Main copper and aluminum smelting areas, their economic regions and smelting centers

Content:

The Russian metallurgical complex is a vast industry that includes enterprises that smelt ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
The latter occupies a very important place in the economy of our country. Today we have several centers of non-ferrous metallurgy, which extract and enrich non-ferrous ores, rare and precious metals. Non-ferrous metallurgy deals with several types of metals - these are basic or so-called heavy. These include copper, light, small, alloying, noble, rare and scattered.

Let's take a closer look at copper production. Copper production centers are concentrated in different regions of our country. The location of such enterprises is determined by a number of factors, among which it should be noted:

• raw materials;
• energy and fuel factor;
• consumers.

Industrial giants of Siberia

The Krasnoyarsk Territory is an industrial leader in Siberia. This is due to the presence in this territory of large energy resources, significant reserves of metal ores and well-developed heavy industry.

One of the industrial giants of Siberia, the Russian mining and metallurgical industry is the world's largest producer of nickel, platinum and copper. The company also produces by-product metals such as silver, gold, cobalt, iridium, radium, tellurium, ruthenium, sulfur and selenium. In addition, the group's enterprises carry out activities such as prospecting, exploration, production, enrichment and processing of minerals. Among the activities are the production and sale of non-ferrous and precious metals.

Among the largest enterprises in Siberia are the Krasnoyarsk Metallurgical Plant and an aluminum smelter. The largest enterprise in the non-ferrous metallurgy industry is the Gulidov plant. Large enterprises in the industry include the Achinsk Alumina Refinery and the Gorevsky Mining and Processing Plant. Large machine-building enterprises, industrial enterprises of the pulp and paper industry, chemical and nuclear industries are also located on the territory of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

The Novosibirsk region is one of the most industrially developed in Siberia. Heavy industry enterprises located in Novosibirsk, Berdsk and Iskitim produce the bulk of industrial products. About 20% of Siberian engineering products are produced in the Novosibirsk region. Among the largest mechanical engineering enterprises are Sibelektroterm, JSC Stankosib, Novosibirsk Instrumental.

OJSC Novosibirsk Tin Plant is the only tin smelting plant in the country. The Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant specializes in the production of nuclear fuel.

Among the dozens of largest centers of the military-industrial complex of Russia in the Novosibirsk region there is the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Novosibirsk Aviation Production Association named after. Chkalov." The company produces fighter-bombers and aircraft for local airlines. Also among the largest enterprises of the military-industrial complex in the region are the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Siberian Research Institute of Aviation named after. S. A. Chaplygina", State Unitary Enterprise PO "Novosibirsk Instrument-Making Plant" and others.

Source

The main copper centers of Russia.

Copper ore in our country is mined in different regions. The richest ore deposits are located in Kazakhstan, although copper is also mined in other areas, for example, there are rich deposits in the Urals. It is worth noting that Russia today ranks first in the world in copper ore mining.

The main centers of copper production are located in the Urals. This region ranks first in copper production.

Copper plants are most often located near mines. The raw material factor is key due to the low content of concentrates in the raw materials. Today, copper producers widely use copper pyrites, mined in deposits located in different regions of the Urals, as raw materials. Therefore, copper production enterprises are also concentrated in this region, although they also use imported Kazakh ores in their activities. This industry also has its own raw material reserve in the form of cuprous sandstones, which are located in Eastern Siberia.

Chern copper in the Urals is produced by such enterprises as Sredneuralsky, Kirovograd, Krasnouralsky (“Svyatogor”), Mednogorsky and Karabash plants. The Verkhnepymensky and Kyshtymsky plants are engaged in refining copper.

In total, there are 11 copper enterprises in the Urals, which produce 43 percent of all copper in Russia.

Enterprises of the Urals are also characterized by waste disposal. Thus, factories in cities such as Revda, Kirovograd and Krasnouralsk use sulfur dioxide gases generated during production to produce sulfuric acid, which is subsequently used for the production of fertilizers.

Large centers of copper production are located not only in the Urals, but also in other regions of the country. The table shows where the raw material and industry centers are located.

Copper as an element

Copper is the twenty-ninth element of the periodic table, which can be found both in its native derivative and in the composition of natural minerals. These include copper pyrite or chalcopyrite, copper luster or chalcocite, and malachite.

This element appears in the form of metal, the shade of which is red. If you break the copper, you can see that the color inside is pink. It is very malleable and viscous. Due to its properties, copper is an excellent conductor of current and according to this criterion it is second only to silver, coming in second place.

