The flash furnace and circular pyrometallurgy: Mineralogical challenges and sustainability in global copper production
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3989/revmetalm.e290.1748Keywords:
Circular economy, Copper, Flash furnace, Pyrometallurgy, SustainabilityAbstract
Contemporary pyrometallurgy faces the pressing challenge of supplying critical metals for the energy transition. Within this context, the flash smelting furnace, conceived in Finland in 1949, has emerged as a paradigmatic process due to its exothermic nature and its capacity to transform pollutants into valuable resources. Responsible for nearly 50% of global copper production, the furnace operates by injecting dry concentrates with oxygen, achieving temperatures above 1200 °C and enabling the capture of sulfur dioxide for conversion into sulfuric acid, a highvalue industrial by-product. Yet, the circularity of the process is conditioned by mineralogical constraints and the origin of concentrates: Chile contends with arsenic volatilization in enargite, Spain with variability in imported feedstocks, Finland with the adaptation to Cu–Ni mixtures, while China and Japan grapple with large-scale operations and penalties for impurities. This critical literature review integrates technical foundations, comparative international cases, and digital innovation strategies for emissions control and impurity management. The findings underscore that the flash furnace is not merely a metallurgical device but exemplifies industrial resilience and circularity, advancing pyrometallurgy toward an ethical, efficient, and sustainable future.
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