Characterization and Upgrading of Ore Based Steelmaking Sludges

The cost of raw material and energy is a continuing driving force towards working with increasing the recycling of ore based steelmaking residues. In Sweden no on-site sinter plants are operated at the integrated steelworks. Instead, selected residues from the plant are incorporated in a cold bonded briquette product which is recycled to the process via the blast furnace (BF). Since the BF sludge is the major bleed of zinc out of the furnace it is required to be de-zinced prior to recycling in the briquette product. In the present work landfilled BF sludge has been characterized with respect to chemical composition, particle size distribution, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sludge was also subjected to laboratory scale hydrocyclone trials aiming at reducing the zinc content making the sludge viable for recycling. The results suggested that the sludge had been agglomerated prior to the characterization and hydrocyclone treatment. The zinc removal using the hydrocyclone was discussed.