Overview

Grade A Cathodes via SX/EW

United Metals stands as a leader in copper cathode production, leveraging cutting-edge hydrometallurgical technology and sustainable practices to deliver high-purity copper for global markets. With operational facilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, we harness advanced Solvent Extraction and Electrowinning (SX/EW) processes to deliver top-grade copper efficiently and responsibly.

Our cathodes meet the Cu-CATH-1 Grade A standard under BS EN 1978:2022, ASTM B115-10 (USA), and China GB/T 467-2010 — accepted across the world's major copper-consuming markets. Produced at our Copperbelt and Central African operations, every cathode is certified with full mill documentation and origin traceability.

The SX/EW route offers a more environmentally conscious alternative to traditional smelting — operating without the high-temperature emissions of conventional pyrometallurgy while delivering cathode purity comparable or superior to electrorefined copper.

Production Method

The SX/EW Process

The Solvent Extraction and Electrowinning (SX/EW) process is a hydrometallurgical technique employed to extract copper from ores, offering an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional smelting. Approximately 20% of global copper production utilises the SX/EW process. Copper remains in either an aqueous or organic environment throughout the process until it is reduced to its metallic form at the electrowinning stage.

01
H₂SO₄ + CuO → CuSO₄ + H₂O
Stage One
Leaching
Copper ore is treated with a weak sulfuric acid solution, dissolving copper into a Pregnant Leach Solution (PLS). Heap leaching is deployed for oxide ore bodies, percolating acid through crushed ore stacked on lined pads to improve recovery rates from lower-grade deposits.
H₂SO₄ irrigation · Heap or vat · PLS generated
02
Cu²⁺ (aq) → Cu²⁺ (org) → Cu²⁺ (EW)
Stage Two
Solvent Extraction
The PLS is mixed with an organic extractant in mixer-settlers, selectively pulling copper ions from impurities. The copper ion is exchanged for a hydrogen ion, restoring the raffinate's acidity for recycling to the leach pad. The rich organic phase is stripped with strong acid to produce a pure, concentrated electrolyte.
Selective extraction · Raffinate recycled · Pure electrolyte
03
Cu²⁺ + 2e⁻ → Cu⁰ (cathode)
Stage Three
Electrowinning
The purified electrolyte is pumped into electrowinning tankhouses where direct electrical current plates copper ions onto stainless steel or titanium blanks, producing dense, smooth, high-purity copper cathode sheets. Cathodes are stripped, washed, weighed, and stacked ready for export.
~3–4 kWh/kg · 99.99% Cu · 125 kg sheets
8 MJ/kg
EW Energy — Copper Produced
3–4 kWh/kg
EW vs 1.5 MJ/kg Electrorefining
20 %
Global Copper via SX/EW
0 SO₂
No Smelting Emissions
Why SX/EW

Advantages of the Process

The SX/EW route delivers tangible environmental, economic, and operational advantages over conventional smelting — making it the preferred production pathway for oxide ore bodies and the growing base of secondary copper sources.

Environmental & Technical
Economic & Operational
Minimal Effluents
Significantly more environmentally friendly than smelting — no SO₂ gas emissions, no slag, no converter gases. Liquid streams are fully contained in closed-loop circuits, minimising environmental impact and regulatory exposure.
High Purity Output
Cathode purity is comparable or superior to electrorefined copper — consistently achieving 99.99% Cu (Cu-CATH-1), certified under BS EN 1978:2022, ASTM B115-10, and GB/T 467-2010 standards.
Tailings & Waste Processing
Facilitates processing of previously uneconomical waste materials and tailings deposits — converting environmental liabilities into copper production assets. Also enables recovery from historical dump leach stockpiles.
Lower Energy vs Smelting
Consumes significantly less energy than froth flotation concentration followed by conventional smelting. Eliminates the high-temperature pyrometallurgical energy demand, reducing both operating cost and carbon footprint per tonne of copper produced.
Contained Liquid Streams
All process liquids — PLS, raffinate, electrolyte — circulate within lined, bunded systems. Spill containment infrastructure and automated leak detection ensure zero uncontrolled release to the environment.
Heap Leach Synergy
Further enhanced when combined with heap leaching and agglomeration — extending the process to finely crushed oxide ores that would otherwise be uneconomical, and enabling processing of new ore bodies at a smaller operational scale.
Lower Capital Cost
Significantly lower capital costs compared to traditional smelting operations — no smelter, no converter, no gas cleaning plant. Modular SX/EW tankhouses can be constructed and commissioned rapidly at a fraction of a greenfield smelter's capital requirement.
Low-Grade Ore Viability
Economically viable for lower-grade oxide ore bodies and smaller-scale operations that cannot justify smelter feed — unlocking copper resources that would otherwise remain stranded. Viable at ore grades from 0.3% Cu upward.
Reduced Smelter Dependency
Reduces reliance on third-party smelters, eliminating Treatment Charges (TC) and Refining Charges (RC) — and the exposure to smelter benchmark negotiations that erode concentrate producer margins in challenging TC/RC environments.
New Ore Body Enablement
Enables profitable processing of previously uneconomical ore deposits — remote, small, or low-grade — providing a strategic pathway for resource development in areas where smelter access is limited or prohibitively expensive.
Scalable Operations
Modular SX/EW plant design allows capacity to be scaled in increments matching ore reserve development — avoiding stranded capital investment and enabling organic growth as geological confidence increases and market conditions evolve.
Direct Cathode Output
Produces LME-deliverable Grade A cathodes directly — no further processing required. This eliminates the handling, transport, and refining steps associated with concentrate-to-smelter-to-refinery supply chains, compressing lead times and improving buyer certainty.
Physical Format

