Review of copper pyrometallurgical practice today and tomorrow.pdf

Minerals Engineering 16 (2003) 893–919 This article is also available online at: /locate/mineng Review of copper pyrometallurgical practice: today and tomorrow R.R. Moskalyk a,1, A.M. Alfantazi b,* a Consulting Engineer, Nordic Metallurgical Consultants Inc., Sudbury, Ont. Canada b Department of Metals Materials Engineering, University of British Columbia, 309-6350 Stores Road, UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4 Received 3 June 2003; accepted 4 August 2003 Abstract The pyrometallurgical processing of copper varies worldwide with respect to the charge materials, process, operating parameters, and the physical shape, size, and orientation of the vessel. Plant operations may be either batch, semi-continuous, or fully con- tinuous to produce blister copper or other end product. The paper provides a compendium of hot metal practice for the multi-billion dollar global copper industry. The specialized sector, involving smelting and converting of copper-bearing materials, addresses commercially proven systems and alternative technologies. Five producers, namely, Chile 21.7%, China 11.4%, USA 10.7%, Japan 10.2%, and Russia 6.1%, accounted for the majority of primary refined copper in 2002. The writers reviewed the operations of 220 copper smelters worldwide which is in sharp contrast to nickel smelters which presently number about 50. A comparison of flash converting practices for Ausmelt, Inco, Kennecott, and Mitsubishi is included after summarizing known hot metal s