A direct blister furnace has been successfully started up at copper major Kamoa Copper’s Kamoa Kakula copper smelter in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the first copper anodes cast at the end of December 2025. Metso announced the contract for the direct blister furnace in November 2022.

The 500 000 t/y copper production furnace is the world’s largest licensed single flash smelting furnace by copper capacity, reports original-equipment manufacturer Metso.

The direct blister furnace is engineered to produce blister copper in a single flash furnace process. It eliminates the need for separate converting stages and enables an environmentally efficient plant, according to Metso.

Metso also supplied an anode casting shop, which ensures the production of high-quality anodes with dependable performance. The scope includes an intelligent safety automation system for the furnace and digital solutions for higher-level process control, as well as advanced monitoring.

“The successful casting of the first anodes is a significant milestone for us, showcasing the professionalism and dedication of our entire team,” says Kamoa Copper MD Annebel Oosthuizen.

Metso’s delivery to the Kamoa Kakula smelter includes key equipment with advanced automation.

Metso’s “state-of-the-art” direct blister furnace and anode casting shop technologies are expected to deliver exceptional operational efficiency, supporting Kamoa Copper’s commitment to sustainable copper production, she states.

Metso offers comprehensive solutions that span the entire production chain, from concentrate processing to refined copper. Advanced Metso Plus solutions enable significant reductions in CO₂ emissions, improve energy and water efficiency, and ensure high metal recovery even from challenging raw materials.

For copper smelting, Metso provides a range of solutions, such as its Outotec Flash Smelting and Ausmelt processes, along with Lurec technology to enhance gas cleaning and sulfuric acid recovery.

Metso’s offering also includes e-Scrap smelting technologies for electronic waste recycling and a comprehensive range of shutdown and lifecycle services.