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Scrap becomes quality conductor
To meet Nexans’ need for extremely pure copper in its cables, while at the same time saving energy and money, a proven fire-refining method produces conductor-quality copper from contaminated scrap, like retrieved insulated copper wires or old television coils, etc.
Eliminates expensive electrolysis
Like gold, copper is an eminently recyclable metal, with 70% of the copper ever mined still in use. For high conductivity, refining is usually done through an electrolytic process which produces extremely pure “cathode” copper from blister copper taken from smelting and refining furnaces. However, energy costs are high. Fire-refining achieves +100% IACS (International A Copper Standard) conductivity at a fraction of the price.
Harvesting past experience
This new in-house process drew on our accumulated experience in producing and recycling copper alloys. As an integral part of the Nexans metallurgy activities and overall cable manufacturing processes, it will benefit all production units.
New life from old furnaces
Wishing to diversify its copper provisioning, Nexans purchased a second-hand installation (of four furnaces) which was being used in a similar application in Belgium, but not for producing electrical conductors. The furnaces were transferred and re-installed in Lens with the close cooperation of the Metallurgy Center, also based in Lens. Scrap copper is refined, reduced, and compressed into ingots before undergoing a further refining process to produce high-grade copper rods.
Diversified supply, decreased dependency
The fire-refining of copper not only helped diversify our supply, it also decreased our dependency on “cathode” copper imports. Today 40% of our production is based on recycled copper, accounting for some 150,000 tonnes annually.
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