Sulfur dioxide is produced by the copper smelter. The smelter converts the copper-bearing minerals in the concentrate produced in the flotation plant to copper metal.
The sulfur dioxide is not released to the atmosphere, but instead is captured and converted in the acid plant to make sulfuric acid. All the sulfuric acid produced is used in the tailings leach process. Extra sulfuric acid is required, and this is manufactured in the acid plant from sulfur imported to the mine site.
Sulfuric acid is manufactured here and used to leach residual copper and uranium from ore. The acid is made from both sulfur (yellow stockpiles visible in the photo) and captured sulfur dioxide gas from smelting of copper.