Copper also conducts heat well. Such properties make the element indispensable for the electrical industry - it is used mainly in its pure form. More than fifty percent of all copper mined on the territory of the Russian Federation is consumed for the needs of this type of industry.

If we talk about the properties of copper as a chemical element of the periodic table, then it interacts little with other elements. If copper is exposed to open air, its surface becomes greenish, which is explained by the appearance of its basic carbonate, which creates a green film on the top layer of copper.

Copper salts are widely used in households. Since they are poisonous, they are used for pest control. They are also actively used as fertilizers and catalysts. Copper alloys such as brass, bronze and cupronickel are also used no less.

In the form of ore, copper, as a rule, is located in the “company” of several more, or one, metals. Very often this is gold, silver, as well as platinum, nickel or lead and bismuth. A large amount of copper is mined from a mineral such as bornite, the second name of which is mottled ore.

Sredneuralsky plant: characteristics.

As mentioned above, the Sredneuralsk Copper Plant (SUMZ) is one of the main copper smelting centers in our country. This plant is located in the city of Revda, in the Sverdlovsk region. SUMZ belongs to the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, and is also a member of the regional industrial chamber.

At SUMZ, copper is smelted from primary raw materials, which are taken from the Degtyarskoye deposit.

The Sredneuralsk Copper Smelter has a large copper smelting workshop, an enrichment plant, as well as xanthate and sulfuric acid workshops. The plant also has a number of auxiliary enterprises that serve the needs of the copper smelter.

SUMZ produces about one hundred tons of blister copper annually. Copper concentrates at this plant are processed by firing in fluidized bed furnaces, and the method of converting and reflective smelting of the cinder is also used.

The products of the Serdneuralsk plant are supplied to all large Russian enterprises operating in the metallurgical, mining and chemical industries and located in different regions of the country, as well as abroad.

Kirovograd copper smelting plant: characteristics.

Another large copper smelting enterprise in the Urals is the Kirovograd plant. It is engaged in the processing of copper and copper-zinc ores, as well as their mining.

The plant began its activities in 1957, it was created on the basis of a copper smelting plant and a number of other small enterprises. Today the plant is a member of Tyazhtsvetmet LLP.

The plant in Kirovograd operates in several directions - mining, processing, beneficiation of ores containing copper, smelting copper from raw materials, both primary and secondary. The plant also processes metallurgical dust, gold concentrates, scrap and waste that contains copper and other metals.

In 2008, the plant in Kirovograd produced almost seventy thousand tons of blister copper, which was sent to various enterprises in our country.

Sorsk copper-molybdenum deposit

This source is located at the intersection of two tectonic zones - northwestern and northeastern, near the Batenevsky Ridge. The main minerals that include copper and are mined here are molybdenite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite.

This deposit was formed due to the fact that high-temperature processes regularly occurred in this area. It is divided into several components - Western and Eastern, which in turn are separated from each other by a barren gap.

This field is also being developed by open-pit mining, and its parts - Eastern and Western - are developed to varying degrees. The second has been mastered almost twice as much as the first.

The ore here is enriched by several processes. This procedure occurs in several methods:

1. in cone-shaped crushers, minerals are crushed four times;
2. wet grinding using specially equipped mills, as well as classifiers made in a spiral shape;
3. flotation, divided into two stages - selective and collective;
4. finishing of copper and molybdenum concentrate;
5. dehydration;
6. drying;
7. blending.

The operation of the processing plant is dependent on recycled water supply.

Name the major copper production centers in Russia.

They are mainly located in the Urals. Chern copper in the Urals is produced by such enterprises as Sredneuralsky, Kirovograd, Krasnouralsky (“Svyatogor”), Mednogorsky and Karabash plants. The Verkhnepymensky and Kyshtymsky plants are engaged in refining copper. In total, there are 11 copper enterprises in the Urals, which produce 43 percent of all copper in Russia.

There is also the Norilsk copper deposit, a production complex for smelting copper from nickel ores in Monchegorsk, and the leader in copper reserves is Kazakhstan.

Sredneuralsky plant.

Sredneuralsky Copper Plant (SUMZ) is one of the main copper smelting centers in our country. This plant is located in the city of Revda, in the Sverdlovsk region. SUMZ belongs to the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, and is also a member of the regional industrial chamber.

At SUMZ, copper is smelted from primary raw materials, which are taken from the Degtyarskoye deposit.

The Sredneuralsk Copper Smelter has a large copper smelting workshop, an enrichment plant, as well as xanthate and sulfuric acid workshops. The plant also has a number of auxiliary enterprises that serve the needs of the copper smelter.

