Eero Mäkinen (1886-1953), a pioneer of the Finnish mining industry and one of the key inventors of flash smelting, has been inducted into the National Mining Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony took place in Denver, Colo., on November 2.
Mäkinen played an important role in the development of the modern mining industry in Finland. During his career, he made significant contributions to mining education, research and technology. Mäkinen led Outokumpu as its CEO for three decades, bringing the company to global recognition, and established institutions for mining and metallurgical engineers.
Notably, Mäkinen contributed to the invention of flash smelting, an energy-efficient process for extracting metals like copper and nickel from concentrate. The groundbreaking technology was first implemented at Outokumpu in Harjavalta, Finland, and has since received the status of Best Available Technique by the EU; it has also been awarded ASM Historical Landmark status.
“Flash smelting is one of the cleanest smelting technologies available, and Eero’s legacy continues to shape the mining industry. As we speak, the same technology, but on a much larger scale, is being commissioned in Indonesia at the world’s largest single-line copper smelter,” said Jyrki Makkonen, vice president, Smelting, Metso. “Metso and Outokumpu share a long history together, and we are pleased and honored that Eero and flash smelting will be featured in the National Mining Hall of Fame.”
“We are extremely proud that our Eero Mäkinen has been so recognized for his contribution by the National Mining Hall of Fame. The same spirit of innovation is still evident at Outokumpu, as it was when Flash Smelting was first invented – not only was it totally new but an energy-efficient process to tackle the energy challenges in post-war Finland. Even though this technology is not part of our operations anymore, both innovation and energy efficiency continue to be embedded in our operations at Outokumpu today,” added Jukka Sieppi, vice president, Core Stainless Technology, Outokumpu. “Flash Smelting was the start of our technology division, which is today part of Metso, and we are proud of the shared history and continued cooperation.”
Mäkinen, the first Finnish inductee to the hall of fame, will be joining notable figures such as Alfred Nobel, President Herbert Hoover and Ellen Richards.
Source: Metso