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(Facility) Copsa Mica Smelter

Plant in Sibiu, Romania with commodities Lead, Zinc
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Nearby scientific data
  7. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  8. Mineral rights holdings
  9. Land status
  10. Ownership information
  11. Production statistics
  12. Reserves and resources
  13. Links to other databases
  14. Bibliographic references
  15. General comments
  16. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10304259
MAS/MILS ID 4850851026
Record type Site
Current site name (Facility) Copsa Mica Smelter
Alternate or previous names Copsa Mica, Copsa Mica Productions, Copsa Mica Lead/Zinc Smelter

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Plant
Geographic coordinates: 24.25193, 46.11528 (WGS84)
Elevation 350
Location accuracy 10000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Sibiu(province)

Romania(country)

Geographic areas

Country State
Romania Sibiu

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Lead Secondary
Zinc Critical Primary

Nearby scientific data

Plant (1) 24.25193, 46.11528
ListMap

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Processing Plant
Development status Plant
Commodity type Metallic
Significant No
Year of first production 1965
Plant type Smelter

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Unknown
Type of mineral rights Unknown
Type of mineral rights Unknown

Land status

Ownership category Unknown

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Government Of Romania
    Interest 100
    Home office Romania
    Year 1991
  • Type Operator
    Owner Department Of Non-Ferrous Metals
    Home office Romania
    Year 1991

Comments on the ownership information

  • AS OF 1991, THE GOVERNMENT OF ROMANIA WAS THE SOLE OWNER OF THE COPSA MICA SMELTER. THE DEPARTMENT OF NON-FERROUS METALS WAS IN CHARGE OF OPERATIONS.

Production statistics

  • Year 1984
    Description Zinc 55000 Metric Tons Zinc
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Zinc Zinc 55000mt
  • Year 1984
    Description Lead 29000 Metric Tons Lead
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Lead Lead 29000mt
  • Year 1985
    Description Zinc 55500 Metric Tons Zinc
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Zinc Zinc 55500mt
  • Year 1985
    Description Lead 29000 Metric Tons Lead
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Lead Lead 29000mt
  • Year 1986
    Description Zinc 56000 Metric Tons Zinc
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Zinc Zinc 56000mt
  • Year 1986
    Description Lead 29000 Metric Tons Lead]
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Lead Lead 29000mt
  • Year 1987
    Description Zinc 56000 Metric Tons Zinc
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Zinc Zinc 56000mt
  • Year 1987
    Description Lead 29500 Metric Tons Lead
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Lead Lead 29500mt
  • Year 1988
    Description Gold 2 Metric Tons Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 2mt
  • Year 1988
    Description Silver 23 Metric Tons Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Silver Silver 23mt
  • Year 1988
    Description Bismuth 80 Metric Tons Bismuth
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Bismuth Bismuth 80mt
  • Year 1988
    Description Zinc 56500 Metric Tons Zinc
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Zinc Zinc 56500mt
  • Year 1988
    Description Lead 29500 Metric Tons Lead
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Lead Lead 29500mt
  • Year 1989
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Gold (Estimated) 2 Metric Tons Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 2mt
  • Year 1989
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Silver (Estimated) 23 Metric Tons Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Silver Silver 23mt
  • Year 1989
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Bismuth (Estimated) 80 Metric Tons Bismuth
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Bismuth Bismuth 80mt
  • Year 1989
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Zinc (Estimated) 56000 Metric Tons Zinc
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Zinc Zinc 56000mt
  • Year 1989
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Lead (Estimated) 29000 Metric Tons Lead
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Lead Lead 29000mt
  • Year 1990
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Silver (Estimated) 14 Metric Tons Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Silver Silver 14mt
  • Year 1990
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Bismuth (Estimated) 50 Metric Tons Bismuth
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Bismuth Bismuth 50mt
  • Year 1990
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Zinc (Estimated) 35000 Metric Tons Zinc
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Zinc Zinc 35000mt
  • Year 1990
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Lead (Estimated) 18000 Metric Tons Lead
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Minor Lead Lead 18000mt
  • Year 1990
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description Gold (Estimated) 1 Metric Tons Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Gold Gold 1mt

Comments on the production information

  • AS OF 1991, THE CAPACITY OF THE SMELTER WAS 60,000 METRIC TONS OF ZINC AND 40,000 METRIC TONS OF LEAD PER YEAR. THE RECOVERY RATE AT THE COPSA MICA SMELTER IS VERY INEFFICIENT MEASURING ONLY 87% FOR BOTH LEAD AND ZINC. THE LEVEL OF INTEGRATION FOR BOTH THE FEED AND PRODUCT ARE CONSIDERED TO BE NIL. AN IMPERIAL SMELTING FURNACE WAS INSTALLED IN 1965 WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF DAVY POWERGAS. A SECOND SIMILAR PLANT WAS ADDED IN 1978. THE ELECTROLYTIC LEAD REFINERY WAS INSTALLED IN 1968 WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF MONTEPONI (ITALY). THE ELECTROLYTIC LEAD REFINERY HAS A 30,000 METRIC TONS PER YEAR CAPACITY AND USES THE BETTS PROCESS. THE ELECTROLYTE (PBSIF6) CONSUMPTION IS 4 KG PER METRIC TON OF REFINED LEAD. POWER CONSUMPTION IS .285 KWH PER METRIC TON OF LEAD. ANODE SLIMES ARE TREATED AT COPSA MICA FOR THE RECOVERY OF COPPER, BISMUTH, ANTIMONY, CADMIUM, INDIUM, GOLD, AND SILVER. GOLD AND SILVER DORE IS THEN SENT ON TO BAIA MARE FOR FINAL REFINING. ZINC IS REFINED BY REFLUXING. THIS PROCESS CONSUMES 12 KWH OF ELECTRICAL POWER AND 303 CUBIC METERS OF NATURAL GAS PER METRIC TON OF REFINED ZINC. THE REWORKING OF ZINC-RICH SLAGS IS CARRIED OUT IN A ROTARY FURNACE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ZINC OXIDE PIGMENTS. POWER IS DRAWN FROM THE NATIONAL GRID. EXCESS HEAT FROM THE FURNACES IS USED TO PRODUCE STEAM FOR HEATING THE ELECTROLYTE IN THE LEAD REFINERY. THE PLANT HAS FACILITIES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 200 TPY OF ANTIMONY REGULUS, 100 TPY OF SODIUM ANTIMONATE, AND 40 TPY OF ANTIMONY SULPHIDE. NO PRODUCTION STATISTICS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THESE PRODUCTS.
  • THE MAIN PRODUCTS AT THE COPSA MICE SMELTER AS OF 1991 WERE LEAD, ZINC, ANTIMONY, BISMUTH, CADMIUM, GOLD, AND SILVER.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 0
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Zinc Zn 100 wt-pct Zinc Major 0

Comments on the workings information

  • COPSA MICA IS ONE OF THE WORST POLLUTED AREAS IN ROMANIA, PARTLY DUE TO LEAD AND SO2 EMISSIONS BUT ALSO AS A RESULT OF OTHER INDUSTRIES IN THE AREA. POLLUTION FROM THE SMELTER IS SEVERE BECAUSE THE PLANT IS OLD, SPARE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE, AND THE PLANT TREATS CONCENTRATES WITH HIGH LEVELS OF TOXIC IMPURITIES. DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN HELD WITH ISP PERSONNEL AND THE NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY. THESE INCLUDE THE FITTING OF A NEW COOLING SYSTEM, ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS, AND FILTERS. THE FIRST OF NEWLY INSTALLED FILTRATION EQUIPMENT WAS DUE TO BE OPERATIONAL BY SEPTEMBER 1990. UP TO THAT POINT THE PLANT WAS RUNNING AT 50% OF CAPACITY AS A RESULT OF PRESSURE FROM ENVIRONMENTALISTS.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Geology

    HURLBUT, CORNELIUS S., DANA'S MANUAL OF MINERALOGY,

  • Geology

    EIGTEENTH EDITION, 1971.

  • Deposit

    METALLGESELLSCHAFT AG, DEVELOPMENT TRENDS OF THE

  • Deposit

    NON-FERROUS METALS INDUSTRY IN EASTERN EUROPE,

  • Deposit

    DECEMBER 1991.

  • Deposit

    COMMODITIES RESEARCH UNIT LIMITED, THE BASE METAL

  • Deposit

    INDUSTRIES OF EASTERN EUROPE, LONDON, 1991.

  • Deposit

    BOMSEL AND VON HIRSCHHAUSEN, THE MINING AND

  • Deposit

    METALLURGICAL INDUSTRIES IN EASTERN EUROPE, CERNA, VOL. II,

  • Deposit

    JULY 1991.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit THE ORIGINAL ISF PLANT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1965. THE CAPACITY WAS DOUBLED IN 1978. THE CAPACITY WAS 60000 MTPY.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 17-JAN-95 Difrancesco, Carl A. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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