Structure of the Russian raw material base of copper

Unlike all countries in the world, forty percent of the Russian raw material base consists of copper-nickel sulfide deposits. And nineteen percent are pyrite deposits.

And this gives Russia an advantage over other countries, since their main reserves are located in porphyry copper deposits. The Krasnoyarsk ore region is rich in copper and nickel deposits. There are mainly sulfide deposits here.

The main part of all copper deposits in the Russian expanses is located in the Urals and in the Trans-Baikal Territory. In total, more than forty percent of the total volume of all copper owned by the country is mined there.

The Orenburg and Chelyabinsk regions have the greatest potential for increasing copper production. The Trans-Baikal region is rich in geological and industrial copper deposits in cuprous sandstones.

The Kemerovo region, Buryatia, Altai Territory and the North Caucasus are rich in copper pyrite ore deposits. At the moment, the main share of mined copper comes from the Udokan deposit. Currently it is the largest deposit in the Russian Federation.

Several new copper deposits have been discovered in the Far East and the Urals, which belong to the porphyritic copper type.

Main copper deposits

TOP 10 copper producing countries

The Russian metallurgical complex is a vast industry that includes enterprises that smelt ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The latter occupies a very important place in the economy of our country. Today we have several centers of non-ferrous metallurgy, which extract and enrich non-ferrous ores, rare and precious metals.

Wood slime can usually be found near copper mines and is protected from legislation as an ancient monument. Underground and surface mining methods were used to extract the ore. The main underground methods that were used were horizontal successive pieces or levels followed by roof falling as top cutting and basement trimming, or filling voids with stone filling or hydraulic filling as cut, fill and cross cut.

The main surface method was the closed bench method, primarily due to the topography of the mountainous areas. Initially the work was done by hand, but gradually the underground mines were partially mechanized by pneumatic and electric machines such as jackhammers, scrapers, forklifts and locomotives. Surface mining took place with wagons, bulldozers, loaders and tracks, which they gradually upgraded.

Non-ferrous metallurgy deals with several types of metals - these are basic or so-called heavy. These include copper, light, small, alloying, noble, rare and scattered.

Let's take a closer look at copper production. Copper production centers are concentrated in different regions of our country. The location of such enterprises is determined by a number of factors, among which it should be noted:

Today there are about 25 abandoned sulphide mines near Troodos Mountain. Some of the mines are partially restored for access purposes, preventing acid drainage and reducing visual impairment. Several copper mines have been restored or are under restoration by landowners to reuse their land.

It is very interesting to note that this intensive mining has not stopped Cyprus from becoming a significant tourist destination. In contrast, the proceeds from mines were used to develop tourism, and the mines became a source of inspiration for many people to develop new types of tourism, such as geoscience sites and museums or sites for heritage exhibitions. Mining areas can also be developed into tourist areas, such as excursion areas or country clubs and golf courses.

• raw materials;
• energy and fuel factor;
• consumers.

COPPER PRODUCTION METHODS

There are two known methods for extracting copper from ores and concentrates: hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical. The first of them has not found widespread use. It is used in the processing of low-grade oxidized and native ores. This method, unlike the pyrometallurgical method, does not allow the extraction of precious metals along with copper. The second method is suitable for processing all ores and is especially effective when the ores are subjected to beneficiation.

PYROMETALLURGICAL METHOD FOR COPPER PRODUCTION

The basis of the pyrometallurgical process is smelting, in which the molten mass is divided into two liquid layers: matte-alloy of sulfides and slag-alloy of oxides. The smelting process involves either copper ore or roasted copper ore concentrates. Roasting of concentrates is carried out in order to reduce the sulfur content to optimal values. Liquid matte is blown in converters with air to oxidize iron sulfide, convert iron into slag and separate blister copper. The blister copper is then subjected to refining – purification from impurities.

Copper ore beneficiation

Most copper ores are enriched by flotation. The result is a copper concentrate containing 8-35% Cu, 40-50% S, 30-35% Fe and waste rock, the main components of which are SiO2, Al2O3 and CaO. The concentrates are usually fired in an oxidizing environment to remove about 50% of the sulfur and produce a fired concentrate with the sulfur content necessary to produce a sufficiently rich matte when smelted. Firing ensures good mixing of all components of the charge and heating it to 550-600 ºС and, ultimately, reducing fuel consumption in a reverberatory furnace by half. However, when remelting the fired charge, copper loss in the slag and dust entrainment increase slightly. Therefore, usually rich copper concentrates (25-35% Cu) are smelted without firing, and poor copper concentrates (8-25% Cu) are fired. Multi-hearth furnaces with mechanical overheating are used for firing concentrates. Such furnaces operate continuously.

