Environmental excellence as the basis for our development
The Metallurgical Complex
The Atlantic Copper Metallurgical Complex is located in Huelva. It belongs to the Association of Chemical, Basic and Energy Industries (Asociación de Industrias Químicas, Básicas y Energéticas, or AIQBE) of Huelva, which accounts for 8.5% of the province’s GDP. Using the most advanced technologies, we transform raw materials into high-purity copper cathodes, the main product in our portfolio.
Our production systems, the innovative operating practices we have introduced over the years and our use of the finest technologies available make us a pacesetter in our industry.
Our 45-hectare complex has:
A smelter where concentrated copper ore is treated to yield Atlantic Copper’s main product, 99.7%-pure copper anodes. The smelter can produce 330,000 tons of anodes per year. At the smelter, raw materials are separated into their three main components, copper (anodes), sulfur (sulfur dioxide, SO2) and iron (iron silicate).
A copper refinery, where the anodes undergo electrolysis, which refines the copper they contain to produce 99.99%-pure copper cathodes. The refinery can produce 284,000 tons of cathodes per year.
Three sulfuric acid plants, where the sulfur dioxide recovered from the smelting process is used to make 98.5%-pure sulfuric acid. The plants can currently produce 1,000,000 tons of acid a year.
What is more, the complex has a power plant whose job it is to produce electricity using heat recovered from the smelting works.
In addition to the production facilities, we have the necessary logistics infrastructure to receive our raw materials and ship out our end products by road and by sea. We use the facilities at Huelva Harbor, on the banks of the Odiel River, and we have another three quays for our sulfuric acid shipments. One of the quays stands next to the metallurgical complex; it can accommodate ships weighing up to 6,000 tons. The other two are seven kilometers downstream, to accommodate ships weighing up to 15,000 and 25,000 tons. In this quay our four sulfuric acid distribution tanks are located. The storage capability of these tanks is 60,000 tons.
