5.Raw copper

Process for producing raw copper continuously in one stage from sulfidic copper concentrates and ores containing impurities such as lead, antimony, bismuth and arsenic, by feeding finely-divided copper concentrate and ore and oxygen or oxygen-enriched air into the upper part of the reaction zone to produce a suspension in the reaction zone, the suspension being fed, at a high temperature, downwards in the reaction zone in order to cause the suspension to impinge against the melt below the reaction zone, while the gases and flying dusts are directed aside, the flying dusts being possibly recycled into the upper part of the reaction zone, and slag and raw copper, which is recovered, are separated from the melt, wherein so much oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is fed into the reaction shaft in proportion to the copper concentrate and ore that the concentrate and ore is oxidized in the reaction zone to such a degree that a melt containing only raw copper and slag is produced below the reaction zone.