Copper matte smelting

Copper matte, consisting mainly of copper and iron sulfides (Cu2S+FeS=80-90%) and other sulfides, as well as oxides of iron, silicon, aluminum and calcium, is smelted in various types of furnaces. It is advisable to enrich complex ores containing gold, silver, selenium and tellurium so that not only copper, but also these metals are converted into concentrate. The concentrate is melted into matte in reverberatory or electric furnaces. It is advisable to process sulphurous, pure copper ores in shaft furnaces. When the sulfur content in ores is high, it is advisable to use the so-called copper-sulfur smelting process in a shaft furnace with gas capture and extraction of elemental sulfur from them. Copper ore, limestone, coke and recycled products are loaded into the furnace. Loading is carried out in separate portions of raw materials and coke. A reducing environment is created in the upper horizons of the mine, and an oxidizing environment is created in the lower part of the furnace. The lower layers of the charge melt, and it gradually falls down towards the flow of hot gases. The temperature at the tuyeres reaches 1500 ºС; at the top of the furnace it is approximately 450 ºС. Such a high temperature of the exhaust gases is necessary in order to ensure the possibility of cleaning from dust before the condensation of sulfur vapor begins. In the lower part of the furnace, mainly at the tuyeres, the following main processes take place: a) Combustion of coke carbon C + O2 = CO2 b) Combustion of sulfur in the form of iron sulfide 2FeS + 3O2 = 2FeO + 2SO2 c) Formation of iron silicate 2 FeO + SiO2 = (FeO)2 × SiO2 Gases containing CO2, SO2, excess oxygen and nitrogen flow upward through the charge column. Along this gas path, heat exchange occurs between the charge and them, as well as the interaction of CO2 with the carbon of the charge. At high temperatures, CO2 and SO2 are reduced by coke carbon and thus form carbon monoxide, carbon disulfide and carbon sulfur monoxide (COS): CO2 + C = 2CO 2SO2 + 5C = 4CO+ CS2 SO2 + 2C = COS+ CO In the upper horizons of the furnace, pyrite decomposes according to the reaction : FeS2 = Fe + S2 At a temperature of about 1000 0, the most fusible eutectics of FeS and Cu2S melt, resulting in the formation of a porous mass. In the pores of this mass, the molten flow of sulfides meets the ascending flow of hot gases and at the same time chemical reactions occur, the most important of which are listed below: a) the formation of copper sulfide from copper oxide 2Cu2O + 2FeS + SiO2 = (FeO)2 × SiO2 + 2Cu2S; b) formation of silicates from iron oxides 3Fe2O3+ FeS + 3.5SiO2 = 3.5(2FeO × SiO2) + SO2; 3Fe3O4+ FeS + 5SiO2 = 5(2FeO × SiO2) + SO2; c) decomposition of CaCO3 and formation of lime silicate CaCO3 + SiO2= CaO × SiO2 + CO2; d) reduction of sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur SO2 + C = CO2+ ½ S2 As a result of smelting, matte containing 8-15% copper (Cu), slag consisting mainly of iron and lime silicates, top gas containing sulfur and its compounds ( S2, COS, H2S), and carbon dioxide (CO2). Dust is first deposited from the gas, then sulfur is extracted from it (up to 80% S). To increase the copper content of the matte, it is subjected to contractile smelting. Melting is carried out in the same shaft furnaces. The matte is loaded in pieces of 30-100 mm in size along with quartz flux, limestone and coke. Coke consumption is 7-8% of the charge weight. As a result, copper-enriched matte (25-40% Cu) and slag (0.4-0.8% Cu) are obtained. Melting point for remelting concentrates, as already mentioned, reverberatory and electric furnaces are used. Sometimes kilns are located directly above the platform of reverberatory kilns so as not to cool the calcined concentrates and use their heat. As the furnace charge heats up, the following reduction reactions of copper oxide and higher iron oxides occur: 6CuO + FeS = 3Cu2O+ SO2 + FeO; FeS + 3Fe3O4+ 5SiO2 = 5(2FeO × SiO2) + SO2 As a result of the reaction of the resulting copper oxide Cu2Oс FeS, Cu2S is obtained: Cu2O + FeS = Cu2S+ FeO Copper and iron sulfides, fusing with each other, form the primary matte, and molten iron silicates, flowing down the slope surfaces, dissolve other oxides and form slag. Noble metals (gold and silver) dissolve poorly in slag and almost completely turn into matte. Reflective smelting matte consists of 80-90% (by weight) of copper and iron sulfides. Matte contains, %: 15-55 copper; 15-50 iron; 20-30 sulfur; 0.5-1.5 SiO2; 0.5-3.0 Al2O3; 0.5-2.0(CaO + MgO); about 2% Zn and small amounts of gold and silver. The slag consists mainly of SiO2, FeO, CaO, Al2O3 and contains 0.1-0.5% copper. The extraction of copper and precious metals into matte reaches 96-99%.

