich countries such as Peru. Conventional smelting operations cannot accept concentrates high in arsenic (>0.5%) due to process limitations and tightening environmental restrictions. Alternative refining technologies are required to process high arsenic bearing concentrates. Teck Resource Limited‘s CESL developed pressure hydrometallurgical technology is capable of treating high arsenic bearing sulphide concentrates. Recognizing the broader cornerstones of sustainable development, Triple Bottom Line (TBL) thinking provides a holistic way of understanding a projects‘ performance with respect to potential financial, social and environmental outcomes. This paper applies a simple TBL framework to assess the viability of an integrated mine, mill, and CESL hydrometallurgical refinery operation for a hypothetical high arsenic bearing copper-gold deposit located in Northern Peru.