November 14, 2023 - Miguel Palacios, Senior Vice President of Business Development-Atlantic Copper, has been awarded the Flash Technology Ambassador Medal by industry giant Metso in recognition of his contributions to the development and use of that technology. Palacios, who until 2022 was Freeport-McMoRan’s Vice President of Smelting and Refining, is the third person to receive the medal.

The Ambassador Medal was awarded during the farewell dinner of the 16th International Flash Smelting Congress, held in Huelva, Spain, where Atlantic Copper’s smelter is located. Palacios – a third-generation smelter professional – highlighted the importance of the implementation of the flash technology at Atlantic Copper, calling it a "revolutionary change in the efficiency of the smelting process at the Huelva plant."

The decision to change from shaft furnaces to Outotec flash technology at the Huelva smelter was made in 1973 and the plant entered operation in 1975. At the time, Miguel’s father, Carlos Palacios, was Vice President and General Manager of Operations at Atlantic Copper.

"Receiving this award is an honor, and it represents recognition for those who, more than half a century ago, supported innovative technology that is still relevant today and reveals a promising future,” Palacios said during the award ceremony.

Flash smelting – a technology developed by Metso (formerly Outotec) – is the cleanest, most efficient smelting method for producing copper and nickel from sulfide concentrates, according to the company’s website. More than half of the world’s primary copper and nickel is produced using the proprietary process.

Freeport chose Metso-Outotec flash smelting and converting technology for the PT-FI Manyar Smelter being built in Gresik Regency, East Java, Indonesia.

More than 100 specialists from smelters around the world attended the conference held in the cities of Sofia and Huelva. The conference was organized by Metso in collaboration with Aurubis and Atlantic Copper. Palacios gave the Congress’ inaugural keynote titled "Metallurgical Processes and Circularity."

Photo (top right): Miguel Palacios, pictured at the company’s Miami, Ariz. smelter, during his time as Freeport’s Vice President North American Smelting and Refining.