[Introduction] Under the dual drive of global carbon neutrality and
resource recycling, copper scrap recycling is leaping from the
traditional recycling industry to a strategic pillar of the modern
metallurgical industry.
First, the three core values of copper scrap
recycling industry chain
Significant resource substitution effect
The proven reserves of global copper resources can only meet the
demand for the next 40 years, and the amount of copper scrap
resources generated through cables, electronic equipment, building
components, etc. exceeds 20 million tons per year. Recycling 1 ton
of copper scrap is equivalent to mining 150 tons of primary ore
and reducing energy consumption by 85%. This “waste to treasure”
conversion efficiency makes copper scrap a “buffer” to
stabilize the copper supply chain.
Outstanding economic benefits
Compared with traditional copper smelting, copper scrap recycling
can reduce processing costs by 40-60%. Without going through
the mining and beneficiation process, the production path directly
into the refining process can shorten the return on investment
cycle by more than 30%. Especially in electrolytic copper processing,
the energy consumption of recycled copper scrap is only 25% of
that of virgin copper, which shows a stronger anti-risk ability
in the fluctuation of energy prices.
Effective in environmental protection and emission reduction
The emissions of modern copper scrap melting process are
reduced by 70% compared with the traditional process, of
which the reduction of sulfur dioxide is more than 85%. The
dust capture efficiency of the pretreatment system exceeds
98%, and the wastewater recycling rate exceeds 95%. This
cleaner production model, so that the recycled copper
enterprises are more likely to meet the increasingly
stringent environmental standards.
Second, intelligent technology reconfiguration
of renewable copper industry pattern
In the wave of automation in the non-ferrous industry, the field of
copper scrap recycling is experiencing a technological revolution:
Intelligent sorting system: X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and
near infrared (NIR) technology is used to realize a sorting speed of 5
pieces per second, with copper purity identification accuracy of 99.7%.
Melting process upgrading: Regenerative Thermal Oxidation (RTO)
technology with oxygen-enriched combustion increases the thermal
efficiency to 82% and reduces the energy consumption per ton
of copper to 380kW-h.
Digital management: IoT platform monitors 300+ production
parameters in real time, and big data model predicts fluctuations
in raw material composition and guides dynamic adjustment of
process parameters.
These technological innovations have boosted the qualified rate
of recycled copper from 92% to 98%, reduced processing costs
by another 15%, and built a technological moat for the industry.
Opportunities and challenges for industrial upgrading
Policy dividends continue to release:
The EU will use the proportion of recycled metal into the carbon
tariff accounting system.
E-waste producer responsibility extension system implemented in
30+ countries worldwide
Market space accelerated expansion:
The copper recycling cycle in the construction field has entered an
intensive period, and it is expected that the global decommissioned
construction copper will reach 8.5 million tons in 2025; the new
energy industry has given rise to emerging recycling scenarios
such as power batteries and photovoltaic components, which will
create a new market of hundreds of billions of dollars.
Fourth, the future direction of evolution
under the circular economy
Vertical integration of industrial chain
Build a three-tier system of “recycling network - pretreatment
center - recycling plant” to form a closed-loop supply chain with
a radius of 100 kilometers. Realize the integration of logistics,
capital flow and information flow through the Internet of Things
platform, and compress the turnover cycle of raw materials
to within 72 hours.
High-end product transformation
Developed copper alloy precision casting technology to
break through high-end application scenarios such as
aerospace and semiconductor. Conductivity of recycled
copper rods exceeded 101% IACS, reaching military-grade standards.
Carbon asset value realization
Through carbon footprint certification, we have realized 4.2
tons of CO₂-equivalent emission reduction per ton of recycled
copper, and formed a new profit point by connecting to the
carbon trading market.
Accelerating globalization
Southeast Asia is forming a copper scrap distribution center with
an annual processing capacity of 3 million tons, and the dismantling
market of retired industrial equipment in Europe and the United
States is growing at an annual rate of more than 15%, which has
given rise to new opportunities for cross-border supply chain
service system.