Copper matte conversion

The Russian engineer G. S. Semennikov invented a converter for producing copper in 1866. He proposed using a Bessemer-type converter for blowing matte. Blowing the matte with air from below ensured the production of only semi-sulfur copper (about 79% copper) - the so-called white matte. Further blowing led to solidification of the copper. In 1880, a Russian engineer proposed a converter for blowing matte with side blowing, which made it possible to obtain blister copper in converters. The converter is made 6-10 meters long, with an outer diameter of 3-4 meters. The productivity per operation is 80-100 tons. The converter is lined with magnesite bricks. The molten matte is poured and the products are drained through the neck of the converter, located in the middle part of its body. Gases are removed through the same neck. Lances for air injection are located along the generatrix surface of the converter. The number of tuyeres is usually 46-52, and the tuyere diameter is 50mm. Air flow reaches 800 m2/min. Matte is poured into the converter and quartz flux containing 70-80% SiO2 and usually a certain amount of gold is fed. It is fed during melting using pneumatic loading through a round hole in the end wall of the converters, or it is loaded through the neck of the converter. The conversion process is carried out in a cyclic mode at a temperature of 1250-1350 °C and consists of two periods. In the first period, iron and associated sulfur are removed. The first period (oxidation of iron sulfide to produce white matte) lasts from 6 to 24 hours depending on the copper content in the matte. Loading of quartz flux begins from the beginning of purging. As slag accumulates, it is partially removed and a new portion of the original matte is poured into the converter, maintaining a certain level of matte in the converter. In the first period, the following sulfide oxidation reactions occur: 2FeS + 3O2 = 2FeO + 2SO2 + 930360 J 2Cu2S + 3O2 = 2Cu2O + 2SO2 + 765600 J While FeS exists, cuprous oxide is unstable and turns into sulfide: Cu2O + FeS = Cu2S+ FeO Iron oxide is slaged by quartz flux added to the converter: 2FeO + SiO2 = (FeO) × SiO2 If there is a lack of SiO2, ferrous oxide is oxidized by magnetite: 6FeO + O2 = 2Fe3O4, which turns into slag. As a result of these exothermic reactions, the temperature of the matte being poured increases from 1100–1200 to 1250–1350 0C. A higher temperature is undesirable, and therefore, when blowing through poor mattes containing a lot of FeS, coolants are added - solid matte, copper splashes, crusts from ladles, copper concentrates. As a result, mainly the so-called white matte, consisting of copper sulfides, remains in the converter, and the slag is drained during the smelting process. It consists mainly of various oxides of iron (magnetite, ferric oxide) and silica, as well as small quantities of alumina, calcium oxide and magnesium oxide. In this case, as follows from the above, the content of magnetite in the slag is determined by the content of silica. 1.8-3.0% copper remains in the slag. To extract it, the slag in liquid form is sent to a reverberatory furnace or to the hearth of a shaft furnace. In the second period, called the reaction period, which lasts 2-3 hours, blister copper is formed from white matte. During this period, copper sulfide is oxidized and copper is released by the exchange reaction: 2Cu2S + 3O2 = 2Cu2O + 2SO2 Cu2S + 2Cu2O = 6Cu + O2 Thus, as a result of blowing, blister copper is obtained containing 98.4-99.4% copper, 0 .01-0.04% iron, 0.02-0.1% sulfur, and a small amount of nickel, tin, arsenic, silver, gold and converter slag containing 22-30% SiO2, 47-70% FeO, about 3 % Al2O3 and 1.5-2.5% copper.

The main copper centers of Russia.

Copper ore in our country is mined in different regions. The richest ore deposits are located in Kazakhstan, although copper is also mined in other areas, for example, there are rich deposits in the Urals. It is worth noting that Russia today ranks first in the world in copper ore mining.

Copper deposit Treasure in Luzhatia

Geologists have known about two million tons of copper in the soil near Cottbus for decades. Now metal must be extracted from thousands of tunnels. The treasure map has been around for a long time. However, no one tried to lift the treasure at the bottom. It is hidden deep in the earth. There is no copper mined in Germany yet. Now the treasure must be removed. Three were used to raise the Lugat copper. The two defeated applicants have until May to sue for the decision. However, since they have already failed twice with controversy, their chances are slim. Eight million tons of rocks are mined annually in Lužatia.

