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Environmental awards

Today, sustainability is self-evidential for metals producers. Outotec is committed to developing technologies that help its customers to reduce the impact of their production on the environment.

The common denominator in all Outotec's technologies is their ability to save energy, natural resources or capital investment, frequently all three at the same time. The environmental solutions are integrated in Outotec’s processes rather than being add-on features.

Outotec has many pioneering technologies that help cut down water, energy and raw material consumption and reduce the amounts of emissions and waste.

Outotec's renowned clean technologies are:

                                 
  • Flash Smelting - Flash Converting technology for sulfidic copper ores; the cleanest copper smelting technology in the world; ASM Historical Landmark award in 2001 Read more

                                           
  • Hydrometallurgical copper process for Cobre Las Cruces ore; enables exploitation of the Cobre Las Cruces deposit in Spain with low investment and operating costs and environmentally sustainably; Quality Innovation of the Year 2007 Read more

  • Ferrochrome process; energy-efficient closed process; Cleantech Finland 2008 award Read more

New clean innovations in sulfuric acid plant and off-gas technology:
  • Direct conversion of  strong SO2 gas; Outotec's new LUREC™ technology allows a direct conversion of strong SO2 gases without dilution with air. The operating window of SO2 concentration is well above 14%, optimally 20 to 25%. Read more

Many of Outotec's main processes for non-ferrous metals have become industry benchmarks and have been rated by European Union as BAT, the best existing, economically viable techniques with regard to the environment. BAT-rated technologies have certain distinguishing characteristics: their environmental influence is small and raw materials are utilized efficiently also in terms of energy. Consequently, Outotec’s process principles comply with EU directives on pollution prevention. Read about examples of Outotec's BAT references here.

Environmental performance of Outotec's processes