UrBC, Yekaterinburg, June 17, 2016. Karabashmed (a member enterprise of Russian Copper Company) stopped using its Ausmelt furnace on June 1 in order to give it a scheduled overhaul, the company press service reports.

The goal is to have the furnace gas condenser completely retooled and upgraded, which will require over 650,000 kg of new metal frames.

Ausmelt furnace was launched in 2006, replacing the obsolete and outdated shaft furnaces. This was a major stage in the company’s overall retooling process, with Russian Copper Company spending some 16bn RUR on upgrades, renovations, and environmental impact reduction altogether.

Apart from the gas condenser, the furnace will get a new mantle, lining, copper water-cooling units, and roof arch as well as an updated charge-sequencing system.