• Furnace reached design capacity in a record 2 months from start-up
• Also since installing ISASMELT™, the smelter’s environmental performance has improved dramatically, whilst operating costs have been significantly reduced.

Yunnan Copper Corporation (YCC), a company based in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, commissioned their copper ISASMELT™ plant in May 2002. YCC were extremely impressed with the advantages offered by the ISASMELT™ technology, including its low energy consumption, small physical footprint, its ease of operation and the improvements it would make to environmental performance for the plant.

The ISASMELT™ furnace can treat up to 800,000 tpa of copper concentrate. The furnace produces a copper matte with a copper content of 60%. Process air is enriched to 50% oxygen content. The ISASMELT™ furnace installation has significantly improved the environmental performance of the smelter and has resulted in a significant reduction in operating costs.

Xstrata Technology provided a training program over a seven month period covering all aspects of ISASMELT™ operation and maintenance. Experienced operations personnel from Mount Isa and Brisbane assisted with commissioning of the smelter. The furnace was able to reach design capacity within two months of start-up. The first refractory campaign lasted for 29 months while the second was 34 months in duration. This consistent success is a testiment to the effective transfer of operating know-how and experience from Mount Isa to YCC personnel during the training program and plant commissioning. It demonstrates the value of using a comprehensive training program that is only possible at an operating smelter environment.