Copper production
“Over the years copper production methods have been subjected to a continual selection and improvement process because of the need for (1) increased productivity through rationalization, (2) lower energy consumption, (3) increased environmental protection, (4) increased reliability of operation, and (5) improved safety in operation. During this development a number of tendencies have become apparent:
1. Decrease in the number of process steps
2. Preference for continuous processes over batch processes 3. Autogenous operation
4. Use of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air
5. Tendency toward electrometallurgical methods
6. Increased energy concentration per unit of volume and time 7. Electronic automation, measurement, and control
8. Recovery of sulfur for sale or disposal 9. Recovery of valuable byproducts”
(Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 2001)
VRAAG:
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Wees daarbij specifiek – probeer elke 'tendency' te verbinden met een stukje van de theorie van Engineering Economics.