Title: Low Carbon Fire Refining of Blister Copper in Anode Furnaces
Authors: Mutalibkhonov S.S., Kholikulov D.B., Khojiev Sh.T., Ma G.
Volume: 10
Issue: 6
Pages: 1-4
Publication Date: 2026/06/28
Abstract:
Fire refining of blister copper in anode furnaces is an essential metallurgical operation aimed at removing dissolved oxygen and impurities prior to electrorefining. Conventional reduction (poling) relies on natural gas and carbon-based reductants, which generate significant CO? emissions. The substitution of natural gas with hydrogen represents a promising low-carbon pathway for copper refining. This study presents a comprehensive thermodynamic and kinetic analysis of hydrogen-assisted deoxidation of blister copper based on the synthesis of thirteen Scopus-indexed journal articles and original equilibrium and rate calculations. Thermodynamic results show that the reduction of Cu?O by hydrogen is highly favorable in the temperature range 1200-1300 °C, with the oxygen potential governed by the H?O/H? ratio in the gas phase. Kinetic modeling demonstrates that top-blown hydrogen-enriched flames are primarily limited by gas-phase mass transfer, whereas submerged hydrogen bubbling significantly enhances interfacial area and accelerates oxygen removal. An energy and CO? balance indicates that partial or full substitution of methane with hydrogen can reduce direct emissions by up to 100% during the reduction stage. Practical implementation strategies, including staged hydrogen injection and moisture control, are proposed. The results confirm that hydrogen-enriched natural gas offers a technically feasible and environmentally beneficial alternative for low-carbon fire refining of blister copper.