The production unit of the Heps system is currently solidifying Ni/Cu matte at the Votorantim Metals, Mineracao Serra da Fortaleza Ni smelter and it is the first of 4 planned units. The smelter is located approximately 450 kilometers from Sao Paulo, S.P. and approximately 370 kilometers from Belo Horizonte, M.G.,in Brazil.

The operators of the electric furnace operation report the following results during the first months of using the HEPS granulation system:

• Propane gas previously used for heating the ladles for transferring electric furnace matte is now zero.
• Revert generation from the granulation of electric furnace matte is now zero. The equipment and related costs for size reduction of the previously generated reverts are zero.
• Refractory maintenance for the same ladles is now zero.
• Electric furnace power consumption is reduced dramatically since the previously generated high iron matte reverts are eliminated.
• The sulphatization of electric furnace mattes which has always been problematic is no longer being performed.
• The use of the overhead crane is reduced by half since the electric furnace supplies about half or more of the matte produced in the plant.
• Previous multiple daily matte tappings are now reduced to opening once a day then granulating for 2 - 2.5 hours before stopping the matte tap hole.