Lünen, Germany – Aurubis, one of Europe’s largest multimetal recycling companies, has announced a significant investment of €40 million ($42.24 million) to build a new Air Separation Unit (ASU) at its Lünen facility. The new system, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2025, will increase production efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions, and strengthen the company’s position as a key player in the circular economy.
Boosting Production Efficiency with In-House Oxygen and Nitrogen
The new ASU will enable Aurubis to generate nearly 100% pure oxygen and nitrogen directly on-site, a major improvement over the current practice of relying on external suppliers for liquid oxygen deliveries. The unit will separate air into its primary components—oxygen and nitrogen—two gases that are essential for the copper production process. By producing these gases in-house, Aurubis will eliminate up to 3,000 truck deliveries annually, reducing traffic in the region and cutting emissions associated with the transport of liquid oxygen.
This shift to captive gas production will also improve process efficiency, allowing Aurubis to use less oxygen to produce the same amount of copper, thus lowering overall energy consumption and improving resource management. With higher-quality oxygen, the plant can increase the precision and efficiency of its copper refining processes.
Significant Environmental and Economic Impact
One of the key benefits of the new ASU is its potential to reduce Aurubis’s Scope 3 CO2 emissions by up to 8,500 tons per year. This reduction is equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of approximately 1,800 German households. The ASU’s impact on emissions aligns with Aurubis’s broader sustainability goals, which focus on reducing environmental impact through innovation and operational efficiency. In addition to cutting CO2 emissions, the move is expected to lower operational costs related to energy consumption and logistics.
Strengthening Long-Term Supply Chain Security
The move to in-house production of oxygen and nitrogen will also increase the reliability of the plant’s operations by mitigating risks associated with external supply disruptions. With this new ASU, Aurubis can avoid potential price fluctuations and supply bottlenecks, which are common issues when relying on external sources of industrial gases. The improved reliability will allow the company to better control its production processes and reduce the risk of delays or supply chain interruptions, making the plant more resilient to external market conditions.
Commitment to the Circular Economy and Green Transition
As one of the largest multimetal recycling sites in Europe, Aurubis Lünen plays a central role in the circular economy. The new ASU supports the company’s long-term strategy to recycle critical metals, such as copper, which are vital for the energy transition and various industrial applications across Europe. COO Inge Hofkens emphasized the importance of maintaining the Lünen plant’s competitiveness as part of Aurubis’s broader business strategy, highlighting that the site’s role in producing recycled metals will continue to be crucial for the sustainable development of the European economy.
Verena von Weiss, the Plant Manager at Aurubis Lünen, added that the company has had positive experiences with similar air separation units at other sites, and the addition of this new unit will further improve production processes. “By producing oxygen and nitrogen directly on-site, we ensure more stable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly operations,” she said.
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