Industrial catalysts play a crucial role in 90% of all commercially produced chemical products. For example, copper-containing catalyst are used in many of the large chemical processes, such as in the production of methanol and ammonia.
Once the copper catalyst is exhausted during its useful application, ShoreMet can recover the copper content and remanufacture new copper chemicals that can be used to manufacture new products (including new catalyst). Typical copper chemicals produced by ShoreMet from exhausted copper catalyst include copper carbonate, copper chloride, copper oxide, copper nitrate, copper sulfate and copper ammonium carbonate.
Animal Nutrients
Copper is an essential trace element that is required for plant, animal, and human health. It is a critical nutrient necessary for the proper growth, development, and maintenance of bone, tissue, brain, heart, and many other body organs. Copper also stimulates the immune system to fight infections, to repair injured tissues and to promote healing. ShoreMet produces high purity copper chemicals as a raw material that can be used in the production of animal feed nutrients.
Wood Preservation
Insects and mold can damage wood over time. Treating wood with wood preservatives can prevent wood from rotting. Treated wood is commonly used to build telephone poles, road signs, and marine pilings, as well as decks, play structures, and raised garden beds. ShoreMet produces copper compounds as a raw material that can be used in the production of wood treating chemicals.
Surface Plating
Copper plating is an electro-chemical process, in which a layer of copper is deposited on the metallic surface through the use of electric current. Benefits of copper plating includes corrosion protection, surface wear resistance, coated products ductility and precision engineering applications (i.e., printed circuit boards). ShoreMet produces high purity copper chemicals as a raw material that can be used in the production surface plating chemicals.
Mining Applications
Froth floatation is used to raise the low mineral concentrations in ores (i.e., ~1.0% copper) to concentrations that can be more economically processed. A concentration of 25–30% is suitable for economical smelting of copper. Once copper-containing ore is mined and crushed, liquid is added to make it a slurry. The slurry is a mix of valuable copper ore minerals and “worthless” rock, called gangue. A process called froth floatation, using chemical frothing reagents, is used to separate the copper minerals from the gangue. ShoreMet produces all grades of copper chemicals, such as copper sulfate, that can be used in mining froth flotation.
