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by John Jickling, CEO
Decisions made at the design and supply stage of a project can have far-reaching consequences down the line. When it comes to cathode design, edge strips are a small but critical consideration that’s often overlooked upfront – but ends up having a major impact on safety, cost, productivity, and the environment.
Cathodes have an edge strip on each side to stop copper and other base metals from plating around the edges. When functioning properly, this allows the metal to be easily removed and processed. But not all edge strips are created equally, with performance varying greatly depending on the design, materials, and supplier.
Lifecycle comparison
Repairing 500,000+ cathodes a year gives us tremendous insight into which edge strips are winners and which ones aren’t. Low-cost edge strips on the market can seem like an attractive option, but they are often inadequately constructed, resulting in high failure rates and short life spans.
If you’re lucky, you might get 12 to 18 months out of them, but the long-term price will be much steeper than you bargained for. Now compare that to the type of edge strip we prefer to use, which easily outperforms the rest and consistently lasts 6+ years.
The hidden costs of “low-cost” edge strips
Poorly performing edge strips unnecessarily increase safety risk, waste, repairs, cost, and damage to the environment.
Examples of low-quality failed edge strips at our Tecnologias COBRA facility in Chile. Note the wrapped copper.
Increased tankhouse safety risks
Edge strips can be brittle and snap when they fail, making them difficult to remove. And edge strips that fail more frequently create higher safety risks, including:
Operational disruption and cost
Environmental impact
While we can and do install edge strips from all the major suppliers, our inside knowledge from decades of cathode repairs has repeatedly shown us which are the best and worst performers.
Our first choice for safety, performance, and the environment
Based on the results we’ve seen time and again, we recommend our clients go with Rochling edge strips – which deliver higher returns than anything else on the market. Unlike lower quality options, the material is produced by compression molding rather than extruded plate. A special sintering process is applied to limit material tension and enhance stability. Ultimately, they provide a tight tolerance, are highly durable, and are chemically resistant.
We’ve used this option with Glencore and Montanwerke Brixlegg with exceptional results, and are currently working with a number of Aurubis’ clients to make the switch.
Prevention is always better than the cure
What might seem like a minor decision can have a major impact on your people, profit, and the planet. It only makes sense to buy the product that lasts the longest and boosts productivity, while decreasing unnecessary waste, safety risks, and labour costs.
Learn more about our mining and mineral processing solutions.
"They were able to customize their package to give us the true value engineering that we needed. This deviated from the more typical engineering firms that asked us to check a bunch of boxes. EPCM listened to us better."
South American, SX – EW, Tank House Manager
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