- Chile | 28 May 2022
How did Echeverría Izquierdo fare in 2021/2022?
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, 2021 was one of the most successful years for Echeverría Izquierdo. With a workforce of up to 9,000 workers, the company continued its operations throughout the year and closed the year with historical results, with the mining industry contributing more than 60% of its revenue. Echeverría Izquierdo also continued with various construction projects, such as the primary crusher at Quebrada Blanca phase 2 (QB2) project, minor scale projects for BHP and CMP, and the works in MAPA expansion project of Celulosa Arauco, the largest project in the history of the company. Furthermore, the company was awarded the construction contracts for two major concentrator plants in the last quarter, namely the Rajo Inca project in Salvador and the wet area and truck shop facilities at the Mantoverde project. All these enabled Echeverría Izquierdo to end the year with an historic backlog, solidifying its leading position in the mining construction and assembly services.
Can you describe Echeverría Izquierdo’s work on the primary crusher at QB2 and the concentrator plant at the Mantoverde project?
Echeverría Izquierdo has been building Teck´s QB2 project since 2019, which includes the primary crusher, two overland conveyors, a stockpile, the reclaim tunnels and a lime plant. This project has been a great success, especially due to the implementation of innovative solutions such as the post-tensioning technology. In 2022, the company started mobilizing the Mantoverde Development project, which includes the wet area and the EPC truck shop. Recently, the team finished the temporary facilities and hopes to start building soon. Echeverría Izquierdo is working in collaboration with Ausenco and Capstone, who recently merged with Mantos Copper, and has been contracted for the most critical part of the project, which is the ball mill and the concentrator plant. This is a crucial project for the company, and it is looking forward to safely delivering and advancing it throughout 2022 and beyond.
What type of work does Echeverría Izquierdo do for lithium projects?
For the past four years, Echeverría Izquierdo has been working with one of the world’s top lithium producers on different EPC and construction projects in Chile. The company’s work on these projects includes areas such as the pneumatic transport system, solvent extraction plant, thermal evaporation plant, and one step and boron removal plant. Echeverría Izquierdo works directly with the client to interconnect these plants. The lithium process is more similar to a chemical operation than a traditional copper plant mining process, and for this reason, the company has assembled a strong team of people with previous experience in refineries and pulp and paper plants, both sectors in which Echeverría Izquierdo has extensive experience.
What factors contributed to Echeverría Izquierdo’s recognition for workplace health and safety standards by the Chilean Chamber of Construction for six years running?
Safety is a core value for Echeverría Izquierdo, and the company is proud to be recognized on the honour roll by the Chilean Chamber of Construction for six years. This recognition is an important achievement, but not without its challenges, considering the company’s large workforce, the nature of its services, and the difficulties imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.