Pyrometallurgical operations that are common to conventional and unconvensional copper smelters. The roasted product, calcine, serves as a dried and heated charge for the smelting furnace. The final product from the converter aisle is a matte. Pdf copper matte converting is the key step to ensure high primary copper recovery. Melting and refining technology for copper produced from scrap charge our copper refining technology allows the use of higherimpurity charge materials, and still produce premium quality refined copper. As was the case for mim, other copper smelters seeking process. Pdf matte converting in copper smelting researchgate. Copper mineral deposits are found only in special geological condiliorns and hence their geographical distribution tends to be concentrated. Debottlenecking of conventional copper smelters ieom society. Copper smelting means that the concentrated ore is heated strongly with silicon dioxide silica, calcium carbonate caco 3 and air in a furnace.
Melting and refining technology for copper produced from scrap charge air products and chemicals, inc. Smelting uses heat and a chemical reducing agent to decompose the ore, driving off other elements as gases or slag and leaving the metal base behind. The smelting furnace will generate process gas streams with so2 concentrations ranging 0. Magnetic concentration plant mortimer union chromite recovery plant pgm concentrated residues tailings purchased concentrate concentrate furnace matte smelting ore anglo converting process at rustenburg. Feed preparation and smelting in tsl furnace slagmatte treatment in the rectangular electric furnace copper matte converting in the psconverters blister copper fire refining in the anode furnaces anodes casting on the wheel machine. The considered smelting process includes a continuously functioning flash smelting furnace fsf and several piercesmith converters operated in batches.
Sulfidic copper ores are too dilute for direct smelting. The evolution of early copper smelting technology in australia. Dec 20, 20 investment costs for copper smelter projects have risen substantially in recent years, and there are a number of factors which must be taken into account when considering a new smelting facility or modernizing an existing operation. Casting of alloyed or refined copper products is the final step used by the secondary copper industry in the recovery of copper from scrap material.
Extraction of copper mining, concentration, smelting. The pure metal has a facecentred cubic crystal structure, and. Extraction of copper by smelting process following steps are involved in the extraction of copper. Extraction of copper from sulphide ore large amount of copper are obtained from copper pyrite cufes2 by smelting. This flowchart made of machinery icons explains or expresses in simple but clear terms the step of the copper mining and copper extraction process starting from either openpit or underground mining and using a different relevant treatment. Introduction sulphide copper accounts for almost 80 percent of world mine production and more than 23 of chilean production and its expected to grow its share over the time. Additionally, todays mining equipment makes it possible to reduce waste and decrease chemical exposure during all phases of the copper mining process. Nickel and copper are the most prevalent base metals chromite used to derive chrome is another significant byproduct. In the smelting process, either hot calcine from the roaster or raw unroasted concentrate is melted with siliceous flux in a smelting furnace to produce copper matte. In some applications, copper produced by this method may compete with copper that underwent electrolytic refining. The term copper smelting may refer to this melting step in particular or it may refer somewhat less formally to the entire process overall. Copper smelting plants separate elemental copper from copper concentrates through multiple sulphide oxidizing stages. When a vein of which is found, it is acquired with the greatest labour by digging and breaking. Copper is found in natural ore deposits around the world.
This page explains the production route taken from extraction of orecontaining rock to a final product that is the highestpurity commercial metal in existence and used in a wide variety of. This company actually sells its concentrate from the sulphide ore to different copper smelting companies around the world. Copper processing, the extraction of copper from its ores and the preparation of copper metal or chemical compounds for use in various products. Copper smelting process furnaces used, byproducts, and process used to smelt copper. Criteria for process selection, the impact of oxygen. Ores containing 4% or more copper are treated by smelting process. Mining to smelting goldcopper concentrates in detail introduction rocks are mined and then trucked to the process plant acacia operates three gold mines in tanzania.
