Scrap Copper to Copper Cathode Making Machines

The scrap copper-to-copper cathode production line is a complete set of industrial equipment designed to process scrap copper materials through crushing, sorting, leaching, and electrolytic refining, ultimately producing high-purity copper cathodes (Cu Cathode, with a purity of 99.9% or higher). It is primarily used for the recovery and recycling of electronic waste, cables, and mixed scrap copper.

I. Front-end Pre-treatment: Crushing and Sorting System

Copper Wire Recycling Machine

The first step in the entire production line is the pre-treatment of scrap copper. The core equipment includes twin-shaft shredders, shear-type shredders, and magnetic and eddy-current separation units. At this stage, scrap copper wire, motor windings, or mixed scrap are crushed into 10–50 mm particles. Iron impurities are removed via magnetic separation, whilst eddy current separation eliminates light metals such as aluminium. The objective of this stage is to initially raise the purity of the recovered copper to 85%–92%, thereby providing a stable feedstock for subsequent processes. Processing capacity typically ranges from 1 to 5 tonnes per hour and can be scaled up to higher capacities depending on the configuration.

II. Electrolytic Refining System: Copper Cathode Formation

Copper Electrolysis Machine

The purified copper solution enters the electrolytic cells for electrowinning (EW). Under the influence of direct current, copper ions are reduced and deposited on the cathode plates, forming high-purity copper cathodes. This stage constitutes the core of the entire production line. Equipment includes electrolytic cell banks, rectifier power supply systems, automatic plate stripping machines, and recirculation filtration systems. The final copper cathodes typically achieve a purity of 99.95%–99.99%, meeting industrial electrolytic copper standards. The annual production capacity of a single production line can reach 3,000–20,000 tonnes, depending on the current density and the design of the cell configuration.

The value of equipment for producing copper cathodes from scrap copper lies in transforming low-value waste into standardised industrial metal, achieving a closed-loop resource cycle whilst reducing reliance on mined copper. From an equipment perspective, the key lies not in individual machines but in the ability to integrate continuous systems and the level of automated control.