Slag cleaning:: The Chilean copper smelter experience

Chile has seven copper smelters, four that are linked to primary producers (three owned by Codelco and one by Disputada) and three custom smelters (two owned by Enami and one by Noranda). Each smelter employs a different strategy for slag cleaning, thus each smelter obtains different results. This article outlines and compares the different sing-cleaning systems that are currently in operation in the Chilean smelters, their strategies, the equipment in use, and their experiences.