ABSTRACT
Raw copper is mainly of three types: those are "Blister" copper produced from sulfide ores by matte formation and conversion; "Black" copper produced from oxide ores by reduction with carbon and "Cement" copper precipitated from leach solutions by scrap iron. Cement copper is usually added during one of the smelting operations, example conversion, and recovered with the blister copper. Refining blister copper is usually achieved in three steps: preliminary refining, electrolytic refining, and final refining. The cathodes obtained from the electrolytic refining step are remelted in an electric furnace known as cathode furnace and are cast into wire bars or other commercial shapes. During this melting step, further refining is carried out in a manner almost identical to the fire refining. Fire refining process is done in a reverberatory furnace known as anode furnace because copper from this furnace is usually cast into anodes for further refining.
