Flash smelting
![Development of flash smelting in the copper industry, related to the number of smelters using this technology.](/Images/godic/202501/13/Evolution_copper_smelting.svg0843.png")
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Flash smelting (Finnish:Liekkisulatus) is a smelting process for sulfur-containing ores including chalcopyrite. The process was developed by Outokumpu in Finland and first applied at the Harjavalta plant in 1949 for smelting copper ore. It has also been adapted for nickel and lead production.