The main centers of copper production are located in the Urals. This region ranks first in copper production.

Copper plants are most often located near mines. The raw material factor is key due to the low content of concentrates in the raw materials. Today, copper producers widely use copper pyrites, mined in deposits located in different regions of the Urals, as raw materials. Therefore, copper production enterprises are also concentrated in this region, although they also use imported Kazakh ores in their activities. This industry also has its own raw material reserve in the form of cuprous sandstones, which are located in Eastern Siberia.

Problems of development of the copper industry and solutions

There is one key problem, and it equally concerns any of the dozen countries and any country where mining is carried out: the depletion of the raw material base.

Ore reserves are declining, consumption is growing - for copper industry enterprises this creates not just problems, but a direct existential threat. Not to mention the growing import dependence of local industry on foreign supplies at prices higher than those of domestic producers.

Only the development and development of new deposits and the construction of high-tech enrichment enterprises can solve the problem.

What are the Russian copper kings doing? At the end of 2017, Rossiyskaya Gazeta informs the reader in one of its issues:

“In Russia, four large copper deposits are being prepared for development. They have a lot in common: they are geologically and technologically complex, designed for thirty or more years of operation, and each is closely monitored by both regional and federal authorities.”

Mining Projects

• Bystrinsky GOK (Norilsk Nickel).
  The project in the Trans-Baikal Territory with an annual productivity of 10 million tons of ore per year is closest to launch. It is designed for 34 years.

  
  Rice. 7. The Verkhne-Ildikansky quarry on the territory of the Bystrinsky GOK Source: website visualrian.ru

• Tominsky GOK.
  RMK plans to increase the productivity of the Kombinatovsky mine from 14 to 28 million tons. It is planned to increase reserves at two fields, Tominskoye and Kalinovskoye, from 434 to 600 million tons. All ore will be processed at the beneficiation plant.

  The company plans to begin production in 2018, and by 2022 the enterprise should reach full capacity.

• Udokan project.
  RMK plans to participate in it, about which negotiations are ongoing with Metaloinvest. The deposit's resources are estimated at 26.7 million tons of copper. Moreover, Udokan ore contains almost a billion ounces of associated silver.

  It is estimated that production volume over 40 years should be 14.9 million tons of 45 percent concentrate.

• Baimskaya Square and Peschanka.
  At the end of 2016, Norilsk Nickel allocated funds to develop a feasibility study and design documentation for infrastructure facilities.

  It is expected that the volume of copper concentrate production will be about 500 thousand tons.

If projects are completed on time and prices do not fall too low, their owners will be able to profit from good market conditions (“RG”).

In the meantime, companies are forced to assume all risks.

World copper market

Therefore, copper production enterprises are also concentrated in this region, although they also use imported Kazakh ores in their activities.

This industry also has its own raw material reserve in the form of cuprous sandstones, which are located in Eastern Siberia.

Chern copper in the Urals is produced by such enterprises as Sredneuralsky, Kirovograd, Krasnouralsky (“Svyatogor”), Mednogorsky and Karabash plants. The Verkhnepymensky and Kyshtymsky plants are engaged in refining copper.

In total, there are 11 copper enterprises in the Urals, which produce 43 percent of all copper in Russia.

Enterprises of the Urals are also characterized by waste disposal. Thus, factories in cities such as Revda, Kirovograd and Krasnouralsk use sulfur dioxide gases generated during production to produce sulfuric acid, which is subsequently used for the production of fertilizers.

Large centers of copper production are located not only in the Urals, but also in other regions of the country. The table shows where the raw material and industry centers are located.

The largest copper mining enterprise in Russia

Recently, the largest copper mining enterprise in Russia was launched in the Chelyabinsk region - the Mikheevsky Mining and Processing Plant. It is the largest mining project developed in the state since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The Mikheevskoye deposit was included in the list of the fifty largest copper deposits in the world. Its main feature is the low metal content in the mined ore, but its significant reserves. It is planned to extract more than eighteen tons of ore from this deposit annually, and over time to increase the extracted volumes several times.

A huge amount of money was invested in this project, amounting to twenty-five billion rubles. The opening of this enterprise contributed to the creation of seven hundred new jobs. The personnel of the Mikheevsky Mining and Processing Plant includes metallurgists-concentrators, as well as miners. Residents of nearby areas work here. In total, the company's staff numbers about one thousand people.

The management plans to equip the enterprise with a 100% water circulation system, which will be closed. The equipment located at the enterprise and all its systems will be equipped with the latest technology. Dust collection and dust suppression systems will be installed here, which will facilitate the most difficult work of the Mikheevsky GOK employees.

