Extractive Metallurgy of Copper

Extractive Metallurgy of Copper, Sixth Edition, expands on previous editions, including sections on orogenesis and copper mineralogy and new processes for efficiently recovering copper from ever-declining Cu-grade mineral deposits. The book evaluates processes for maintaining concentrate Cu grades from lower grade ores. Sections cover the recovery of critical byproducts (e.g., cesium), worker health and safety, automation as a safety tool, and the geopolitical forces that have moved copper metal production to Asia (especially China) and new smelting and refining processes. Indigenous Asian smelting processes are evaluated, along with energy and water requirements, environmental performance, copper electrorefining processes, and sulfur dioxide capture processes (e.g., WSA).

The book puts special emphasis on the benefits of recycling copper scrap in terms of energy and water requirements. Comparisons of ore-to-product and scrap-to-product carbon emissions are also made to illustrate the concepts included.

Mark E. Schlesinger is a graduate of the University of Missouri–Rolla and the University of Arizona. He has spent a combined 31 years of teaching at The University of Utah and the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He is an author of: • Mass and Energy Balances in Materials Engineering • Extractive Metallurgy of Copper (4th and 5th English–language editions; Chinese edition) • Aluminum Recycling (two English language editions)Professor Schlesinger is a member of the (U.S.) Metals, Minerals, and Materials Society; the American Institute for Steel Technology; and the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration. He is a former Fulbright Scholar (Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden), 2002), and Leif Eriksson Fellow (Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 2012–13). He was named a Fellow of ASM International (2018).

Kathryn C. Sole has 30 years’ global experience in the chemistry and process engineering of hydrometallurgical extractive processes, with specialist expertise in solvent extraction, ion exchange, and electrowinning. She is currently an independent consultant, with clients spanning six continents. Kathy has worked with copper production operations in Africa, USA, and South America, including those of Anglo American, Eurasian Resource Group, Glencore, Vedanta, First Quantum, and BHP. Kathy holds an adjunct appointment at the University of Pretoria and regularly presents accredited Continuing Professional Development training courses, many of which focus on hydrometallurgy of copper. She has authored/coauthored over 90 publications, including Extractive Metallurgy of Copper (5th ed.), and is a member of the Editorial Boards of the journals Minerals Processing & Extractive Metallurgy Review and Solvent Extraction & Ion Exchange. She founded and chairs the Copper Cobalt Africa conference series. Kathy obtained her PhD in metallurgical engineering from the University of Arizona, USA, following BSc(Hons) and MSc degrees in chemistry from Rhodes University, South Africa. She has been awarded the Silver Medal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Bronze Medal of the South African Association for the Advancement of Science, and received the Milton E. Wadsworth Award of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration in 2019.

Professor William George Davenport is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and the Royal School of Mines, London. Prior to his academic career he worked with the Linde Division of Union Carbide in Tonawanda, New York. He spent a combined 43 years of teaching at McGill University and the University of Arizona.

His Union Carbide days are recounted in the book Iron Blast Furnace, Analysis, Control and Optimization (English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Spanish editions).

During the early years of his academic career he spent his summers working in many of Noranda Mines Company’s metallurgical plants, which led quickly to the book Extractive Metallurgy of Copper. This book has gone into five English language editions (with several printings) and Chinese, Farsi and Spanish language editions.

He also had the good fortune to work in Phelps Dodge’s Playas flash smelter soon after coming to the University of Arizona. This experience contributed to the book Flash Smelting, with two English language editions and a Russian language edition and eventually to the book Sulfuric Acid Manufacture (2006), 2nd edition 2013.

In 2013 co-authored Extractive Metallurgy of Nickel, Cobalt and Platinum Group Metals, which took him to all the continents except Antarctica.

He and four co-authors are just finishing up the book Rare Earths: Science, Technology, Production and Use, which has taken him around the United States, Canada and France, visiting rare earth mines, smelters, manufacturing plants, laboratories and recycling facilities.

Professor Davenport’s teaching has centered on ferrous and non-ferrous extractive metallurgy. He has visited (and continues to visit) about 10 metallurgical plants per year around the world to determine the relationships between theory and industrial practice. He has also taught plant design and economics throughout his career and has found this aspect of his work particularly rewarding. The delight of his life at the university has, however, always been academic advising of students on a one-on-one basis.

Professor Davenport is a Fellow (and life member) of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum and a twenty-five year member of the (U.S.) Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration. He is recipient of the CIM Alcan Award, the TMS Extractive Metallurgy Lecture Award, the AusIMM Sir George Fisher Award, the AIME Mineral Industry Education Award, the American Mining Hall of Fame Medal of Merit and the SME Milton E. Wadsworth award. In September 2014 he will be honored by the Conference of Metallurgists’ Bill Davenport Honorary Symposium in Vancouver, British Columbia (his home town).

Chemical Engineer, doctor engineering degree in Materials Science and Processing, with over 25 years of experience in non-ferrous metallurgy, with focus in extractive metallurgy of copper, lead, zinc, and nickel and multi metal recovery. Dr. Alvear initiated his carrier in the academic field in Chile. In 1990 he was awarded by the Japanese government with the Monbusho Ministry of Education scholarship to continue his education as graduate student at Nagoya University, receiving his Doctor degree in Materials Science and Engineering in 1995. In 1995 he joined for one year as Post-Doctoral Fellow, NGK Metals in Japan. After returning to Chile to work for Enami’s Las Ventanas smelter in 1996, he joined the Research Centre for Advanced Waste and Emission Management, in Japan, to work as assistant professor, with special focus in pyrometallurgical processing of copper containing materials. In 1999, he joined Codelco’s Institute for Innovation in Mining and Metallurgy, where he worked as senior researcher, project manager and finally as technology program leader to develop technical solutions to Codelco’s copper smelters. In 2005, he joined Xstrata technology (now, Glencore Technology) working in several roles until 2016, supporting the development and implementation of ISASMELT technology. In 2016, he joined Aurubis as Executive Director Research, Development and Innovation supporting development of Aurubis’s multi-metal strategy. Since 2021, Dr. Alvear Flores has joined Rio Tinto Copper as Technical Marketing Manager. Dr. Alvear Flores is an active member of professional societies in Canada, and USA and member of the Copper Conference International Organizing Board. Dr. Alvear Flores has been selected by TMS as Co-Chairman of Copper 2025.