As the global energy transition accelerates, copper has solidified its status as a strategic mineral, presenting Australia with a unique opportunity to expand its domestic production capacity. However, the mineralogical complexity of the concentrate presents a significant challenge to efficient extraction and refining. Impurities (eg Ag, As, Au, Bi, Co, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Te and Zn) present in the concentrate persist through smelting and remain in the anode copper. Consequently, the removal of these elements, particularly lead (Pb), is critical because it directly determines the quality of anode copper and its suitability for downstream electrorefining. In parallel, the world’s growing interest in processing secondary resources, particularly electronic waste, within existing smelting infrastructure has introduced additional complexity to impurity management due to broader and more variable feed compositions. The present study evaluates potential strategies for reducing the Pb content of the anode copper, a framework has been developed to evaluate and optimise furnace operations to run the plant-scale trials more efficiently. This framework combines advanced thermodynamic-based process modelling (digital twin) with targeted experimental validation of the thermodynamic model. Developed using FactSage 8.3, the digital twin models the multi-stage oxidation and reduction cycles of a rotary anode furnace while incorporating industrial calibration parameters-such as oxygen efficiency and metal entrainment—to reflect the real operations deviations from equilibrium conditions. The model is supported by kinetic and equilibrium investigations conducted at the Pyrometallurgy Innovation Laboratory (PYROSEARCH), providing insights into slag-blister copper interactions and lead partitioning. The present study revealed that a modified strategy involving targeted silica (SiO2) fluxing and enhanced slag skimming can effectuate further reduction of the Pb concentration in the anode copper, compared to the current industrial practices wherein the slag is not efficiently managed. This research provides a pathway for metallurgical facilities to understand the removal of complex impurities, securing Australia’s ability to process its unique mineral wealth and reinforcing its capability in the global critical minerals supply chain.