Technology Breakthrough Empowers Green Development: Kunming Metallurgical Research Institute Leads Award-Winning Project

It was recently learned that the project "Key Technologies and Applications for Collaborative Disposal and Resource Recovery of Typical Copper, Lead and Zinc Solid Wastes", led by Kunming Metallurgical Research Institute Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Kunming Metallurgical Research Institute"), won the First Prize of the 2025 Environmental Technology Progress Award issued by the China Environmental Protection Industry Association. This achievement not only sets an industry benchmark and plays a demonstration and leading role in the collaborative disposal and resource utilization of non-ferrous metal smelting solid wastes, but also marks an important technological breakthrough in China's green development and resource recycling in the copper, lead and zinc industry, injecting strong momentum into the high-quality development of the industry.

As an important part of the non-ferrous metal industry, the copper, lead and zinc smelting industry needs to solve various development challenges to promote green and low-carbon transformation. To this end, Kunming Metallurgical Research Institute took the initiative to take the lead, joined hands with multiple relevant enterprises and universities, relied on China's complete copper-lead-zinc industrial chain advantages, followed the technical idea of "source reduction - process control - end utilization", and focused on technological research and innovation practices.

After continuous efforts, the research team has successfully developed a series of core new technologies, including enhanced smelting technology for collaborative mixing of copper-containing slag and primary concentrate, key technology for collaborative disposal of zinc-containing slag in lead smelting, and efficient separation and high-value utilization technology of germanium, copper and sulfur from copper, lead and zinc smelting slag. Based on these innovative technologies, the team has built a new model for collaborative disposal of copper-lead-zinc smelting solid wastes, created a characteristic "metallurgical symbiosis network", and successfully realized efficient collaborative disposal and resource recycling of copper, lead and zinc smelting slag, providing a practical and replicable technical solution for the green transformation of the copper, lead and zinc industry.

This award is an important achievement of Kunming Metallurgical Research Institute's consistent adherence to the "technology-driven" development direction, continuous dedication to technological R&D, and full efforts to tackle industry challenges, demonstrating the institute's technical strength and innovation capability in the field of non-ferrous metal solid waste resource utilization. The innovative technological achievements of the project also provide strong technical support for relevant solid waste comprehensive management initiatives, helping to promote the coordinated development of resource recycling and ecological environmental protection.

In the future, Kunming Metallurgical Research Institute will continue to focus on the field of resource recycling of metallurgical solid wastes in the non-ferrous metal industry, continuously deepen technological R&D and achievement transformation, constantly break through core technical bottlenecks, and contribute more high-quality and high-level technological achievements to the construction of "Green and Low-Carbon New Chinalco", as well as to the green and low-carbon transformation of China's non-ferrous metal industry and the development of resource recycling cause.