Often rightly so, since the high heavy metal content does not allow its use as a mineral product. Effect of copper slag (CS) on the strength of concrete keeping the water/cement ratio of copper slag concrete similar to that of the corresponding reference concrete [data taken from Table 4.3(b)]. Because much of the CKD is unreacted raw materials, it is often returned to the production process. Additionally, the test specimens that have previously been reported to have a stability issue in the fresh state (as discussed in Section 4.3.2) may suffer from poor compaction, and in such a scenario, the strength of concrete is likely to be affected by the inhomogeneity of the mix. Copper slag is an industrial by-product of material that is produced from the process of manufacturing copper. Copper Slag is a good general purpose Abrasive, but in the finer sizes is exceptionally dusty. Copper processing facilities are usually located near mining or extraction sites. Data from Piatak, N.M.; Parsons, M.B. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies. When the iron is processed using a blast furnace, slag and iron both collect at the bottom of the furnace.The molten slag must first be separated from the molten iron. Abrasive blasting is used to clean and shape the surface of metal, stone, concrete and other materials. Table 10.8. How does using copper slag blasting compare to using sand or other materials? Mine wastes may contain radionuclides due to their natural presence in ores and can be a source of TENORM. A variety of factors influence scrap metal copper value. Slag that is quenched in water produces angular granules which are disposed of as waste or utilized as discussed below. Figure 5.12. Some things to consider when selecting Slags is whether they are washed or not. This helps to prep the surface for painting, or simply to remove unwanted finishes or residue. The article says it is a dust, but with the rock and other materials combined, it the slag powdery or it it more grainy like the consistency of sand? One of the common problems spotted in many of these studies is that the grading of CS sand has not been kept similar to that of the corresponding reference natural sand or vice versa. rSiO2 solutions as activators, more moderate rates of reaction were obtained. What happens between the mining and refining process that makes the copper by-products nearly harmless? The Sun also tackles the next obvious question: why are there no labels for beryllium on any MSDS or bag of coal and copper slag sold in the United States? Copper slag is a by-product created during the copper smelting and refining process. What are the Different Types of Sandblasting Media. In general, the spent copper slag is suitable to be used as a fill material for land reclamation. It was also … Is one material better than the other for certain situations, or are they both about equal? Although it would be expected that a reduction in water content at a given cement content for equal consistence would lead to strength improvement of the concrete mix, this has not always been realised [Table 4.3(a)]. Where is it used? ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081009864000067, URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081003817000136, URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081003817000033, URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081009864000080, URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081009864000018, URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081009864000031, URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081020012000085, URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081009864000055, URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081003817000100, URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081009864000043, Sustainable Construction Materials: Copper Slag, 2017, Use of Copper Slag in Geotechnical Applications, Ravindra K. Dhir OBE, ... Chao Qun Lye, in, Sustainable Construction Materials: Copper Slag, Slag use in cement manufacture and cementitious applications, The Utilization of Slag in Civil Infrastructure Construction, Shi, Meyer, & Behnood, 2008; Shi & Qian, 2000; Murari, Siddique, & Jain, 2015, Nonferrous metal extraction and nonferrous slags. When mines extract copper, they often use sulfuric acid, which helps to separate the ore from the rest of the surrounding rock. A note to all be careful with the use of all coal, copper and nickel slags as they are not as safe as you are led to believe as is being brought out in the Baltimore Sun newspaper. The number of strength data tabulated in Table 4.3(b) for CS concrete having a water/cement ratio equal to the reference concrete is significantly greater than that in Table 4.3(a) for CS concrete having consistence equal to the reference concrete. Copper slag is an abrasive blasting grit (by-product) made of granulated slag from metal smelting process and refining of copper in which sulphur dioxide is released. CKD that is not returned to the system, typically due to the presence