Pure CuRE (Pure Copper Resource Efficiency)

Project Pure CuRE (Pure Copper Resource Efficiency) is an ambitious and innovative c£1M project that aims to develop a UK-based manufacturing supply chain for recycling waste copper and converting it into high purity copper powder feedstock for high value applications. The project addresses the challenge of impurities in copper waste, resulting in down grading of material properties. This project will develop a large-scale refining process so that the copper can be converted into high purity feedstock with similar properties of copper manufactured from virgin sources. This high purity metal can be used in applications, where high purity copper is required, such as civil nuclear and fusion energy components, enabling the reduction of emissions from energy generation. The project also addresses the lack of copper supply within the UK by developing a circular process which means waste copper can be converted into high value sustainable feedstock without it needing to leave the UK. The project is a collaboration between Aeramine, an SME with innovative metal refining technology, Phoenix Scientific Industries Ltd, a specialist in vacuum-inert gas atomisation for the production of high quality metal powders, and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult centre, Manufacturing Technology Centre, who bring expertise on powder metallurgy technology and home to the National Centre for Additive Manufacturing.