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By Stein Tore Johansen

Some ferro-silicon fumaces have heat-recovery equipment. Here, the recovery of electric energy from the off-gases can be increased by increasing the off-gas temperature. This is easily done by reducing the amount of air which usually is mixed into the off-gas to cool the gas mixture. If the off-gas becomes too hot problems with severe fouling or clogging of the gas channels? close to the fumace is observed~ The result is irregular stops to clean the off-gas channels. The paper focuses on the nature? of the clogging phenomena and some of the ways to avoid clogging. A detailed experimental study was carried out at the Elkem Thamshavn Plant. Theoretical studies were performed to understand the particle deposition, turbulent multiphase fluid flow and off gas combustion in the off-gas channels. The study has resulted in reduced clogging.

Jan 1, 1992

By D. G. Hattingh, A Els-Botes

"Considerable information is available on the factors influencing the iron-zinc reaction rate at 450° C of low carbon steels, in comparison there is a scarcity _of similar fundamental information of spheroidal graphite irons. This can be attributed to the more complex microstructure and ferrous alloy chemical analysis of spheroidal graphite irons. Hot-dip galvanizers have identified the complexity in controlling and predicting the thickness of the galvanized coating formed on commercial cast irons, which has serious financial implications for both the galvanizer and customer.Commercial hot-dip galvanizing has been in use for over 160 years and yet an elementary understanding of the dynamics associated with the hot-dip galvanizing of spheroidal graphite cast iron is still insufficient. To allow the. process to become a modem surface engineering technology, the fundamental aspects of the process must be thoroughly understood.When a clean iron or steel article is dipped into the molten zinc, zinc initially solidifies around the steel or iron. As heat is transferred to the article form the bath, this initial solidified zinc layer remelts and a series of iron-zinc alloy is formed by the reaction of the zinc with the surface of the article; on removal from the bath, some of the molten zinc is taken out on top of the alloy layers. At normal galvanizing temperature (450 °C), the reaction between iron and zinc is usually parabolic with time. The rate of reaction is rapid at first but then slows down and the coating thickness does not increase greatly if the article is immersed in the bath for longer times(1)."

Jan 1, 2000

By Kenneth N. Ham

Hydrometallurgy covers a wide spectrum of areas and its knowledge base is enlarged and enhanced by contributions from many other fields. Dissolution of metals and alloys in aqueous media will be used to illustrate how rich the field of metal extraction can be. Comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals of metal and alloy dissolution in aqueous systems requires creative application of thermodynamic principles, solutions chemistry, ligand complexation theory, electrochemistry, transport phenomena and heterogeneous kinetics. In addition, recent developments in instrumentation in the fields of interfacial phenomena and corrosion have tremendously advanced the field of metal extraction in aqueous system. The close relationship between metal extraction in aqueous systems and various physicochemical phenomena occurring in corrosion and interfacial systems will be discussed and illustrated with examples.

Jan 1, 2002

By I. Gaballah

Decontamination of synthetic solutions of PbC12 containing 10, 100 and 1000 ppm of lead, using chemically treated barks had been studied. The percentage of !cad cations' removal from solutions depends upon the pH and the initial concentration. About 99 % of the initial lead content can be removed at pH of about 3.5, 5.5 and 6.5 for initial concentrations of 10, 100 and 1000 ppm respectively. The maximum retention capacity of the treated bark is about 83 mg of lead per gram of modified bark. Bark loaded with lead had been analyzed by Infra Red spectroscopy. It seems that lead reacts with hydroxyl groups of the phenolic constituents of the bark. On the other hand, the removal of a lead cation by the bark leads to the release of two H+. This seems to show that the removal of lead could be interpreted as an ion exchange with hydrogen belonging to the hydroxyl groups of the modified bark.

