Life cycle assessment of metallic copper produced by the pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes

Abstract

The life cycle assessment method was used to investigate the environmental impacts of metallic copper production with hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes.Some environmental load datum of copper in the production were obtained.The results indicate that environmental impacts of copper are related to metallurgical technology.The energy consumption,greenhouse effect,acidification and human toxicity of copper in the pyrometallurgical processes only is 43.2%,45.2%,5.1% and 5.0% of those of copper in the pyrometallurgical processes.Environmental impact of copper production with hydrometallurgy is less than that of pyrometallurgical.