A cost perspective for long distance ore pipeline water and energy utilization. Part I: Optimal base values

For high enough throughputs, the low water cost regime disappears, and is replaced by constant, minimal optimal flow rate and solids concentrations, related to the maximum possible pipeline utilization constraint. Present results show that an equivalent pipeline oversizing at constant throughput would allow, in addition to the computed optimal conditions, for operation at lower specific energy consumption scenarios. Results, compared with some typical copper concentrate pipeline operational conditions, show that optimal values in the sense of the present hydraulic-cost analysis tend to require higher concentrations and lower pipeline utilization fractions than in typical systems, with differences in costs ranging from 16% to 28%.