Cuprum Metals
Cuprum Metals develops patented leaching technology for sustainable copper and nickel extraction.
Founded
2024Cuprum Metals develops patented leaching technology for sustainable copper and nickel extraction.
Cuprum Metals' core offering is a patented chemical leaching toolkit that recovers copper from primary sulfide, secondary sulfide, oxide ores, and tailings. The process bypasses passivation by selectively oxidizing copper rather than sulfur, allowing high recovery in minutes at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
The technology is designed for integration into existing heap, vat, and agitation leaching circuits, requiring only a tank for lixiviant preparation. It can also be applied to tailings using agitation or agglomerated pad systems.
Copper demand is expected to grow as electrification, renewable energy, and electric vehicle adoption accelerate. Primary copper sulfide ores account for the majority of global copper deposits, but these ores have historically resisted efficient leaching, leaving significant value stranded.
Cuprum Metals' technology targets this supply gap by offering a faster, lower-energy, and less water-intensive pathway to recover copper from difficult ores and previously processed tailings, potentially expanding recoverable resources across the industry.
Cuprum Metals' leaching technology bypasses the passivation layer on copper sulfide ores, allowing direct oxidation of copper in preference to sulfur. This enables leaching to occur in minutes rather than days, without relying on rock-eating microbes or iron-oxidizing bacteria.
The process operates at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, reducing energy and water use compared with conventional methods. The company reports copper recovery rates above 93% in 30 minutes under ambient conditions, with water recycled and no toxic chemicals remaining in the residual matter.