Jan 1, 1994

By James R. Craig

The General Image Processing System (GIPSY) is being employed for the quantitative textural analysis of complex sulfide ores from the Southern and Central Appalachians and for the determination of liberation characteristics of the mineral constituents during grinding. Optical images from a microscope-mounted TV camera or from 35mm film are converted into digital images which are subsequently analyzed by GIPSY, a transportable image processing software package. Properties measured by GIPSY include spatial distribution of mineral constituents, grain sizes, grain shapes, grain orientation and mineral co-occurrences.

Jan 1, 1982

By Zhen Zhang, Jiang Diao, Tao Zhang, Yi Ren, Lu Jiang, Xiao-Man Yan, Bing Xie

The precipitation behavior of phosphorus enrichment phase was investigated by slag modification with Al2O3. The mineral phase of the original slag and modified slags were measured by mineral phase microscope, SEM+EDS and XRD. The mechanism of Al2O3 modification was discussed according to the thermodynamic theory analysis software (Factsage version 6.3). The results show that the high phosphorus solid solution (nˊ2CaO·SiO2-3CaO·P2O5) was generated by the continuous reaction of nC2S-C3P (nˊ＜n) solid solution and Al2O3 under 1350℃. The amount of initially precipitated solid solution (nC2S-C3P) was reduced and even disappeared with the increasing of Al2O3. If the addition of Al2O3 is enough in the slag, the high phosphorus solid solution (nˊC2S-C3P) that generated by the above mentioned reaction will continue to react with Al2O3 to produce Ca2Al2SiO7 and even C3P, which was demonstrated that the addition of Al2O3 has a positive influence on the precipitation of phosphorus enrichment phase.

Jan 1, 2015

By André Laplante

The mineralogy of the Joe Mann mine differs from that of other deposits of the Chibougamau area that are exploited by Les Mines Camchib Inc.. It is characterized by very fine first generation gold and very coarse second generation electrurn. Successful milling required adjustments of the processing flowsheet, which includes gravity, flotation, and cyanidation. A study of coarse gold liberation in the gravity/grinding circuit is described. Modifications to the flotation circuit and the reconditioning of a small capacity cyanidation circuit are presented. As a result of the circuit modifications, gold recovery increased from 65 to 81% in flotation and cyanidation. Overall gold recovery increased from 77% to 88-89%. These improvements are mostly attibutable to the recovery of -10 urn gold, whose presence in the Joe Mann ore and original circuit tails had been identified by process mineralogy.

Jan 1, 1989

By Dale W. Collins

The disposal of arsenic from copper operations possess various health, environmental and processing problems. There are basically two areas of concern. The first being the disposal or treatment of smelter flue dusts and the second the removal of arsenic from refinery electrolytes. A number of treatment options have been proposed including the addition of soluble arsenic wastes to copper heap and dump leaching solutions. This approach will allow arsenic to be reintroduced to the ore via Solvent Extraction (SX) raffinate associated with hydrometallurgical operations. Knowledge of the attenuation behavior and mechanism during leaching is important in determining the long term stability of arsenic and the success of this approach. Parameters, such as uptake capacity, pH, particle size and solution chemistry have been investigated. Arsenic attenuation has been examined using column leaching with experiments employing both continuous flow and pulsed additions of As(V). In the initial stages of leaching, the attenuation of arsenic appears to depend on the pH and iron concentration in the effluent. Arsenic stability in the copper oxide ore has been examined with rinses of progressively lower pH.

Jan 1, 1994

By Roland Loewen

A review of the aqua regia method for the recovery of gold from jewelry shop wastes is given. Also outlined is a specialized procedure for the recovery of the silver that occurs in these wastes. A classic method for the recovery of platinum and palladium is, given. There is a brief review of other gold and silver refining methods. Environmental conditions are discussed and a few perhaps, new and useful processes ,are mentioned. References are by author or editor and are listed alphabetically. Suggestions for further information in the field of precious metals, are given in a final list.

