▁were ▁brought ▁together ▁as ▁the ▁Isa K idd ▁Technology ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁when ▁X str ata ▁bought ▁Fal con bridge . ▁ ▁The ▁Isa K idd ▁Technology ▁now ▁domin ates ▁global ▁co pper ▁ref ining . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁lic ensed ▁to ▁ 1 0 2 ▁users ▁and ▁X str ata ▁Technology , ▁which ▁mark ets ▁the ▁technology , ▁reports ▁on ▁its ▁website ▁a ▁total ▁installed ▁capacity ▁of ▁some ▁ 1 2 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁per ▁year ▁( “ t / y ” ) ▁of ▁co pper ▁production , ▁as ▁of ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁This ▁is ▁about ▁ 6 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁estimated ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁global ▁ref ined ▁co pper ▁production ▁of ▁ 1 9 . 7 ▁million ▁t onnes . ▁ ▁The ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁Isa K idd ▁technology ▁allowed ▁increased ▁product ivity , ▁reduced ▁operating ▁costs ▁and ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁consistent , ▁high - quality ▁c ath ode ▁co pper . ▁ ▁History ▁of ▁the ▁Development ▁of ▁the ▁Isa K idd ▁Technology ▁ ▁The ▁old ▁way ▁of ▁elect r ore f ining ▁co pper ▁( pre - 1 9 7 8 ) ▁ ▁The ▁process ▁of ▁elect r ore f ining ▁co pper ▁consists ▁of ▁placing ▁a ▁co pper ▁an ode ▁( about ▁ 9 9 . 5 – 9 9 . 7 % ▁pure ▁co pper ) ▁in ▁sul fur ic ▁acid , ▁together ▁with ▁a ▁c ath ode , ▁and ▁passing ▁a ▁current ▁between ▁the ▁an ode