Abstract: The invention is a process for the removal of high concentrations of impurities including antimony (Sb), bismuth (Bi), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) contained in flue dusts produced during the smelting of copper. To effect the separation, the flue dust is slurried to about 10-30 weight percent solids. Then slurry is fed to gravity separation equipment, where the lighter impurities fraction segregates from the heavier revenue metals fraction. The segregated high copper concentrate is then washed while the tailings are neutralized by lime milk, dewatered and recovered as tailings cake. The wash solution together with the thickener overflow is subjected to copper cementation to recover the dissolved copper in the solution. The lighter impurities fraction can be subjected to acid leaching in order to further recover copper therefrom.