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anode furnace.jpg

Anode furnace

The anode furnace is a core equipment in copper pyrometallurgical refining. Through precisely controlled oxidation and reduction processes, it effectively removes sulfur, oxygen, and other harmful impurities from crude copper, producing high-quality anode plates with physical and chemical properties that meet electrolytic requirements. The anode furnace is indispensable in both copper ore extraction and scrap copper recycling plant. Metalcess is a professional Chinese manufacturer for Copper refining anode furnace. We especially service small and medium scale capacity clients. The anode furnace we supplied can be tailor-made to the impurity composition and processing capacity of crude copper. We offer a full range of services from process design, manufacturing, installation, commissioning to staff training.

General Introduction

Product: Anode furnace, fixed type anode furnace, titling anode furnace, copper refining reverberatory furnace         

Application: Copper fire-refining of Copper scrap recycling plant and Copper ore extraction plant.          

Feed material: Copper scrap, crude copper          

End product: anode copper (≥98.5% Cu)      

Capacity: 10-350ton

Copper recovery: 99.5%

The anode copper produced can be sold out directly or send to Copper electrolysis system to produce cathode copper (≥99.95 Cu)


Typical technological process of anode furnace
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Typical technological process of anode furnace

The operation of an anode furnace is a batch process: 

  1. Feeding: Molten crude copper (from the converter) and/or solid materials (such as anode slimes, scrap copper) are added to the furnace.

  2. Melting/Heating: The burners are started to melt the solid materials and heat the copper liquid to the operating temperature (approximately 1150-1200°C).

  3. Oxidation Stage: Air is blown into the copper liquid through the refining lance to oxidize impurities (especially sulfur). Sulfur forms SO₂ gas and is discharged, while metallic impurities oxidize to form a slag phase (oxidation slag). Oxidation slag needs to be removed in a timely manner during this stage.

  4. Reduction Stage: The gas in the refining lance is switched to a reducing gas (such as natural gas, LPG) and injected deep into the copper liquid. Hydrogen and active carbon produced by the gas cracking reduce cuprous oxide to metallic copper and deeply remove residual sulfur (forming H₂S or COS). The end point of reduction needs to be strictly controlled during this stage (usually determined by observing the surface state of the copper liquid "copper sample" or measuring oxygen content/conductivity).

  5. Casting: When the composition of the copper liquid is qualified (mainly low sulfur and low oxygen), the furnace is tilted, and the copper liquid flows through the casting port and the runner into the anode mold, where it cools and solidifies to form anode plates.

  6. Slag Removal/Preparation for the Next Batch: After casting is completed, the residual slag in the furnace is cleaned up, and preparations are made for the next batch operation.


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