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Copper slag
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Copper slag is a by-product of copper extraction by smelting. During smelting,
impurities become slag which floats on the molten metal. Slag that is quenched in
water produces angular granules which are disposed of as waste or utilized as
discussed below.

Characteristics[edit]
Slag from ores that are mechanically concentrated before smelting contain mostly
iron oxides and silicon oxides.

Life Cycle Analysis of Copper Slag Aggregate[edit]

Copper slag is created during the copper smelting process. Around 4.5million tons of
copper slag is produced each year. Although copper slag is used in grit blasting and
landfilling, only 15 to 20% of it is being used as of 2015. Since this is a heavily
wasted material, finding ways to use it in different industries can reduce overall
waste. One study done by the School of Resources and Safety Engineering at
Central South University in Changsha, China explores copper slag as a concrete
aggregate.[1] This study specifically examines the environmental benefits of copper
slag. By performing a life cycle assessment on regular concrete and concrete with
copper slag aggregate, the researchers were able to compare the carbon emissions
of both materials and how sensitive the materials are to change.
The life cycle assessment was done in 4 phases: goal and scope, life cycle inventory
analysis, life cycle impact assessment, and life cycle interpretation. The goal and
scope of the life cycle assessment was to assess the environmental impact of
cement from cradle to gate. Cradle to gates is the time materials are harvested to
when it is delivered to be used. Life cycle inventory analysis compiles data on the
energy input and output throughout the process of creating cement within the
boundaries of the goal and scope. The inputs that were considered in this process
were raw materials and energy while outputs were various emissions such as carbon
dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc. . During the life cycle impact assessment
characterized, normalized, and sensitivity analysis were performed to find the abiotic
depletion potential (ADP), global warming potential (GWP), human toxicity potential
(HTP), acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), and photochemical
oxidation potential (POP) throughout the production process. Once the analysis is
complete the results are confirmed against other studies as part of the life cycle
interpretation phase.
The life cycle analysis concluded that copper slag cement is more sustainable than
ordinary Portland cement. In every major life cycle impact assessment category
except human toxicity potential (HTP), ordinary Portland cement had more negative
impact than copper slag. Higher human toxicity potential in copper slag was caused
by the electricity expended in grinding copper slag which has subpar grindability. The
most significant discrepancy was in the category of abiotic depletion potential (ADP)
at a 46.5% difference. ADP is the depletion of nonliving organisms such as fossil
fuels. Processing copper slag requires less raw materials and coal, so it is intuitive
for copper slag cement to have lower impact on ADP. Overall, the total
environmental impact of Portland cement was 13.95% higher than copper slag
cement showing the positive impact of using copper slag aggregate.

Mechanical Properties of Copper Slag Aggregate[edit]

In 2015 the Department of Civil Engineering at the Parisutham Institute of
Technology and Science preformed a study on the behavior of copper slag
aggregate.[2] The goal of the study was to test the viability of copper slag as an
aggregate. To observe how applicable copper slag could be in the construction
industry, different ratios of copper slag and sand mixes in concrete were assessed to
understand the effects copper slag on concrete. Properties such as compressive
strength, tensile strength, slump, and workability were examined.
The effect copper slag has on concrete compressive strength was found by
performing compressive strength test on various 7- and 28-day concrete mixes. The
ratio of copper slag to sand in each mix varied by 20% increments from 0% to 100%.
With each mix having a unique amount of copper in it the effects of cooper slag on
concrete are observable. Results from the compressive strength test found that
compressive strength increased as the amount of copper slag in a mix increased. In
a 28-day mix with 0% copper slag aggregate had a capacity of 35.66 MPa whereas
the mix with 100% copper slag had a capacity of 48.76 MPa.
Copper slag aggregate was also tested under the splitting tensile strength test to
understand how it effects the tension of concrete. The parameters of the test were
the same as the compression test with 7- and 28-day mixes having varying amounts
of copper slag aggregates in 20% increments. Copper slag proved to increase
tensile strength as the mixes with more copper slag had high capacities. A 28-day
mix with 0% copper slag aggregate had a capacity of 4.75 MPa while a mix with
100% copper slag had a capacity of 8.64 MPa. In both tests the slump of the
concrete was also observed. Slump is a measurement of the consistency of concrete
before it sets with a higher slump being more fluid. Like the strength tests results, the
slump increased with higher ratios of copper slag. The mix 0% copper slag had a
slump of 25mm while the mix with 100% copper slag had 82mm. These results can
be due to the low water absorption of copper slag(0.16%) compared to sand(1.25%).
Based on strength, copper slag aggregate provides a great alternative to sand. For
maximum strength a 100% replacement of copper slag for sand is ideal. However,
copper slag has lower water absorption and creates higher slump which causes
bleeding in concrete. Bleeding is the process in which water from concrete is pushed
upward due settlements of heavy particles in concrete mix. Due to this problem, the
researchers recommend a usage of up to 60% copper slag to sand ratio. [3]

