Continuous production of copper from concentrates

Abstract

THIS paper presents the basic techniques and research results on pyro-metallurgical continuous production of copper from sulphide concentrates. Production of copper from sulphide flotation concentrates accounts for about 75° % of the total production of the metal. The standard techniques adopted for this purpose had attained a good measure of engineering proficiency but attempts were made to develop better methods and in the 1950's new techniques for concentration smelting of copper mattes were established, such as the cyclone smelting process developed in the USSR and investigated at the Metal Research Institute at Panenske Brezany in Czechoslovakia , and two interesting techniques for autogenous matte smelting : the INCO and OUTO KUMPU process which treats copper concentrates in converters ( Hitachi techniques) and the continuous conversion of mattes into white mattes in a system developed by Prof. Diomidovsky.