Copper Overview: From the Ore to the Applications – A Case Study of the Application of Concentrated Solar Energy to the Treatment of Copper Metallurgy Slags

Abstract

Copper is a metal that is widely used in different applications mainly due to its thermal and electrical conductivities, together with its corrosion resistance, particularly when it is alloyed. This chapter intends to be a summary of the copper metallurgy: from the historical aspects and mineral deposits or statistics to the different technologies used to produce metallic copper together with the distinct applications (of copper and copper alloys). Environmental issues are deeply rooted in industrial policies to improve the recovery of the metal as well as to minimize the residues generated in the process, which are a problem from the environmental point of view but also from the economic standpoint. Therefore, this document concludes with a research work carried out with the aim of treating copper slags with concentrated solar energy to recover valuable elements from these slags, as iron and copper. Results from this investigation suggest that solar energy could have an enormous potential in the copper metallurgy.