Yangtze River Stories (22): Smelters along the Yangtze River eyes eco-upgrades and high-end products

Due to resource shortages, Tongling, the long-standing smelting city in Anhui province along the Yangtze River, has closed its outdated plants and now recycles its industrial waste and is eyeing high-end products to help boost China’s eco-friendly economy.

Closed outdated plants include Tongling Nonferrous No. 1 Smelting Plant, the first copper smelter in China, which was closed in 2008, and the renowned Jinkouling Copper Mine suspended its production in 2018.

Unlike the past, the majority of effluents—97 percent, including rainwater, production waste, and cooling water are classified and recycled in Tongling to control water pollution. Meanwhile, 19,000 tons of slag is recycled each year with foam flotation technology. Even tailings are used to make additives for premium cement.

Advanced ultra-thin lithium-ion battery copper foils and high-performance alloys have become key products.

Research and development of cutting-edge copper alloy materials has also been established in Tongling, which has become a pioneer in high-end copper alloys production. In the future, more high-end electronic devices are expected to start using domestically-produced copper alloy products.