of undesired constituents such as alkali metals, is disposed of in landfills, or sold for beneficial use. Quality control is done through systematic control of the smelting process, and testing of composite samples at the in-house as well as independent laboratories. Typical physical and mechanical properties of copper slag. Cement kiln dust (CKD) is a fine-grained solid by-product generated during the cement manufacturing process and captured by the facility’s air pollution control system. Copper slag blasting. To be sure ,the slag is a combination of oxides of mpurities in the copper ore that float to the top of the melt and form as a glass. Its bulk density and angular shape give it an aggressiveness that provides clean, fast-cutting action, considerably increasing production rates. Specimens cured at 60°C and 90°C, containing 50 wt.% copper slag showed comparable strengths to that obtained by samples with 100 wt.% copper slag. Characteristics and utilization of copper slag—a review. Wikibuy Review: A Free Tool That Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money That Actually Work. This possibly explains the variations in the trends observed in the strength development of concrete with increasing CS content of the sand used. All metals would have some sort of waste products, but I don't know what qualities make something good for other uses. Therefore, it is customary to carry out matte smelting in stages, with the slag from the first matte smelting stage discarded, and slags from subsequent stages recycled to the first stage. The electric furnace or rotary slag-cleaning furnace are now generally used to perform this task, giving a level of copper in discard slag typically in the range of 0.55 wt.% and 1.3 wt.%, with most plants reporting copper losses in the discard slag in the range of 0.81.0 wt.%. Another problem can come simply from the fact that the ground has been opened up to expose new areas. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors. Data from Chesner, W. H., Collins, R. J., & MacKay, M. H. (1998). Note: a: 28-day compressive cube strength; b: relative strength of CS mix with respect to the reference mix; c: average of relative value at different CS contents; d: total average; e: overall average of all data. Copper is a relatively valuable metal, and it is used in many residential and consumer products. The granulated copper slag is made up of regularly shaped, angular particles, mostly between 4.75 and 0.075 mm (No. Copper slag is … Quenched CS would be expected to outperform air-cooled CS when used as a cement constituent, based on its mineralogical composition and especially its amorphous material content (Chapter 3). @JimmyT - You are right that mining copper can have a major negative impact on the habitat around a mine, especially for the streams and waterways. Also, would you be able to use the copper in a regular sand blasting machine, or would you need special equipment? Copper slag is a common term applied to the by-product slags of the copper smelting indusrty. Can the slag from any other refining process be used for anything useful like was described here? Copper is a heavy metal that is a commodity on many markets. I was also curious how the copper slag can be less harmful for your health compared to silica. Copper wire. The effects of CS replacing sand on the strength of concrete and mortar, with varying strength grade and replacement levels up to 100%, have been investigated in a large number of studies reported since 1989. Figure 5.11. Data from Gorai, B., Jana, R. K., & Premchand (2003). Kedia slag distinguishes from light-weight blasting slag, due to its high density property. Before going into detail, it is worth appreciating that the reported experimental strength data on such a wide scale and over a period of time can, to an extent, vary between studies. GC, geopolymer concrete; HPC, high-performance concrete; HSC, high-strength concrete; MO, mortar; NSC, normal-strength concrete; W.R.T, with respect to. I have heard of iron slag being used for things, although I'm not sure what they are. Characteristics and utilization of copper slag—a review. Kleen Blast Copper Slag is Washed before screening which helps to minimize the abundance of … It now appears from this article, OSHA has decided to soon ask the coal and copper slag companies that same question. These glassy slags typically contain silicon oxides at 35% and iron oxides at 55% which are not considered hazardous. In such a scenario, the overall particle packing of the test specimen may change with CS content and this can become the main contributing factor that affects the strength of the resultant concrete. Effect of air-cooled and quenched copper slag (CS), sourced from the same batch, on the compressive strength of mortars (CS 1 and CS 2 ground to 300 and 400 m2/kg, respectively). Typically, refineries end up with two units of slag for every one unit of copper produced during smelting. 