CONTIMELT: First Progress Report

Summary

This article discusses recent experience with CONTIMELT®, a new two-stage process for melting and refining copper, developed by Norddeutsche Affinerie in cooperation with Metallurgie Hoboken-Overpelt, that was featured in the January 1984 issue of Journal of Metals (Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 62–66).

The anode shaft furnace, the first stage of CONTIMELT®, has been in operation at Norddeutsche Affinerie since September 1979. The second stage, the continuous poling furnace, began operation in April 1982.

This discussion focuses on saving primary energy through the use of oxygen-assisted burner technology in the anode shaft and optimizing poling furnace operation. The CONTIMELT® plant is capable of replacing 3–4 conventional reverberatory furnaces.