Applications[edit]
Grit Blasting[edit]
Copper slag is mainly used for surface blast-cleaning. Abrasive blasting is used to
clean and shape the surface of metal, stone, concrete and other materials. In this
process, a stream of abrasive grains called grit are propelled toward the workpiece.
Copper slag is just one of many different materials that may be used as abrasive grit.
Rate of grit consumption, amount of dust generated, and surface finish quality are
some of the variables affected by the choice of grit material.
Internationally the described media is manufactured in compliance with ISO 11126-
3[4]
The blasting media manufactured from copper slag brings less harm to people and
environment than sand. The product meets the most rigid health and ecological
standards.
Construction[edit]
Copper slag can be used in concrete production as a partial replacement for sand.
Copper slag is used as a building material, formed into blocks. Such use was
common in areas where smelting was done, including St
Helens and Cornwall[5] in England. In Sweden (Skellefteå region) fumed and settled
granulated copper slag from the Boliden copper smelter is used as road-construction
material. The granulated slag (<3 mm size fraction) has both insulating and drainage
properties which are usable to avoid ground frost in winter which in turn prevents
pavement cracks. The usage of this slag reduces the usage of primary materials as
well as reduces the construction depth which in turn reduces energy demand in
building. Due to the same reasons the granulated slag is usable as a filler and
insulating material in house foundations in a cold climate. Numerous houses in the
same region are built with a slag insulated foundation. [6]
Gamma-Ray Shielding[edit]
Heavy weight concrete has superior shielding capability as it increases the density of
mixes. In fact, using high-density materials as aggregate phase plays an important
role in enhancing attenuation capability of concrete since aggregates constitute
about three quarters of concrete’s volume. The high atomic number in such materials
promotes absorption and slows down the neutrons of gamma rays which in turn
reduces the penetration depth of harmful gamma rays inside the concrete. The use
of heavy-weight concrete eliminates the need for thick walls which serve as
architectural obstacles and limit the available space. In this study concrete mixes
were prepared with different percentages of GGBFS and CS as a partial
replacement of cement and natural fine aggregate, respectively. Concrete mixes
were subjected to 137Cs and 60Co point sources. The radiation shielding capability
of concrete mixes was evaluated in terms of linear attenuation coefficient (µ) and
half-value layer (HVL). The use of GGBFS as a partial replacement of cement
generally resulted in a minor increase in the linear attenuation coefficient of mixes.
On the other hand, the effect of CS on the linear attenuation coefficient was more
pronounced as the linear attenuation coefficient increased by 31% with the use of
heavyweight CS aggregates. It was confirmed from the test results that partially
replacing natural sand with CS further reduced the half-value layer (HVL) thickness.
Results showed that concrete made with 60% GGBFS and 100% CS exhibit superior
radiation shielding capability and satisfies the strength requirements for structural
applications. Therefore, it is suitable for radiation shielding of structures such as
healthcare centers.[7]
Copper Slag Suppliers[edit]
In India, BLAST APEX is manufacturer of Copper slag & major suppliers of
Copper slag. https://blastapex.in/copper-slag

See also[edit]
 Pressure washer
 Dross
 Water jet cutter

References[edit]
1. ^ Zhang, Q., Zhang, B., & Wang, D. (2022). Environmental benefit assessment of blended
cement with modified granulated copper slag. Materials, 15(15),
5359. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15155359
2. ^ Vijayaraghavan, J., Jude, A. B., & Thivya, J. (2017). Effect of copper slag, iron slag and
recycled concrete aggregate on the mechanical properties of concrete. Resources Policy,
53, 219–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2017.06.012
3. ^ Vijayaraghavan, J., Jude, A. B., & Thivya, J. (2017). Effect of copper slag, iron slag and
recycled concrete aggregate on the mechanical properties of concrete. Resources Policy,
53, 219–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2017.06.012
4. ^ ISO 11126-3:1993 Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and
related products -- Specifications for non-metallic blast-cleaning abrasives -- Part 3:
Copper refinery slag: Preparation of Steel Substrates Before Application of Paints and
Related Products.
5. ^ Ferguson, John (1996). "The Copper Slag Blocks of Hale"  (PDF). Mining History. Peak
District Mines Historical Society. 13 (2). Archived from  the original  (PDF)  on 2016-03-04.
Retrieved 2015-12-28.
6. ^ "Startsida".  Järnsand (in Swedish). Retrieved  2021-08-12.
 7. ^ Rasoul Abdar Esfahani, S. M., Zareei, S. A., Madhkhan, M., Ameri, F., Rashidiani, J., &
Taheri, R. A. (2021). Mechanical and gamma-ray shielding properties and environmental
benefits of concrete incorporating GGBFS and copper slag. Journal of Building
Engineering, 33, 101615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2020.101615

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