Introduction. In recent decades, there has been a decrease in occupational morbidity at enterprises producing rough and refined copper, in the structure of which, nevertheless, bronchopulmonary pathology retains a leading position.The aim is to study the occupational risk of developing respiratory pathology in workers engaged in obtaining cathode copper by electrolysis and electorowinning methods, based on the study of working conditions of workplaces and clinical observation.Materials and methods. The object of the study were: Uralelectromed, V. Pyshma (UEM); Uralhydromed, Polevskoy (RMK). The subject of the study were 100 employees of the electrolysis shop of UEM – the 1st observation group; 102 people of the auxiliary workshops of UEM – the 2nd observation group; 92 workers of the extraction and electorowinning department of UGM – the 3rd observation group.Results.  During electrolytic refining of copper, the leading harmful factors with respiratory toxicity are sulfuric acid aerosol, selenium dioxide, nickel, arsenic, and during electrovinig – sulfuric acid aerosol. Violations of ventilation function and pulmonary gas exchange were observed in 21.0 % of cases in persons of the 1st and in 15.7% of cases in patients of the 3rd observation group).Discussion. Changes in the function of external respiration (FVD) were established mainly by the obstructive type, namely, an increase in RV, FRC and RV/TLC and a decrease in FEV1, VC, FEV1/VC, FEV25-75 of mild and moderate severity were noted. The bronchodilation test revealed the reversibility of bronchial obstruction in both groups 1 and 3. Obstructive disorders and dynamic hyperventilation of the lungs in copper refining workers are probably a consequence of hyperreactivity of the bronchi in response to the irritating properties of sulfur-containing gases, arsenic and nickel compounds.Conclusion. The results of the study indicate respiratory toxicity of harmful factors in workers of electrolysis and electrovining, which corresponds to a high and average occupational risk of class 3.3 and class 3.2 assessment of working conditions and the results of mandatory periodic medical examinations.

Hygienic assessment of working conditions in modern hydrometallurgical copper production has been carried out, the assessment in formation of carcinogenic risk of the workers employed in a hydrometallurgical complex of copper-containing ores in comparison with pyrometallurgical processes has been made. It is shown that in copper mining, the main factor causing a carcinogenic risk is inorganic compounds of cadmium and lead. The greatest predictive values of carcinogenic risk for metallurgical shops professions are observed in pyrometallurgical production, rather than in hydrometallurgical production, due to the difference in the equipment used. The main measure to reduce the carcinogenic hazard in obtaining cathode copper by the hydrometallurgical method should be the introduction of effective ventilation systems.

Introduction. The primary materials for copper production are sulfide copper-nickel and oxidized ores with a copper percentage of 1.5-4%, traditionally processed by the pyrometallurgical method. For processing depleted copper-containing raw materials (less than 1%), the pyrometallurgical approach is not commonly suitable. The introduced hydrometallurgical way differs by including in one production process, combined underground leaching of ore, extraction of copper from solution, and the following electrolysis. At the same time, insufficient attention is paid to the hydrometallurgical method of processing depleted copper raw materials from a hygienic standpoint in our country. Materials and methods. Based on the results of our research carried out at copper-smelting plants using pyro- and hydrometallurgical methods of processing raw materials, a comparative analysis was carried out for such indicators as the pollutants content in the workplaces’ air at different stages of production, predicted values of occupational cancer risks, toxicity indicators, and the health and essential physiological functions of workers. Results. Working under increased heat intensity in hot shops, exposure to sulfur-containing gases and industrial aerosols leads to significant changes in hemodynamics and thermoregulation stress in workers. In the hydrometallurgical production of copper, the only occupational hazard exceeding hygienic standards is sulfuric acid vapours, and changes in physiological parameters and thermoregulation are insignificant. The predicted values of occupational cancer risk for hydrometallurgical machines operators exceed the acceptable level after 9-10 years of working experience. For smelters, an unacceptable level of risk is achieved with up to 5 years of working experience. Conclusion. For the first time in the country, a hygienic assessment of the hydrometallurgical method of processing depleted copper raw materials was proved to be the only appropriate method of improving working conditions in copper production.