Jan 1, 1989

By R. Nilsson

In the present work, an assessment of the sulphide capacities of a number of binary and ternary slag systems have been carried out in the light of a sulphide capacity model. The model is based on the expression: {CS- exp (-A G °/R T) ? ao2 / fs2-} where AGO is the standard Gibbs energy change for the above reaction, ao2 is the activity of oxygen ions and f, is the activity coefficient of the sulphide ion in the slag. In the present model, the ratio (ao2/fs2) is optimized for the experimental data available in literature. The systems assessed are the binaries MnO-SiO2, CaO-SiO2, Al2O3-CaO, as well as the ternaries CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 and CaO-MnO-SiO2. In the case of all these systems, the experimental data available in literature were complemented by measurements carried out at the Division of Theoretical Metallurgy. The sulphide capacities of some FeO- containing binary, ternary and quaternary slags are also examined. The potentiality of the model to estimate the sulphide capacities of complex slag systems from binary and ternary data is demonstrated.

Jan 1, 1996

By Autumn Fjeld

The filling and solidification of an industrial scale composite casting has been simulated to investigate the re-melting of the outer shell material during casting. Production of a composite requires a two-step casting process which includes centrifugal casting of a hard outer shell material and subsequent conventional ingot casting of a tough core material into the shell-mold assembly. During casting of the core, a thin layer of the shell material re-melts and mixes with the core material producing a bonding layer of intermediate composition. The present numerical model employs the volume of fluid method and an enthalpy-porosity technique to couple the filling of the core material and re-melting of the shell material. The interface between the two materials is tracked and can be used as a guide to examine the extent of melting and, to some degree, mixing of the two fluids and species diffusion.

Jan 1, 2008

Numerical simulation of the fluid flow and heat transfer has been carried out for a waste-heat boiler in an Outokumpu type copper flash smelter. In this boiler, SO2-containing off-gas flows into the waste-heat boiler radiation section at about 1350°C. A fraction of cooler off-gas from the electrostatic precipitator at about 200°C was recirculated into the radiation section, and a small amount of ambient air was leaked into the boiler from the bottom. The computational results show that the flow is strongly recirculating and distinctly three dimensional in most of the boiler, particularly in the radiation section. The hot off-gas cooled down rapidly after entering the radiation section due to radiation. The predicted flow pattern and temperature distribution were in a good agreement with laboratory models and industrial measurements.

Jan 1, 1995

By Hector M. Henao

The FeOX-CaO-SiO2 base slag at intermediate oxygen partial pressures is very often used in non-ferrous smelting processes. This slag would also contain Al2O3 and MgO because these compounds are normal components in the ore and the refractory of a furnace. The objective of the present work is to determine the effect of Al2O3 or MgO addition on the liquidus temperatures of the plain FeOX-CaO-SiO2 slags in the atmosphere between intermediate pO2 of 10-6 and that of iron saturation at 1250 and 1300 °C. The experiments were carried out at given mass%CaO/(mass%CaO+mass%SiO2) ratios ranging from 0 to 1 and at spinel-tridimite double saturation. The experimental results show that the effect of Al2O3 or MgO addition on the plain FeOX-SiO2-CaO slag is not uniform and depends on the content of Al2O3 or MgO, the oxygen partial pressure and the mass% CaO/mass% SiO2 ratio. It is apparent that Al2O3 or MgO addition enlarges the spinel or wustite saturation area at almost all the oxygen partial pressures and temperatures of this research. The obtained phase diagrams will be useful in the metallurgical industry to assist in the selection of slag chemistry, operation condition and development of new processes.

Jan 1, 2006

By Herbert Pöllmann

Waste disposals are needed for safe deposition of different kinds of materials which can not be used as secondary raw materials. Often high contents of heavy metals must be bonded tightly to cristalline compounds to protect the environment from contamination. Therefore it is important. to find minerals which are capable to incorporate different heavy metals and protect the ground water. The power of resistance against leaching out effects of highly water-soluble salts can be increased. Mineral groups of metal hydroxy salts, ettringites, apatites, sodalites and calciumchlorosilicates and their hydrates are recommended for their formation in mineral reservoirs. Different wastes as red mud, gasification ash, garbage combustion ash and fluidized bed ashes were included in this study. The formation of different new compounds and their properties were determined.