Pallet Configuration & Dimensions

United Metals' copper cathodes are produced to the LME standard sheet format and palletised for safe, efficient sea freight and warehouse handling. Each pallet is configured for standard EUR-pallet logistics infrastructure.

Top View — Base Layer (2×2 arrangement)
Sheet
914mm
Sheet
914mm
Sheet
914mm
Sheet
914mm
Stack Elevation — 5 Layers
L5
L4
L3
L2
L1
20 sheets · 2,500 kg ±25 kg total payload
Pallet Configuration Data
914mm
Sheet Dimensions
914 × 914 × 12 mm per cathode sheet — LME standard dimensions. Oxygen-free, smooth-surface electrowon copper.
125kg
Sheet Weight
125 kg ±1% per sheet. Consistent within LME delivery tolerances. Weighed and certified at point of production.
16 sh
Sheets per Bundle
16 sheets strapped on wooden pallets in batches of 2 metric tons. EUR-pallet (1,200 × 1,000 mm) base with 2×2 sheet arrangement.
2.5MT
Total Payload (20-sheet config)
5-layer stack (20 sheets) achieves 2,500 kg ±25 kg. Shrink-wrapped and steel-strapped for container or breakbulk ocean freight.
Production Origins

Sourced from Four Countries

Our copper cathode production is distributed across four strategic territories — spanning the Central and Southern African Copperbelts and South Asia — providing supply-chain redundancy and year-round availability.

🇨🇩
Africa — Central
DR Congo
Central African Copperbelt SX/EW operations. Sediment-hosted stratiform deposits. Large-scale electrowinning tankhouses in Katanga province.
🇿🇲
Africa — Southern
Zambia
Southern Copperbelt operations. Combined SX/EW and electrorefinery capacity. Major copper-producing province with established export infrastructure.
🇿🇼
Africa — Southern
Zimbabwe
Emerging copper production from oxide ore bodies in the Great Dyke corridor. SX/EW plant capacity supporting copper and gold operations.
🇮🇳
Asia
India
Electrorefining and copper processing operations. Regional hub for South Asian and Middle Eastern market distribution. Full export documentation support.
Market Intelligence

Market Insight

The global copper cathode market is underpinned by structural demand growth from electrification, grid infrastructure, and the accelerating energy transition — with SMM Grade 1 cathode prices tracking global supply-demand fundamentals in real time.

Market Growth · 2023–2028
$8.32B
Projected absolute increase in the global copper cathode market between 2023 and 2028, driven by EV adoption, grid upgrades, and renewable energy infrastructure build-out.
Industry Forecast · 2024
CAGR · 2023–2028
5.82%
Estimated compound annual growth rate for the global copper cathode market through 2028 — one of the strongest structural growth profiles in the base metals complex.
Market Forecast · 2023–2028
SMM 1# Cathode · Feb 2025
$13,000/mt
SMM 1# Copper Cathode average price USD 13,000/mt (range: 13,000–13,500 USD/mt) as reported by Shanghai Metal Market, February 2025.
SMM · Feb 2025

Our Promise

At United Metals, we stand by our commitment to delivering high-quality copper cathodes through innovation, sustainability, and precision. By maintaining rigorous quality standards and fostering responsible mining practices, we ensure our products consistently exceed customer expectations.

Partner with United Metals — your trusted source for premium Grade A copper cathodes. Contact us today to explore bulk supply agreements, custom delivery schedules, and technical specifications tailored to your production requirements.

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