EQS-News: Investing in sustainability: Aurubis optimizes slag processing at Bulgarian site

Investing in sustainability: Aurubis optimizes slag processing at Bulgarian site

• Strategic project for more ecological processing of slag from the flash smelter
• COO Custom Smelting & Products Dr. Heiko Arnold: “This investment highlights Aurubis’ dedication to mitigating climate change and protecting the environment”
• Improving metal yield: New process lowers Aurubis Bulgaria’s copper losses in slag by around 500 t per year

Pirdop and Zlatitsa / Bulgaria, November 29, 2023 – Aurubis AG, a leading global provider of non-ferrous metals and one of the largest copper recyclers worldwide, is investing around € 46 million in improving slag processing at its site in Bulgaria. Full commissioning is planned for 2026, and the multimetal supplier anticipates an additional contribution to earnings in the mid-single-digit million euro range from increased metal yield starting in fiscal year 2026/27.

First and foremost though, the project represents an important contribution to environmental conservation: In the future, cooling of slags will no longer take place in pits, but in over 200 slag pots instead. The current cooling process is an approved method in the industry. With the new slag processing approach, Aurubis is again going above and beyond current ecological standards. 

“By optimizing slag processing, we are considerably reducing the fugitive emissions generated by the previous method. This investment represents a key contribution to achieving our ambitious sustainability targets. At the same time, it highlights our dedication to continuously improving our approach to mitigating climate change and protecting the environment,” Aurubis COO Custom Smelting & Products Dr. Heiko Arnold said.

The new process is also a step forward in occupational safety. In addition to benefiting the environment, the new method also improves metal yield by reducing copper loss in the slag.

“This slag processing technique enables us to recover an even higher proportion of copper from the slag and keep it in the production loop,” CEO and Vice President of Aurubis Bulgaria Tim Kurth said. “Once fully online, we’ll be able to recover roughly 500 t more copper a year – generating value from the raw materials responsibly and with even more resource efficiency.”

The environmental project in Bulgaria is aligned with Aurubis’ strategic sustainability targets to consistently minimize the impact of production on the environment and the climate. Ongoing investment is essential here. Since 2000, the company has invested more than € 830 million in preserving the environment, such as with the RDE (Reducing Diffuse Emissions) project at the Hamburg site. By 2030, Aurubis aims to reduce specific dust emissions by an additional 15 % Group-wide compared to 2018.

This unwavering focus on sustainability is also paying off for the climate: Aurubis produces a number of metals with less than half the average CO₂ emissions of its global competitors. The carbon footprint for the main product, copper cathodes, has decreased by 36 % since 2013. The figures for tin are even better, where Aurubis is 76 % below the global average. The company is targeting carbon-neutral production well before 2050.

Aurubis - Metals for Progress

Aurubis AG is a leading global provider of non-ferrous metals and one of the largest copper recyclers worldwide. The company processes complex metal concentrates, scrap metals, organic and inorganic metal-bearing recycling materials, and industrial residues into metals of the highest quality. Aurubis produces more than 1 million tons of copper cathodes annually, and from them a variety of products such as wire rod, continuous cast shapes, profiles, and flat rolled products made of copper and copper alloys. Aurubis produces a number of other metals as well, including precious metals, selenium, lead, nickel, tin and zinc. The portfolio also includes additional products such as sulfuric acid and iron silicate.

Sustainability is a fundamental part of the Aurubis strategy. “Aurubis responsibly transforms raw materials into value” – following this maxim, the company integrates sustainable conduct and business activities into the corporate culture. This involves a careful approach to natural resources, responsible social and ecological conduct in everyday business, and sensible, healthy growth.

Aurubis has around 7,200 employees, production sites in Europe and the US, and an extensive distribution network around the world.

Aurubis shares are part of the Prime Standard Segment of the German Stock Exchange and are listed in the MDAX, the Global Challenges Index (GCX), and the STOXX Europe 600.

More information at www.aurubis.com