Jan 1, 1991

By J. B. Winter

The present Inspiration Consolidated Copper Company Smelter/Acid Plant complex located near Miami, Arizona, was designed and built specifically to conform to the ambient air quality standards imposed by the Federal Clean Air Act of 1971. The present plant replaced a facility which had been in operation since 1915. The electric furnace, siphon converters and acid plant complex were commissioned in May, 1974 (1). At that time, the Plant was considered to be one of the most extensively monitored and instrumented facilities of its kind in the world. Several control areas were located in close proximity to the controlled process, in addition to so-called central control rooms in the Smelter and Acid Plant. The control rooms were staffed with officials below the foreman level. Instrumentation consisted of conventional analog devices, except for a computer used in monitoring ambient air environmental conditions and limited use of programmable logic controllers. The harsh service conditions prevalent in the plant rendered a significant portion of the instrumentation unreliable and, in many cases, inoperable. Failure of the facility to obtain the total sulfur collection for which it was designed was, in part, due to serious inadequacies in control system logic and sulfur recovery averaged 79% in the early years. After careful study of the smelting process, engineering hardware and high labor cost inherent in the organizational structure, management made a judgement decision to convert to centralized control of the process with high level supervision 24 hours per day. A distributed digital control system with supervisory arid data acquisition/information reporting computers was selected to satisfy the requirement of central control. Operations are now controlled and coordinated from a primary control room in the Smelter and a satellite control area in the Acid Plant.

Jan 1, 1983

By Ross R. Bhappu

Anticipating a major power cost increase in 1990, Cyprus Copper Company decided to modernize the Miami Smelter at a cost of $92.5 million. The modernization project included the addition of an Isasmelt vessel for use as the primary copper smelter and the modification of the existing electric furnace to a slaglmatte separating vessel. The project was completed in June of 1992 and is currently operating at close to its design capacity. This paper provides a summary of the decision making process, a description of the project, a summary of start-up problems and solutions and the current status of the smelter operation.

Jan 1, 1994

By D. V. Hughes, J. R. Nyberg

"Since 1985, a comprehensive automation system has been installed at the Outokumpu Oy Zinc Plant, Kokkola, Finland. In leaching and solution purification special sample handling equipment, on-line analyzers and instruments, and a computer-based control system with duplicated supervisory stations have been installed. The system has enabled closer control of the process and more efficient use of labor. Since its installation recovery of zinc has improved, and use of zinc dust, steam, and water have decreased. The system has performed reliably. It includes optimizing programs and process study tools, which facilitate improving process performance. An expert system has been built-up to prompt process personnel to take appropriate action on the basis of process data. In electrolysis a similar system, based on extensive monitoring of the process and of production of zinc cathodes, is used to maximize- current efficiency by maintaining optimum conditions in the process. It is planned that in the future the control systems will be integrated and extended to cover the roasting plant and effluent control.IntroductionThe Zinc PlantThe Zinc Plant of Outokumpu Oy Metallurgical Division at Kokkola, on the West Coast of Finland, has grown from a 90,000 t/a plant founded in 1969 to become, with its present capacity of 170,000 t/a, one of the world's ten largest zinc plants. Especially since the completion in 1988 of a thorough modernization programme, it is also among the world's most modern.The Kokkola plant takes its raw materials from Outokumpu's own mines, Vihanti and Pyhasalmi in Finland, and Tara in Ireland, and from outside sources. Concentrates are roasted in two Lurgi fluid-bed furnaces, and the calcine is leached and iron removed by the Conversion process. Following this copper, cobalt, and cadmium are removed, and zinc is refined by electrowinning. The leaching and purification, and the cell-house are automated under computer-based control, and anode and cathode handling in the cell-house are mechanized and fully automatic."

