February 26, 2024
Geologists search for indicators of mineral deposits, paving the way for mining under favorable geological, economic, environmental, and legal conditions. The amount of copper content increases in each phase of refinement. Primary copper production involves extracting copper-bearing ores through surface, underground, or leaching methods, with open-pit mining being the most common. After extraction, ores are crushed, ground, and concentrated, resulting in copper concentrates containing approximately 30% copper. The subsequent smelting processes yields a “matte” with 50-70% copper. It is further refined to blister copper and, ultimately, to refined copper cathodes through electro-refining or hydrometallurgical routes.
Source: International Copper Study Group