Smelting
The first step in Cumerio's copper transformation process is the flash furnace smelting, a pyrometallurgic process whereby concentrates are combusted into molten matte, molten slag and SO2-bearing offgas.
The slag contains a lot of impurities and is sent to a copper-recovery flotation process. The SO2 is captured as sulphuric acid. The blister copper undergoes a last fire refining operation before it is cast into anodes.