Jan 1, 1989

By Denise Crocce Romano Espinosa, Andrea Moura Bemardes, Jorge Alberto Soares Tenorio, Daniella Cardoso Buzzi, Tatiana Scarazzato

"In copper plating processes, a fraction of raw materials are incorporated to the final products, while other portions are discarded as effluents. In this study, the application of electrodialysis (a membrane treatment process) was studied for treatment of wastewaters from cyanide-free strike baths, in order to reuse the components of this bath: copper and HEDP. The synthetic solutions studied consider 1 % of ion concentration of the bath used in this process, simulating the rinsing waters to be discarded. The electrodialysis allowed a percentage extraction up to 73% of copper ions and 72% of HEDP from the effluent. Complexes formation between the acid and copper indicates the possibility of recovery of components in the same compartment, obtaining a concentrated solution of these substances that can be reinserted in the process, for compensating drag-out losses. A diluted solution is also obtained, that can be reused as water in rinsing tanks.IntroductionIn metal finishing industries, contaminants in wastewater and the type of treatment required are determined according to the type of operation [l]. Generally, electroplating industries employ conventional wastewater treatments, e.g. oxidation of cyanide and chemical precipitation. This stage promotes reactions with soluble compounds to produce an insoluble precipitate, removed by physical separation. The sludge is dried by press-type filters [2].In this manufacturing sector, part of the raw materials are discarded as hazardous waste. The cost of discarded compounds and the treatment and disposal of waste may compromise profit margins. In addition, water consumption per unit of production stimulates the development of methods able to recover and reuse the largest possible amount of water [3].In some plating processes, cyanide-based substances are used as complexing agents and as raw materials in form of metal salts [4]. However, the toxicity associated with cyanide has been promoting research for the development of new raw materials in plating processes.A study conducted in Brazil [4] evaluated the modification of a commercial cyanide-free bath for processes of copper coating on Zamak. In the performed study, a new alkaline copper bath was formulated using l,hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP), an organic compound known for forming stable complexes with metal ions.As results of the study, the operational conditions and the formulation of a bath to obtain adherent, uniform and bright layers were established (Table I) [4]."

Jan 1, 2014

By Lloyd R. Nelson

Selective carbothermic reduction is the preferred method of treatment of electric arc furnace (EAF) dust (listed hazardous waste, K061). The process maximizes the recovery of recyclable constituents by concurrent production of saleable zinc metal (directly condensed from the furnace off-gases), an innocuous, disposable iron oxide-rich slag, and some metallic iron. Results of a mineralogical investigation of a foaming slag produced during selective carbothermic reduction treatment of EAF dusts are presented. Wiistite and tricalcium silicate were identified by reflected light microscopy as the primary crystalline phases contained in a glassy matrix, but this technique failed to reveal any solid phases that could have significantly contributed to foam stability. It was concluded therefore, that the foam had been unstable, and had been primarily generated by copious gas evolution associated with the sudden reduction of the slag by an inadvertent addition of carbonaceous reductant. This is consistent with the susceptibility to foaming, when subjected to sudden excesses of carbon, of the slags produced by selective carbothermic reduction, because they still contain unreduced components such as iron oxide.

Jan 1, 1994

By P Ridgeway, D Xie, M A. Somerville, S Jahanshahi, H Rogers, J G. Mathieson, Y Pan, N Haque, P Zulli, T E. Norgate, L Lu, A Deev

In 2006 the Australian steel industry and CSIRO initiated an R&D program to reduce the industry’s net greenhouse emission by at least 50%. Given that most of the CO2 emissions in steel production occur during the reduction of iron ore to hot metal through use of coal and coke, a key focus of this program has been to substitute these with renewable carbon (charcoal) sourced from sustainable sources such as plantations of biomass species. Another key component of the program has been to recover the waste heat from molten slags and produce a by-product that could be substituted for Portland cement. This paper provides an overview of the low-emission Integrated Steelmaking Process, progress made over the past seven years and the program’s future direction which includes proposed demonstrations of the technologies developed including large scale piloting and full scale plant trials.

Jan 1, 2014