Handbook of Recycling

Chapter 7

Copper Recycling

Caisa Samuelsson,  and Bo Björkman     MiMeR - Minerals and Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden

Abstract

This chapter gives a brief overview of copper recycling from a metallurgist's view. As it is deemed impossible to give an in-depth presentation of such a broad and complex subject, a selection of references is given for further reading.

Secondary sources of copper include a large variety of raw materials, ranging from slags, sludge and low-grade copper scrap, containing only a few percent Cu up to very high-grade copper as well as pure copper close to 100% Cu. Thus there are several options for recycling processes, within both primary and secondary plants. Although there are ...