Regulations last checked for updates: Jun 16, 2024

Title 40 - Protection of Environment last revised: Jun 13, 2024
§ 63.1459 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Terms used in this subpart are defined in the Clean Air Act, in § 63.2, and in this section as follows:

Anode refining department means the area at a primary copper smelter in which anode copper refining operations are performed. Emission sources in the anode refining department include anode refining furnaces and utility vessels.

Baghouse means a control device that collects particulate matter by filtering the gas stream through bags. A baghouse is also referred to as a “fabric filter.”

Bag leak detection system means a system that is capable of continuously monitoring relative particulate matter (dust) loadings in the exhaust of a baghouse in order to detect bag leaks and other upset conditions. A bag leak detection system includes, but is not limited to, an instrument that operates on triboelectric, light scattering, transmittance or other effect to continuously monitor relative particulate matter loadings.

Batch copper converter means a Peirce-Smith converter or Hoboken converter in which copper matte is oxidized to form blister copper by a process that is performed in discrete batches using a sequence of charging, blowing, skimming, and pouring.

Blowing means the operating mode for a batch copper converter during which air or oxygen-enriched air is injected into the molten converter bath.

Bypass stack means a device used for discharging combustion gases to avoid severe damage to the air pollution control device or other equipment and conduct planned maintenance safely in accordance with the work practice standard in § 63.1444(q). The use of a bypass stack during a performance test of a process or control device will invalidate the test.

Capture system means the collection of components used to capture gases and fumes released from one or more emission points, and to convey the captured gases and fumes to a control device. A capture system may include, but is not limited to, the following components as applicable to a given capture system design: duct intake devices, hoods, enclosures, ductwork, dampers, manifolds, plenums, and fans.

Charging means the operating mode for a batch copper converter during which molten or solid material is added into the vessel.

Control device means the air pollution control equipment used to collect particulate matter and other emissions from a gas stream.

Converting vessel means a furnace, reactor, or other type of vessel in which copper matte is oxidized to form blister copper.

Copper concentrate dryer means a vessel in which copper concentrates are heated in the presence of air to reduce the moisture content of the material. Supplemental copper-bearing feed materials and fluxes may be added or mixed with the copper concentrates fed to a copper concentrate dryer.

Copper concentrate feed means the mixture of copper concentrate, secondary copper-bearing materials, recycled slags and dusts, fluxes, and other materials blended together for feeding to the smelting vessel.

Copper converter department means the area at a primary copper smelter in which the copper converters are located. This could include a batch copper converter or other type of copper converter, such as a continuous copper converter.

Copper matte means a material predominately composed of copper and iron sulfides produced by smelting copper ore concentrates.

Deviation means any instance in which an affected source subject to this subpart, or an owner or operator of such a source:

(1) Fails to meet any requirement or obligation established by this subpart including, but not limited to, any emission limitation (including any operating limit) or work practice standard;

(2) Fails to meet any term or condition that is adopted to implement an applicable requirement in this subpart and that is included in the operating permit for any affected source required to obtain such a permit; or

(3) Fails to meet any emission limitation (including any operating limit) or work practice standard in this subpart during startup, shutdown, or malfunction, regardless of whether or not such failure is permitted by this subpart.

Emission limitation means any emission limit, opacity limit, operating limit, or visible emission limit.

Fugitive dust material means copper concentrate, dross, reverts, slag, speiss, or other solid copper-bearing materials.

Fugitive dust source means a stationary source of particulate matter emissions resulting from the handling, storage, transfer, or other management of fugitive dust materials where the source is not associated with a specific process, process vent, or stack. Examples of a fugitive dust source include, but are not limited to, on-site roadways used by trucks transporting copper concentrate, unloading of materials from trucks or railcars, outdoor material storage piles, and transfer of material to hoppers and bins.

Holding means the operating mode for a batch copper converter or a holding furnace associated with a smelting vessel during which the molten bath is maintained in the vessel but no blowing or smelting is performed nor is material added into or removed from the vessel.

New copper converter system means the copper matte is oxidized and forms copper blister by a process that is performed continuously. This system may include a flash smelting furnace, flash converting furnace, secondary gas system, a rotary dryer, anode area, matte grinding plant, hydrometallurgical plant and possibly an acid plant.

Opacity means the degree to which emissions reduce the transmission of light.

Particulate matter means any finely divided solid or liquid material, other than uncombined water, as measured by the specific reference method.

Pouring means the operating mode for a batch copper converter during which molten copper is removed from the vessel.

Primary copper smelter means any installation or any intermediate process engaged in the production of copper from copper sulfide ore concentrates through the use of pyrometallurgical techniques.

Responsible official means responsible official as defined in 40 CFR 70.2.

Roofline vents means an exhaust system designed to evacuate process fugitive emissions that collect in the roofline area of various process buildings (e.g., smelting building roof vents, converter building roof vents, etc.).

Secondary gas system means a capture system that collects the gases and fumes released when removing and transferring molten materials from one or more vessels using tapping ports, launders, and other openings in the vessels. Examples of molten material include, but are not limited to: Copper matte, slag, and blister copper.

Skimming means the batch copper converter operating mode during which molten slag is removed from the vessel.

Slag cleaning vessel means a vessel that receives molten copper-bearing material and the predominant use of the vessel is to separate this material into molten copper matte and slag layers.

Smelting vessel means a furnace, reactor, or other type of vessel in which copper ore concentrate and fluxes are smelted to form a molten mass of material containing copper matte and slag. Other copper-bearing materials may also be charged to the smelting furnace.

TEQ means the international method of expressing toxicity equivalents for dioxins/furans as defined in EPA/100/R-10/005 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14). The Toxic Equivalency 49 Factors (TEFs) used to determine the dioxin and furan TEQs are listed in table 3 to this subpart.

Work practice standard means any design, equipment, work practice, or operational standard, or combination thereof, that is promulgated pursuant to section 112(h) of the Clean Air Act.

authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401
source: 57 FR 61992, Dec. 29, 1992, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 40 CFR 63.1459