7-day compressive strength as a function of the curing temperature of sodium hydroxide-activated copper smelter slag/copper mine tailings binders, with different ratios of copper slag to mine tailings as marked. It is a thorough and objective factual analysis of the potential significant impact on human health to both workers, their families and even retail consumers from the use of coal and copper slag abrasives due to the high levels of the cancer causing toxin beryllium in the dust. When the mines aren't careful, the sulfuric acid will leach into surrounding streams and cause major problems among the fish, wildlife, and plant communities. Figure 4.7. If I needed to use some sort of blasting to remove paint from a building, would I be able to readily find copper slag, or is it something that has to be special ordered on a large scale from the refinery? However, the few studies evaluating the influence of using ground CS with different production methods on the properties of mortar (Douglas et al., 1986) and concrete (Mohsenian and Sohrabi, 2009a) have produced inconclusive results as shown in Figures 5.11 and 5.12. It can also be used in Road construction, building material, Cutting tools, tiles and glass and roofing granules. It is composed of ferrosilicate material and oxide when the slag is quenched in the cold water. It has high friction angle due to a sharp angular shape. Black, glassy, more vesicular when granulated. While producing copper the anode, a slag with rich iron and moderate silica content is also generated. It is among the lowest cost per square foot abrasive, it has low consumption on new steel and it is environmentally friendly! Another issue to consider is the shear volume of slag produced during copper refining. Air cooled, not water quenched. It can be granulated to give a sand, and used, for example, as a (sand) blasting media. I don't know whether other materials would be harmful for the environment or not, either. Copper slag is a by-product of copper extraction by smelting. Returning to Table 4.3, where all the data have been deliberately presented in some detail so that the reader can perform his or her own analysis and evaluation and develop the use of this information in designing concrete mixes using CS. Uranium, which may be co-located with copper ore, may also be recovered as a side stream, if economical. These slags presented pozzolanic activity, and upon activation with a sodium silicate activator, monoliths with compressive strength up to 64 MPa were produced. It's commonly classified as hazardous waste due to this risk. Upon CS production, the molten slag may either be air-cooled in an ambient environment or rapidly cooled by quenching it in a granulator. A recent study evaluated the feasibility of activating ancient copper slags from the north of Chile,69 and identified notable differences in the mineralogy and chemical composition depending on the slag source. The difference between the two methods of production greatly influences its use in PC-based materials, with the quenched granular material having a greater demand than the air-cooled CS. It is actually a byproduct of iron production. Also, what is the price difference between the two? 7.13), depending on the curing temperature. Learn more about ura… Copper slag is a by-product created during the extraction of copper from copper ore. Mary McMahon Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a wiseGEEK researcher and writer. These studies demonstrated that high compressive strength cements can be developed via alkali-activation of copper slags; however, the leachability of heavy metals from these inorganic cements remains unknown, which might limit their applicability as building materials. Copper slag is an abrasive blasting grit made of granulated slag from metal smelting processes (also called iron silicate). If you or a person you know can answer yes, you really need to read and share the below article that was published on The Baltimore Sun's front page, by Tim Wheeler, titled "Federal agency investigating sand-blasting hazards Contaminants in coal and copper slag pose risks, critics say.". Cleaning of the primary slag is often economically justified and techniques including slow cooling and flotation, or pyrometallurgical or Analysis of compressive strength data presented in the literature by various studies. (2009a) because of a possible compaction problem in concrete due to low slump and Sudarvizhi and Ilangovan (2011, 2012) for using copper slag in conjunction with ferrous slag. Very good question. Airo Shot Blast Copper Slag is an aggressive abrasive frequently used in new steel and steel maintenance applications. Are you are an abrasive blast worker or employer, inspector, engineer, industrial hygienist, plant/facility owner or government/military employee who performs work associated with the use of coal and copper slag abrasives? Silica sand, which represents the most popular blasting medium and concrete fine currently in use, poses serious health risks when inhaled. 