Sredneuralsky plant: characteristics.

As mentioned above, the Sredneuralsk Copper Plant (SUMZ) is one of the main copper smelting centers in our country. This plant is located in the city of Revda, in the Sverdlovsk region. SUMZ belongs to the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, and is also a member of the regional industrial chamber.

Copper deposits and mining

But before you start mining, the substrate will need to be examined more closely. With further drilling and sound waves, the best production sites should be explored by next year. According to von der Linden, 700 million euros will be invested in the construction of the mine. The operating company hopes to promote copper worth at least €300 million per year for 20 years. Shiny metal plates emerge from the black rubble. The copper sheets from the dining table, each weighing more than 100 kilograms, are eventually sold to industry. It is much more common in jewelry making than copper. Often you think about magnetic bracelets made of copper, which are supposed to have a healing effect. However, many people know that copper is also used as a material.

At SUMZ, copper is smelted from primary raw materials, which are taken from the Degtyarskoye deposit.

The Sredneuralsk Copper Smelter has a large copper smelting workshop, an enrichment plant, as well as xanthate and sulfuric acid workshops. The plant also has a number of auxiliary enterprises that serve the needs of the copper smelter.

How is the copper ore mining process carried out?

Depending on the depth at which the copper ore deposits are located, the mining process can be carried out in different ways: underground and open.

Copper alloys in various mining locations

Underground involves the construction of mines that go deep underground, and their length sometimes reaches several kilometers. The mines are equipped with elevator cages that deliver workers and equipment underground, and also serve as a lifting mechanism for the mined ore to the surface.

Under the ground, the rock is destroyed by special drilling mechanisms, which are equipped with large cone-shaped spikes; they cut into the soil, destroying it. Then, with the help of buckets, the rock is collected and loaded onto vehicles.

To ensure safe operation underground, intermediate stations are created for miners, and above-ground structures are created - towers that ensure the operation of elevators. After the rock is delivered to the surface, it is sent to processing and processing plants.

Location of copper mines in the world

The open-pit mining method is used when deposits are located deep, up to 400 - 500 meters. First, the top layer of waste rock is removed, then the copper ore is excavated. This is a fairly hard layer and explosive devices are used to facilitate the process.

Drilling rigs place explosives at a certain depth; after the explosion, the destroyed rock is loaded using excavators onto dump trucks and removed from the quarry. Not far from the quarry there is an ore processing station, which is delivered here by dump trucks. Further processing of the rock is carried out in a standard manner, which is also used for ore mined underground.

[edit] Production

: Copper production in Russia

There are only four notable producers of refined copper in Russia - Norilsk Nickel, Uralelectromed (part of the UMMC holding), Kyshtym Copper Electrolyte Plant and Novgorod Metallurgical Plant (owned by the Russian Copper Company). Norilsk Nickel is the leader in terms of copper production, producing a total of almost 50% of this metal in our country. The growth of this production in 2005 was (according to the company) 1.1% compared to 2004. The volume of copper production in 2005 at MMC Norilsk Nickel almost coincides with 2003 and is inferior to 2002.[1]

The largest copper producers in Russia (according to 2005 data):[2]

• Norilsk Nickel - 452 thousand tons
• Uralelectromed - 353 thousand tons
• Kyshtym Copper Electrolyte Plant - 82.6 thousand tons

In total, 861 thousand tons of copper were produced in Russia in 2002, in 2003 - 855 thousand tons, in 2004 - 909 thousand tons, in 2005 - 929 thousand tons.[3]

Fundamental Analysis of Copper

COPPER.

Copper is one of the metals that is traded on financial markets. Copper is widely used in production and is used in the following areas (the share of copper currently allocated to these areas is indicated in brackets): 1. Construction (43%). 2. Electric power (20%). 3. Transport (20%). 4. Basic consumer goods (10%). 5. Production equipment (7%).

To fairly assess the cost of copper, it is necessary to consider factors affecting supply and demand, mining and consumption.

PRODUCTION.

Copper production and its global reserves for 2022 according to the United States Geological Survey are as follows:

According to these data, global copper reserves will last for 42.89 years with demand at 2022 levels. The estimated amount of unmined copper on Earth is estimated at around 3 billion tons.

CONSUMPTION.

