yazawa internacional simposium in the tms annual meeting minerals metals & materials society 3 6 march 2003 san diego california usa chilean copper metallurgical industry an update a valenzuela 1 j palacios 2 d cordero m sánchez 4 comission santiago chile avalenzu cochilco cl university of atacama copiapó jpalacio demet uda codelco el teniente división rancagua dcordero tte concepción msanchez udec abstract during last years has been largest producer either as concentrates or cathodes obtained via pyrometallurgy is produced by seven smelters which have carried out modernization plans to increase smelting capacity achieve environmental regulations established legislation thus present work updates technological innovations and presents solutions for so handling particulate matter arsenic also authors emphasize important role most state owned company developing technologies such converter slag cleaning furnace introduction 1990 s experienced economic growth mostly due mining spite