Copper
With widespread applications in modern society, the demand for copper will continue to increase. From copper concentrate production and smelting to casting, drawing, forging, rolling and extrusion, we have the expertise to help you define and develop new production facilities and get the best possible performance from your existing assets.
From electrical cables, high speed data transmission lines, plumbing, air conditioning and refrigeration tubing to decorative architectural components, the applications and end-uses for copper are many. However, the challenge for copper producers is the cost-efficient and sustainable production of high purity copper from the low-grade ores that are commercially exploited today. Once high purity copper cathode is produced from the ore through a number of processes, the copper cathode is used in the manufacture of products such as bar, rod, wire, cables, seamless tube and sheet and coil or can be re-melted and alloyed to produce articles of brass, bronze and other alloys.
In addition to primary copper production, an increasing proportion of demand for copper is met by recycling. Recycled copper requires significantly less energy than primary copper production from ore and is an important consideration in increasing the sustainability of copper production.
FEC can provide in-depth technical and operational expertise across copper production processes including:
- Concentrate production
- Primary and secondary copper smelting
- Fire refining
- Electrolytic refining and copper cathode production
- Semi-continuous and continuous casting
- Extrusion
- Seamless tube production
- Wire drawing
- Hot rolling
- Cold rolling
- Copper recycling
Using our breadth of expertise from copper plant operations around the world, FEC can provide:
- Operational audits and performance reviews to benchmark your operations against industry best practice and advice on practices which can help you improve yield, quality, productivity and reduce operating costs
- Metallurgical and operational advice to help you meet the necessary quality standards and accreditations to reach new customers and markets
- Market studies to help you diversify your product range and identify the highest margin products you can produce with minimal or no additional investment using your existing assets
- Technical and operational expertise for process selection and determining the most suitable process configuration for your new production facilities
- Advice on new investments you are considering including developing business cases, preparing feasibility studies, estimating capital and operating costs for your new investment and preparing financial models to assess the projected economic viability of your planned investments
- Technical specifications for any new investments or upgrades you are considering and full support through tender management and procurement
- Project management services for implementing your chosen projects.