For Immediate Release

October 25, 2005

MCG Exceeding Expectations in Chile Project

Manitowoc Crane Group products are being used in the construction of a new processing plant for state-owned mining producer, Codelco (Corporación National del Cobre de Chile).

Manitowoc Crane Group products are helping build a new processing plant at one of the driest places on Earth, the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. Engineering specialist, Sigdo Koppers has been employed by main contractor BARA to build the new facility for state-owned mining producer, Codelco (Corporación National del Cobre de Chile).

At work at the Chuquicamata Mine, 2 870 m (9,416 ft) above sea level, are a variety of Manitowoc Crane Group products, including: Grove rough-terrain models 58D; 530E; 530DXL; 760E; 855B; 875 and 9100, plus two GMK4090 all terrains; two Manitowoc Model 4100W crawlers; and two Potain tower cranes, an MC 85B and a GTA 82.

Some of Sigdo Koppers’ favorite machines have been its Potain MC 85B tower crane and Grove GMK4090-1 model (known as the GMK4075-1 in Europe). The MC 85B, has been essential in helping erect a steel conical-shaped structure that will be used to stockpile ore. This crane boasts a 1.3 t (1.4 USt) capacity at a maximum radius of 50 m (164 ft), and a maximum capacity of 3.9 t (4.3 USt) at a 20 m (65.6 ft) radius. It can also be rapidly erected and dismantled, is economical to transport, and easily adaptable to meet specific job site needs.

The Grove GMK4090-1 model, rigged with offset lattice jibs, also received special praise from Sigdo Koppers. The engineering contractor stated how the crane’s 80 t (90 USt) capacity, 43.2 m (142 ft) boom length and advanced electronic in-cab lifting data allowed it to perform perfectly when picking and placing steel.

“We especially liked the information in the cab that’s available to the operator,” says Jose Luis Chapa, equipment manager on site. “It made the whole lifting process so fluid.” He added: “This crane’s combination of boom, coupled with a jib that can reach up to 27 m (88.6 ft), played a critical role in helping erect steel. We’re on schedule because of those two cranes.”

The new crushing and screening plant being erected by Sigdo Koppers will be used to process huge piles of by-product that has accumulated over the past 80 years. It is now known that those piles once regarded as waste actually contain valuable copper and molybdenum deposits. Modern processes make it possible to extract those ores, creating the need for a new processing plant.

Sigdo Koppers started this project in January 2005 and expects it to be complete before the end of 2005. It has already installed a 3 km (1.8 mile) conveyor belt with a 200 t (220 USt) capacity Manitowoc 4100W crawler crane, which transports the raw copper to another plant for further processing. One especially interesting lift involved three mobile cranes picking and placing 70 t (77 USt) of steel at a 6 m (19.7 ft) radius.

Excellent progress has been made to date because the lifting technology chosen is able to operate in an extreme environment. The contractor also stays on top of manufacturer recommended maintenance schedules by servicing each crane at 200 hours instead of 250 hours, in order to further reduce downtime.

Sigdo Koppers is so pleased with the overall performance of these cranes that it has ordered a further five Grove RTs to work a pulp and paper contract in southern Chile. The order comprises two RT 870Es, two RT 530Es, and one RT 760E. The cranes are scheduled to be on site in coming months.