a plant where metals are melted to remove impurities.
Any metallurgical operation in which metal is separated by fusion from those impurities with which it may be chemically combined or physically mixed, such as in ores. The smelting process is distinct from roasting, sintering, fire refining and other pyrometallurgical operations. The two most important operations are reduction smelting which produces molten metal and molten slag and matte smelting which produces molten matte and molten slag. Slag is a waste product and matte is the resulting metallic sulphide mixture containing the valuable minerals (e.g., copper, lead, nickel, etc.), ready for refining.
A processing plant which produces crude metal by treating mine feed (concentrate) or residues. In the case of aluminium a smelter produces refined metal from alumina.
A plant where concentrates are processed into an upgraded product.
A metallurgical complex in which material is melted in order to separate impurities from pure metal.
A thermal processing operation where metals and other materials are separated.
A building or complex in which material is melted to be separated from impurities.
An individual or firm which wins metals from cores, or which melts, treats or refines scrap metals and alloys for further use.
In extractive metallurgy, a smelter is a factory for producing metal by the reduction of ore.