Deyuan's 10,000 t/yr hydrometallurgical copper plant goes into production

In May 2025, Deyuan's 10,000-tonne-per-year hydrometallurgical copper plant in Zambia officially went into production — a milestone that moves Deyuan from reagent supplier to plant operator.

The plant runs a solvent extraction–electrowinning (SX-EW) circuit to produce copper cathode, the very process our extractants were designed to serve.

Building and operating our own plant gives us something no catalogue can: first-hand proof of how our chemistry performs in a live circuit, and a reference project that demonstrates our full metallurgical capability — from process design and reagent supply through to commissioning and production.

The plant runs on our own DY984N copper extractant, closing the loop between the reagents we manufacture and the copper we produce. It stands as a working demonstration for customers across Africa and beyond.