Innovations in copper processing

Flash Smelting Process, invented nearly 60 years ago, has been nominated as the 'Metallurgical innovation of the 20th century' and awarded the ASM Historical Landmark status. It adds value by a high unit capacity, excellent emission control and cost reduction.

Flash Converting is a major innovation in the 1990s based on Outotec's Flash Smelting knowledge and implementing the SMOC idea invented by Kennecott in the 1980s. Flash Converting offers continuous smelting and converting with an efficient use of oxygen, minimum sulfur dioxide emissions and low operating cost. Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation uses Flash Converting at its Utah smelter and the second Flash Converting plant is under construction in China for Yanggu Xiangguang Copper Company. 

Our Direct Blister Flash Smelting is the only proven direct blister copper technology, which offers simplified operation and excellent environmental performance. The Glogow smelter in Poland and WMC Olympic Dam smelter use this technology.

Sulfuric Acid Plant is the most common way to recover sulfur from smelter gases. Outotec's modern acid plant technology, originally developed by Lurgi Metallurgie and acquired by Outotec (formerly Outokumpu Technology) in 2001, can take high sulfur dioxide concentration gas and provides high sulfur recovery which meets the environmental standards. 

Copper tankhouse with Outotec design, equipment, and permanent cathodes made of special stainless steel is a highly automated plant with reduced labor cost, increased unit capacity and yet high cathode quality.

Solvent Extraction Process with Outotec's Vertical Smooth Flow (VSF™) system, SPIROK™ mixer and Dispersion Overflow Pump (DOP™) has proved its reliability, economy and applicability for big flow rates. For example, Codelco's Radomiro Tomic plant uses Outotec's Solvent Extraction technology.

For secondary copper smelting Outotec has developed a new Minimill concept, which offers an intergrated, compact smelting and refining with low investment and operation cost. The Minimill can be located close to raw material sources. The first plant is operational in Novgorod. 

Outotec has developed a new HydroCopper® process for the treatment of chalcopyrite concentrates. It provides a unique and effective means of producing high-quality copper products directly from copper concentrate at the mine site. The demonstration plant is operating in Pori, Finland, and the first phase engineering is going on for Erdenet Mining Corporation, Mongolia.