Recovery of copper, nickel, tin, zinc, precious metals, and platinum group metals
Aurubis AG and SMS group signed a landmark contract to join forces in a groundbreaking circular economy endeavor: to build the first multi-metal recycling plant in the U.S.
Groundbreaking for Aurubis Richmond took place in mid-2022, and construction is currently running at full steam. Stage one of the plant is scheduled to go online in the first half of 2024. The second stage is anticipated to start production in 2026.
Making e-waste usable again with the required degree of purity requires advanced processes, such as the top-blow rotary converter (TBRC), a highly efficient system for recovering copper, nickel, tin, zinc, precious metals, and platinum group metals. The scope for the Aurubis plant also includes components for sampling and waste gas purification, which are also essential for a sustainable recycling economy.
Highlights:
- Total investment: € 640 million
- First secondary smelter for multi-metal recycling in the U.S.
- New jobs added in the region: > 200
- Ground-breaking: mid-2022
- Start production stage 1: 2024
- Start production stage 2: 2025
With the investment in Aurubis Richmond, we reinforce our ambitions to continue expanding the recycling of complex, valuable metal-bearing materials and returning them to the material cycle. The SMS group is an extremely competent partner for the setup of the site, a partner that will support us in implementing custom-fit solutions for ecologically sustainable business
Main data
- Capacity: 180,000 t