Aurubis has begun construction of an air separation unit (ASU) at its recycling site in North Rhine-Westphalia. With an investment of around € 40 million, the company is increasing the efficiency of local production and reducing its dependence on external suppliers. This proven technology is already being used successfully at other large Aurubis sites such as Hamburg (Germany) and Pirdop (Bulgaria).
The new plant at the Lünen site will play a central role in the production processes by splitting air into its main components, primarily oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N2). Both gases are essential for copper production and can be produced directly on site in future.
This in-house production offers numerous advantages: The oxygen produced on site will be almost 100% pure and therefore of a higher quality than the gases currently purchased. This will make it possible to reduce oxygen consumption without compromising the production volume of copper.
Strengthening Germany as a recycling hub
The in-house oxygen production on site eliminates the need for external deliveries of liquid oxygen in large tanks. As a result, up to 3,000 lorry journeys and the energy-intensive conversion of liquid oxygen into gas can be avoided every year. This not only helps to reduce the volume of traffic, but also cuts emissions in the region.
With the new plant, Aurubis can reduce its CO₂ emissions (Scope 3) by up to 8,500 tonnes per year. This corresponds to the annual CO₂ emissions of around 1,800 German households and represents an important step towards more sustainable production.
‘As one of the largest multi-metal recycling sites in Europe, Aurubis Lünen is a cornerstone of the circular economy. The construction of our own air separation plant secures our long-established site in North Rhine-Westphalia and strengthens our core business. We will continue to produce recycled metals in Lünen in the future - metals that are of crucial importance for the energy transition and industry in Germany and Europe,’ emphasises Inge Hofkens, COO Multimetal Recycling.
More reliable production from 2026
‘I am delighted that we will soon have our own air separation plant here on the site in Lünen. We have had good experience with this technology at other sites,’ adds Verena von Weiss, Plant Manager at Aurubis Lünen. ‘By producing our own oxygen and nitrogen on site, we will be able to avoid price fluctuations and possible supply bottlenecks from external partners from 2026 and make our production more reliable and efficient.’
Messer Industriegase GmbH, a specialist in air separation plants, will be responsible for the planning and construction of the plant. Construction is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