Adding silica also reduces the melting point or, more properly, the liquidus temperature of the slag, meaning that the smelting process can be operated at a lower temperature. An introduction to outotec flash smelting with flexibility, low energy consumption, high sulfur capture, and excellent economy of scale, outotec flash smelting technology is the worlds leading method for copper and nickel smelting. Flue gas discharged from the furnace is treated to produce sulfuric acid. Copperspecific flow diagram of the smelting process. Air quality pollutants of concern and their regulation uncontrolled copper smelting processes emit large quantities of particulate matter, trace elements, and sulfur oxides, which can have adverse effects on human health. The first record of a reverberatory furnace is made by jars, who states that copper smelting was effected in reverberatory furnaces at middletontyas, in yorkshire, england. Primary copper smelter and refinery as a recycling plant. George summary investment costs for copper smelter projects have tlsen substantially in recent years, and there are a number of factors which must be taken into account when considering a new smelting facility or modernizing an existing operation. Pdf recycling of tellurium via copper smelting processes. The process is based on our flash smelting principle, which utilizes the internal energy of the feed material for smelting, minimizing the need for external fuel and making the process very energy efficient. Ore concentration is roasted to reduce impurities, including sulfur, antimony, arsenic, and lead. More than half of the worlds primary copper and nickel is produced using outotecs proprietary process. The early development of the reverberatory furnace for smelting copper ores was the work of the welsh smelters, particularly those of swansea.
The reduction smelting process involves the reduction of oxidic sources of metals with carbon in the presence of a. The most common types of ore, copper oxide and copper sulfide, undergo two different processes, hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy, respectively, due. The outotec flash smelting process is one of the worlds most commonly used processes for the production of primary copper and nickel. Chapter 8 environmental aspects of copper production. Smelting is a process of applying heat to ore in order to extract a base metal. Melting and refining technology for copper produced from. Process gas streams containing sulfur dioxide are processed to produce sulfuric acid, liquid sulfur dioxide, or sulfur. It is used to extract many metals from their ores, including silver, iron, copper, and other base metals. This study reports three series of copperslag distribution experiments for ga, ge and in in simulated secondary copper smelting and refining process conditions t 0 c, po2 10. Figure 1, most of which follows the process of figure 2. In steelmaking, this process, now largely obsolete, is called the openhearth.
Several different processes can be used for copper production. In its pure form or as an alloy, copper cu is one of the most important metals in society. Overview of a typical beneficiation process at a concentrator. This is another article in my series on the smelting of metals, this one focusing on the smelting of copper. Investment costs for copper smelter projects have risen substantially in recent years, and there are a number of factors which must be taken into account when considering a new smelting facility or modernizing an existing operation. Sulphide copper accounts for almost 80 percent of world mine production and more than 23 of chilean production and its expected to grow its share over the time. The first record of a reverberatory furnace is made by jars, who states that coppersmelting was effected in reverberatory furnaces at middletontyas, in yorkshire, england. Copper matte converting is the key step to ensure high primary copper recovery in the smelting chain. Bulyanhulu gold mine, buzwagi gold mine and north mara gold mine. Arsenic content rangesfrom 10% to 15% in white ash, other including lead, copper and zinc. The smelting process typically produces less than three tons of solid waste per ton of copper produced. A typical pyrometallurgical copper smelting process, as illustrated in figure 12. We shall begin by looking at the mining and processing of the copper bearing ore, followed by an examination of an established and a modern copper smelting process.
Andritz maerz offers converter, melting and refining furnaces for primary and secondary copper production, as well as for the processing copper industry. Manufacturing technology by willie scott mechanical engineering. Early smelting technology charcoal ore flux \ m the egyptian copper smelting furnace was filled with a mixture of copper ore, charcoal and iron ore to act as a flux. Smelting ore anglo converting process at rustenburg our configuration differs from our competitors we have a broad footprint across all 3. The smelting furnace will generate process gas streams with so. In a small outback smelter, that was usually the end of the. Very poor ores are treated by hydrometallurgical process. Overview of pgm processing anglo american platinum. Mitsubishi materials has sought to optimize the smelting of this valuable resource for many years. White ash is one of the major byproduct during copper smelting. This is accomplished through a series of several processing steps. The smelting process typically produces less than 3 tons of solid waste per ton of copper produced. It was blown for several hours by foot or hand bellows. Mined from open pits, copper ore must be crushed as part of the process that occurs between extraction and production.
