Raw materials become products

About two-thirds of Aurubis' copper production is based on the treatment of copper concentrates (primary raw materials) supplied by copper mines. Concentrates consist of copper, iron and sulfur in equal parts. About one-third of copper production is achieved by processing recycling materials, such as copper scrap and copper alloy scrap, copper-bearing residues from foundries and semi-finished product fabricators, shredder materials and galvanic slimes, slags, ashes and filter dusts.

While we only use secondary raw materials at our site in Lünen, concentrates and recycling materials are mixed in the Hamburg primary smelting processes. Copper scrap is also processed in Olen (Belgium) and Pirdop (Bulgaria). In addition, we extract various by-products apart from high-purity cathode copper, such as iron silicate stone, premium sulfuric acid and other high-value products based on tin, lead, zinc, nickel and selenium. The production of various silver and gold products is of major importance.

Most of the copper cathodes produced in the Aurubis Group are processed into a variety of copper products. The use of our own cathode copper ensures that our products have a consistent high quality.