Outotec has signed a contract with the Zambia-based mining company Kansanshi Mining for the design and delivery of a gas cleaning system and a sulphuric acid plant for its copper operation, which is the largest in Africa.  It will be the world’s largest metallurgical sulphuric acid plant and will operate downstream of a new copper smelter. The contract is valued at approximately over €80 million. The new gas cleaning and sulphuric acid complex will be part of the overall copper smelting facilities located in Solwezi, North-Western province, Zambia.

The acid plant will process off gas from the copper smelter and the acid produced will be used for leaching nearby at Kansanshi Mining’s copper plant. The scope of Outotec’s delivery includes basic and detail engineering, procurement and the supply of proprietary equipment for the gas cleaning system and acid plant. In addition, Outotec will also provide advisory services for construction and commissioning to the overall project scope. Kansanshi Mining is a subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals. Outotec has delivered sulphuric acid technology to more than 600 plants worldwide. “This is a very exciting project for us not only due to the size of the acid plant, but also because the client has made it very clear they want a world-class plant design incorporating the highest environmental standards,” said Outotec’s president and CEO Pertti Korhonen.