Copper processing is a complicated process that begins with mining of the ore less than 1% copper and ends with sheets of 99. Environmental guidelines for nickel smelting and refining. Pollution prevention and control process gas streams containing so2 are processed to produce sulfuric acid, liquid sulfur dioxide, or sulfur. There are two ways of smelting copper, one is pyrometallurgy, the other hydrometallurgical. Automating scheduling provides advisory information to operators. Extracting copper from copperironsulfide ores melting and casting cathode copper recycle of copper and copperalloy scrap suggested reading references 2 production and use 2. A copper smelting process is disclosed in which copper concentrate is smelted in a furnace to produce purified copper. Electric smelting requires a roasting step ahead of the smelter to reduce sulfur content and volatiles. Sulfur dioxide so 2, and the sulfates and sulfuric acid aerosols it forms.
It is a fossil fuel fired hearth furnace for smelting concentrate and producing copper matte. Apr 02, 2020 copper smelting is the process of separating copper metal from the rock in which it is naturally embedded by melting it. Smelting facilities are external to cerro bonito operations. Furthermore, waste liquid discharged during the production of sulfuric acid is treated to produce gypsum, and the gypsum thus produced is recycled to the furnace as a flux. Flows of selected materials associated with world copper smelting. The traditional process is based on roasting, smelting in reverbatory fur naces or electric furnaces. A step ahead of the rest copper has been recognized as a valuable resource since ancient times. Chile maintains around 9 percent of global smelting production. Smelting arise as a strategic process for copper producer countries. Copper smelting process furnaces used, byproducts, and. Converting is often a major bottleneck in conventional copper smelters. Mim soon found it to be a suitable smelting technology for copper smelting 1,2 as well.
Smelting smelting is a process of melting and separation of the charge into two or more immiscible liquid layers,which may be slag, matte, speiss or metal. The furnace matte is then transferred to the converter aisle to further reduce the iron content and concentrate the pay metal content. Flash smelting is the most common process but electric smelting is used for more complex raw materials when increased flexibility is needed. Commercial engineering and construction took place in 2001 and successful commissioning in 2002. Typical element content from a chinese copper smelter. Copper smelting is the process of separating copper metal from the rock in which it is naturally embedded by melting it. Reverberatory furnace, in copper, tin, and nickel production, a furnace used for smelting or refining in which the fuel is not in direct contact with the ore but heats it by a flame blown over it from another chamber. The smelting furnaces continually produces molten matte 50 75% cu.
This flowchart made of machinery icons explains or expresses in simple but clear terms the step of the copper mining and copper extraction process starting from either openpit or underground mining and using a different relevant treatment method for oxide or sulphide copper mineral ore. Aug 27, 2018 copper matte converting is the key step to ensure high primary copper recovery in the smelting chain. Of an ideal smelter aerial view of naoshima smelter and refinery the mitsubishi process. The evolution of early copper smelting technology in australia 3 after the smelting process proper, the copper did not emerge as metal, but as a hard black mixture of copper, copper sulphide and ferrous silicate, containing about 40 to 60 per cent metal and known as matte. Hughes outotec abstract the platinum group metals pgms, i.
Copper sulfide and iron oxide can mix, but when sufficient silica is added, a separate slag layer is formed. The reverberatory furnace dominated copper matte smelting for much of the 1900s, because it was an excellent process for smelting fine concentrate from flotation. Maerz is a specialist for industrial furnace plants and one of the leading suppliers of engineering, knowhow, and process technology to the steel and copper industry. Smelting is a metallurgy technique to extract base metals from their ores with the help of heat and a chemical reducing agent. The smelting of copper the first written account of the processes of smelting and refining of copper is to be found in the 12th century. Then, after being smelted, refined copper and copper products are yielded. Copper that is mined from copper ore, after beneficiation, becomes high quality copper concentrate.