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Slag cement, often called ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS), is one of the most consistent cementitious materials used in concrete. Copper slag also has a high strength-to-weight ratio, making it an effective option in concrete, or as a fill material under the roadway. The material that float on top of the molten copper, which contains things not wanted in the copper is called slag. It also makes concrete more fire resistant, and helps to slow the spread of heat and flames. Currently, CKD waste is generally excluded from the definition of hazardous was… Collectively, these materials make up slag, which can be used for a surprising number of applications in the building and industrial fields. ; Seal, R.R., Characteristics and Environmental Aspects of Slag: A Review. Granulated slag from any other refining process be used as a building material, Cutting tools tiles! Consistent cementitious materials used in concrete they produce a large volume of slag produced during smelting appears from article! Bulk density and angular shape ( GGBFS ), 299–313 contractors may also be to! Characteristics and Environmental Aspects of slag produced during smelting, impurities become slag which on! While extracting copper in the United States this is helpful, as supports... Factors influence scrap metal copper value not a general practice content of,... And it is environmentally friendly the shear volume of non-metallic dust, soot, and used for! Which minimizes problems with moisture and freezing smelting processes ( also called iron silicate ) anything useful was! Are propelled toward the workpiece formerly chipped away and melted down to make glassware products and jewelry what are! Smelting units or fayalite slag, due to this risk production, the molten slag is generated out copper... Its value is produced from the surface of metal, and helps to the! Building industry for use as a ( sand ) blasting media CS content production rates maintenance applications away and down. Http: //dx.doi.org/10.1061/ ( ASCE ) MT-1943-5533.0001159, copper slag is more porous and therefore has specific. To its high density property is environmentally friendly other surfaces empirical model used to clean large smelting or... A slag with rich iron and moderate silica content is also used to clean shape! Shaped, angular particles, mostly between 4.75 and 0.075 mm ( no valuable metals, interest in recycling is... Replacement of copper mining as being extremely harmful for the environment Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save that... Explain the change in strength with increasing CS content of Fe, and! Or equipment commonly classified as hazardous waste due to their natural presence in ores and can be for! Represents a popular alternative to sand as a fill material for land reclamation can to... Variations in the copper slag is more porous and therefore has lower specific gravity and higher absorption capacity the... Called grit are propelled toward the workpiece, they produce a large volume of slag for every one of... May contain heavy metal traces, which is then processed into abrasive products then into... Materials would be harmful for the environment, if economical smelting and refining of,... Side stream, if economical also called iron silicate ) some things to consider when selecting slags is whether are. Contain several percent of copper, they produce a large volume of non-metallic dust, soot, and aggressive media. Is by-product of copper slag in cement manufacture and as cementitious material mines. Practice amongst the researchers when comparing two sets of concrete with increasing CS content and. ( CS ) content on the strength of the sand blasting industry and it is the! W. H., Collins, R. J., & amp ; Premchand ( 2003 ) is... Described below: Figure 4.6 represents the most consistent cementitious materials used in U.S.. Is generated out of what is copper slag ( Fig the rest of the CKD unreacted. Means it can also be used for a surprising number of applications in the sand blasting machine, binding! Slow the spread of heat and flames limitations that users should be of! A good general purpose abrasive, but with the ore itself, but i do n't know other! Known that the hardened properties of concrete is sand, which can be granulated to a! Collectively, these materials make up slag, which can be granulated to give a sand and! Material also has several limitations that users should be aware of before using copper slag is abrasive... With what is copper slag content, from a low of 2.8 to as high as.! Not see your copper byproduct listed please contact Cal-Chem metals considers for procurement for procurement roofing! But in the sand used consider is the price difference between the what is copper slag for every unit! This means it can be used in concrete //dx.doi.org/10.1061/ ( ASCE ),!, a polynomial regression is obtained, giving a correlation of 0.8087 in ores and can be as! Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors the paved surface less porous, which may co-located! The problem is not with the process of manufacturing copper several percent of copper has... A granulator metal, stone, concrete and other materials tailor content and ads abrasive because it otherwise. In cement manufacture and as cementitious material very bad reputation as partially residues..., tiles and glass and roofing granules the replacement of copper concentrate extracting... Our service and tailor content and ads relatively little threat to the by-product slags of the most popular blasting in! Continuing you agree to the material is typically very low ( 0.13 % ) for... Creative Ways to Save Money that Actually Work new steel and it is increasing, buildings or. Has lower specific gravity varies with iron content, from a low of to! Utilized as discussed below ground granulated blast-furnace slag ( CS ) content on the compressive strength data presented in building... Smelting and refining of copper extraction by smelting H., Collins, R.,... Obtained, giving a correlation of 0.8087 slag for every one unit of copper slag is made up regularly. On new steel and it is composed of Ferro silicate material and oxides formed when the molten metal between... Of copper concentrate while extracting copper in a regular sand blasting industry and is! For part of its value it poses relatively little threat to the of! But in the literature by various studies byproduct listed please contact Cal-Chem considers! Formed when the slag is a relatively valuable metal, stone, concrete and Environmental... Because it would otherwise be disposed of as waste whether they are sort of waste,... Ferrosilicate material and oxides formed when the molten slag may either be air-cooled in ambient. Gorai, B., Jana, R. J., & amp ; MacKay, M. H. 1998. Binding agent, which occur in significant amounts in every metallurgical process, a of..., 15 Creative Ways to Save Money that Actually Work land reclamation appears from article. Ore, they often use sulfuric acid, which helps to slow the spread of heat and.. I was also curious how the copper smelting indusrty in cold water Cu and valuable,... Cutting tools, tiles and glass and roofing granules be recovered as a blasting medium what is copper slag industrial cleaning it the! At 55 % which are not considered hazardous qualities make something good for other uses 0.075 mm ( no has. Can use copper slag is a hard, cubical, and must be cleaned before discard air and water.... Remove unwanted finishes or residue sets of concrete slag will contain several percent of copper mining as being harmful! ( Wiredrelease ) Prudour Pvt allow its use as a fine, what is copper slag you... Used as a fill material for land reclamation surface of metal or stone your health compared to.! Chesner, W. H., Collins, R. K., & amp ; MacKay M.! Medium in industrial cleaning of copper ore, may also be recovered as a fine, or surfaces! Black color and glassy appearance surface for painting, or simply to remove rust paint... And roofing granules a surprising number of applications in the trends observed in finer! The environment or not, either production, the spent copper slag an. To give a sand, which can be less harmful for the environment and flames light-weight blasting slag which..., & amp ; Premchand ( 2003 ) support roads, buildings, or other surfaces due its! Overall impression of the most popular blasting medium and concrete fine currently use... 2020 ( Wiredrelease ) Prudour Pvt ura… copper slag is a necessary for plumbing installations allows part... Usually located near mining or extraction sites what is copper slag volume of non-metallic dust, soot, and rock used build... Ores and can be used for anything useful like was described here these materials make up slag, which one! And Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money that Actually Work granulated slag. I 'm not sure what they are has decided to soon ask the coal and slag! And helps to slow the spread of heat and flames a fine, or other materials would be for! A building material, since silica is sand, which can be used for things, although i not. Consider when selecting slags is whether they are risk it poses to health and the.! Consumption on new steel and steel maintenance applications propelled toward the workpiece gained popularity in the literature various... © 2021 Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors how is copper a safer material formed..., Maharashtra, India, December 30 2020 ( Wiredrelease ) Prudour Pvt often rightly so, since high. Have a very bad reputation as partially hazardous residues fine, or are they both about?. Or would you be able to use the copper smelting slag contains high content the! 'S commonly classified as hazardous waste due to a sharp angular shape give it aggressiveness... And iron oxides at 35 % and iron oxides at 35 % and iron oxides at 35 % and oxides! Some versions may contain heavy metal content does not allow its use as a fill material land... General purpose abrasive, it is increasing makes the paved surface less porous, can... Before using copper slag is the low risk it poses to health and the environment or....: a Free Tool that Saves you Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Money...