The main consumer of copper at the moment is China, which consumes about half of all copper produced. Interesting dynamics are observed in the field of transport. If before 2019, about 13% of all mined copper was spent on transport, then in 2019 this number was already 20% and will continue to grow, which is associated with an increase in the production of passenger electric vehicles, which require more copper than conventional cars and, according to estimates a number of experts from the International Copper Association, this could increase copper consumption in the transport sector to 8 million tons per year by 2030 (from 4 million tons per year in 2022). Electric vehicles, power generation and construction will increase demand for copper by 415,000 tons annually.

HISTORICAL PRICES.

Average copper prices and production volumes for the previous five years are shown in the following table:

CONSEQUENCES OF LOCKDOWN.

The lockdown led to a decrease in copper production by large producers and a reduction in investment in new projects. According to Refinitiv data, copper production over the next five years will average 2.2% of earlier forecasts, resulting in an overall decline in supply of 3 million tonnes of copper over that time period, for an average of 23 million tonnes per year.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO COPPER DEFICIENCY?

It should be noted that back in 2022, the issue of copper deficiency became acute. According to the statements of the General Director of the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company Evgeny Bragin, in 2020-2024 there will be an increase in copper consumption by 415,000 tons annually; construction, electric power and the automotive industry (electric vehicles) will stimulate the growth of copper consumption. And given that there are still plenty of copper reserves in the world, investments in geological exploration become unjustified, expensive and risky, with the return on risk at copper prices above $10,000 per ton. And in existing deposits, ore depletion is observed. According to the company’s fears, a copper shortage may begin to be felt as early as 2022, and given the lockdown and a decrease in copper production, this date is postponed to 2023-2024.

COPPER RECYCLING.

Recycling of copper. The cost of producing one ton of refined copper from scrap and waste is on average 35% lower than the cost of its production from ore raw materials. In the United States, copper recycled from waste accounts for about 12% of that mined from ore. In Europe this share reaches 50%. In global production this share is 29%. Taking into account the fact that copper can be recycled with very minor losses in its properties, there is wide scope for the development of the processing sector.

WEAKENING DOLLAR.

During 2022, the US dollar is undergoing a significant weakening and is expected to weaken significantly when the QE program is wound down, and sooner or later it will be wound down, it’s only a matter of time. This factor will play in favor of an increase in the price of copper, especially given the fact that in conditions of economic instability, investors seek to place their funds in those assets that will be least susceptible to depreciation. Precious metals are too expensive for these purposes and do not play as significant a role in production as copper, making it one of the most reliable defensive assets.

RUSSIAN COPPER PRODUCERS.

In a small digression, I would like to point out the main copper producers in Russia, there are three of them: 1. Norilsk Nickel (ticket on the Moscow Exchange:
GMKN ).
2. Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (the company is not currently listed on the stock exchange, its subsidiaries were previously available). 3. Russian copper company (the company is not currently listed on the stock exchange). Norilsk Nickel produces about 42% of total production in Russia, UMMC - about 40%, RMK - about 18%. Together, these three companies smelt about 1 million tons annually, of which up to 800 thousand tons are exported. So if you invest not in copper itself, but in a mining company, then among Russian assets only Norilsk Nickel is available, whose performance indicators are slightly beyond the scope of this analysis. CONCLUSIONS BASED ON THE ABOVE DATA.

Based on historical data, we can say with a high degree of confidence that the minimum copper price level is now $6,000 per ton, which is the average copper price over the previous five years, taking into account inflation and excluding increased demand for it and the current weakening of the dollar. Given the increase in demand and the high cost of geological exploration, it is safe to say that $10,000 per tonne is the long-term growth target for copper over the next five years. Once this goal is achieved, copper recycling will become highly profitable, and the development of new deposits will be more interesting from an investment point of view, which will restrain further growth in the cost of copper.

Persons interested in investing in copper can consider for this purpose the settlement futures contracts of the “Co” series (from the word “Copper” - “Copper”), traded on the Moscow Exchange.

All of the above is not an investment recommendation.

Kirovograd copper smelting plant: characteristics.

Another large copper smelting enterprise in the Urals is the Kirovograd plant. It is engaged in the processing of copper and copper-zinc ores, as well as their mining.

The plant began its activities in 1957, it was created on the basis of a copper smelting plant and a number of other small enterprises. Today the plant is a member of Tyazhtsvetmet LLP.

During the Bronze Age, after the Copper Age, copper was used primarily for alloys, especially with other metals such as tin and lead. These alloys were more stable and harder than metals alone. The most famous alloy is copper and tin brass with a golden yellow color. Copper has excellent fusible properties and is therefore particularly suitable for the manufacture of alloys of all types. In addition, once melted, it combines well with other molten metals, which can further enhance the quality of the alloy.

Where did copper get its name?

In ancient times, especially in Cyprus, copper was mined and then associated as a type of ore.