With the gradual decrease in the grade of copper ores being processed, copper concentrates have become more complex with higher impurity and gangue content. This trend has had a detrimental effect on smelters as they have to increase throughput to maintain copper metal production, while increasing operating costs due to processing the increased amounts of secondary products (slag, acid) and stabilizing waste streams. An integrated processing approach to achieve sustainable and competitive multi-metal recovery is required with mine to market considerations. This approach must incorporate mine to market considerations allowing the required flexibility to meet mine and smelter interests.
Smelter ecosystems are the hearth of circular economy solutions to maximise metal recoveries and minimize industrial wastes.

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