Thanks to its unique metallurgical flowsheet, Umicore Precious Metals Refining processes a broad range of complex precious metals, lead, copper and nickel bearing materials from a variety of worldwide sources.
Umicore Precious Metals Refining is one of the world's major processors of by-products from the non-ferrous industry. Among others, these industrial by-products include: dross, PM-containing slag, matte, flue dust, hydrometallurgical residue, filter cake, tankhouse slimes and copper cement.
Umicore Precious Metals Refining has the capability to comply with new sources of precious metals bearing materials. We process by-products from:
Lead industry
Among the many products originating from lead industry, Umicore Precious Metals Refining processes:
- PbCu-dross
- PbCu-mattes
- speiss (a complex combination of any of the elements Pb, Cu, Ni, As, Sb and Sn)
- precious metals containing doré slags
- flue dusts
- residues with typical metal value
In primary lead industry the impurities contained in the concentrates typically report to various intermediate streams.
Umicore provides a service of impurity management for many lead smelters in the world.
By treating several of the intermediates generated by the lead smelter, Umicore can render value to these intermediates for the smelter and in the same time service the impurity management of the smelter.
In secondary lead smelting the number of intermediates is less significant. Umicore can act for secondary smelter as an outlet for their copper in the form of dross or matte.