Environmentally safe copper-smelting complex

Within the limits of implementation of strategic aims of Russkaya Mednaya Kompaniya are upgrading of the production process and raising environmental responsibility in the regions where the Company has operations.: at Karabashmed ZAO works a new complex on utilization of copper works waste was put into operation. The plant’s specialists employed cutting edge technologies for gas utilization aimed at reducing copper works impact on the environment and enabling waste-fee production.

Metallurgical gas purification and utilization system of the copper works at Karabashmed is unparalleled in Russia. Within one complex the most up-to-date blister copper production technologies complying with strict environmental and performance requirements. Ausmelt copper-smelting furnace and a modern gas purification and utilization shop enabled a substantial of sulfur anhydride and heavy metal and other harmful substances emissions in the atmospheric air.

Launching of oxygen plant of Linde AG (Germany) in May 2001 was the first move to that. Construction and commissioning of Linde oxygen plant enabled implementation of autogenic processes and considerably reduce gas emissions and enhance efficiency of sulfur dioxide utilization. Usage of oxygen fostered autogenic process and stop using obsolete metallurgical equipment from the past century (mining and reverberatory furnace).

The second step is launching several objects for gas scrubbing from solid particles (dust) with the help of Boliden Contech (Sweden) installation. The installation for gas scrubbing from hard particles Boliden Contech purifies metallurgic gas from hard particles and metal fumes that enables to cut down the number of emissions in the atmosphere. Purification of metallurgical gas with the help of this installation helps totally utilize the gas.  

The third step was commissioning of an installation for conversion of wet sulfur-bearing gas WSA Haldor Topsoe (Denmark) with production of sulfuric acid. Metallurgical gas utilization complex is unparalleled in Russia. The installation for conversion of wet sulfur-bearing gas WSA Haldor Topsoe enables processing of metallurgical production gas with a considerable span of fluctuations in sulfur dioxide content and getting a conditioned market produce - sulfuric acid. The use of the installation helps to avoid an extra step – gas drying, thus reducing energy consumption of the environmental installation.
Sulfur dioxide utilization of trapped metallurgical gas is almost fully prevents its discharge in the environment.

Within the limits of the following step of the work’s restructuring a modern copper-smelting complex Ausmelt (Australia) was constructed. It includes high efficiency autogenic metallurgical furnace. When it was put into operation other high-furnace were closed and reassembled as obsolete.

A copper-smelting furnace constructed in 2006 in compliance with Ausmelt Ltd (Austria) technology meets recent environmental requirements.
Autogenic processes that are run in this metallurgic installation enable a substantial decrease of waste gas along with enhancing the quality of purification and further utilization.
Reducing the size of autogenic installations results in their maximum sealing and mechanization without turning down the installation capacity. 

Karabashmed ZAO is now a modern enterprise that complies with norms and regulations of environmentally friendly business and gradually increasing its productivity. Reconstruction and upgrade of production facilities continues at the enterprise. In the near future it is planned to build the second shop for metallurgical gas purification and utilization with the purpose of enhancing copper-smelting furnace capacity as well as construction of modern Kumera converters and designing of anode repartition within the limits of the production complex.

Applied at the following enterprises: