Copper slag is formed as a secondary product when the process of smelting and refining copper is carried out. A massive volume of non-metallic dust, soot, and rock are produced when metal is drawn out of copper ore. These materials, when combined, create the slag. It is used in various ways while carrying out different construction-related and industrial tasks.
Being a substitute of sand, it serves as a blasting apparatus in industrial cleaning. With the help of such high-pressure spraying methods, it can be used to clean big smelting instruments or furnaces. This blasting technique is also beneficial in removing paint, rust, and other substances from metals or stones. This allows companies to prepare them for painting, or eliminate stains and unwanted polishes.
The building industry also makes use of copper slag as a filler. It doesn’t pose much danger to the environment and our health as compared to other fillers. Silica sand, which is a well-known blasting medium and also used as a concrete fine, has serious impacts on health and causes risky environmental conditions. Hence, Copper slag deems to be a suitable material to structure the earth during the construction of roads, buildings, and other surfaces.
Copper slag is also used by contractors as an alternative to sand during concrete formation. Serving as a binding agent, it aids in keeping the bigger gravels joined together. This way it helps enhance the qualities of concrete, and favours the process of recycling.
Its elevated strength-to-weight ratio makes it a favourable choice in concrete or as a filler beneath the road. It enables the concrete surface to be less permeable, which reduces issues with dampness and freezing. The slag also makes concrete greatly fire-resistant, thereby slowing down the spread of flames.
While there are many advantages to using copper slag, users also need to know about its limitations before usage. Its few varieties may come with heavy metal traces that lead to water and air pollution. This makes it fall under the class of hazardous wastes. Another point to keep in mind is its large volume production. Every unit of copper made during smelting results in two units of slag in the refinery.
