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By J. G. Reid

Nickel is second only to aluminium, of all non-ferrous metals, in energy required to convert the ore to metal. Nickel Laterite ores, which constitute the feed source for approximately 40% of world nickel production, are at a particular disadvantage because of the absence of sulphur, as an energy source, in the ore and because lateritic ores general 1 y are not amenable to beneficiation. The dramatic escalation of oil prices which commenced in 1973 and continued for a decade meant that Nickel Laterite refineries using oil as a primary energy source were placed at a distinct disadvantage relative to refineries utilizing nickel sulphide concentrate feeds. By the late 1970's the continuing large difference in oil and coal prices caused Greenvale to consider converting certain high oil consuming areas of the refinery to coal. These investigations confirmed that the areas of ore drying and power generation, which together consumed 50% of total Plant oil requirements, could be economically converted from oil to coal firing. Construction of the coal conversion facilities commenced in October 1980 and the first ore drying air heater came on line in August 1981. Construction was completed with the commissioning of the coal fired boiler in June 1982. This paper outlines the additions required to receive and utilize coal in ore drying and power generation and how the changeover was completed with minimal process disruption.

Jan 1, 1988

By F. K. Letowski

Leaching in froth is a particular case of a three phase (liquid-solid-gaseous) process which combines flotation with leaching by using a reactive gaseous reagent as a flotation carrier and a leaching solution as the reactive liquid medium to fonn the foam (froth) in' which the solid particles are suspended. Some physico-chemical and engineering aspects of leaching in froth are discussed and illustrated by its application for cleaning the mineral graphite. Leaching of the graphite concentrate containing 4L4% of the elemental carbon and 3.16% of the sulphidic 'sulphur was canied out in the froth fonned by: (a) a concentrated chloride solution, with a small addition of nitric acid, in the foam state; (b) a mixture of gaseous O2, NO., and H20 encapsulated in the foam; and (c) notable particles of graphite suspended in the foam. The laboratory experiments werecanied out in a "flotation column"-type reactor ala temperature from 80 to !08°C and under total pressure of 100 to 200kPa. In the 3-stage leaching-flotation process, the non-flotable fraction of particles was separated three times from the notable fraction. The concentration of carbon and elemental sulphur in the final flotable fraction was 96% C and 0.38% S respectively. The expected advantages and possible application in hydrometallurgy are suggested.

Jan 1, 1995

By V. Gornitz

The Orphan mine uranium deposit, Grand Canyon, Arizona, is a cylindrical collapse-breccia pipe, 70 to 150 m in diameter and 500 m deep. Pipe fill was derived from the Supai Group, Hermit Shale, and the Coconino Sandstone. Uraninite, with Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn and Ni-Co sulfides is concentrated along the pipe boundary ring fracture (annular ring) and within the central porous sandstone matrix. There is some suggestion of vertical and lateral zonation of U with respect to Cu. Reduction of ferric oxide cement from red beds and recrystallization of carbonate, with formation of kaolinite preceded major ore deposition. Early Ni sulfides, arsenides and disseminated pyrite were followed by massive pyrite, and botryoidal uraninite, which in turn was suc-ceeded by Cu, Zn and Pb sulfides. A second, later generation of uraninite was closely intergrown with hematite and base metal sulfides. Oxidation of primary minerals may have been associated with Tertiary regional uplift. The paragenetic sequence closely resembles that of other Grand Canyon breccia pipes, except for the extensive development of the distinctive uraninite-hematite association. Mineral assemblages at the Orphan suggest possible mixing of the metal-bearing solution(s) with a more oxidized fluid, containing soluble uranyl complexes. Homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions in calcite (GO-lIO?C) at the Orphan fall within the lower end of the range observed at other breccia pipes.

Jan 1, 1987

By Joo Hyun Park, Kyu Yeol Ko

The viscosity of the CaO-SiO2-xMnO-yCaF2 slags (C/S=1.0; x=10, 40%; y=0 to 15%) was measured to clarify the effect of CaF2 on the viscous flow of molten slags at high temperatures. Furthermore, the Raman spectra of the quenched glass samples were quantitatively analyzed to investigate the structural role of CaF2 in a depolymerization of silicate networks. The critical temperature of the slags abruptly increased at 15%CaF2, which was confirmed to originate from a crystallization of cuspidine using XRD analysis. The viscosity of the slags continuously decreased by CaF2 addition in the 10%MnO system, whereas the viscosity of the 40%MnO system was not significantly affected by CaF2 addition. The effect of CaF2 on the viscosity of the slags was quantitatively analyzed using micro-Raman spectra of quenched glass samples accompanying with a concept of silicate polymerization index, Q3/Q2 ratio. A polymerization index continuously decreased with increasing content of CaF2 in the 10%MnO system, whereas it was not affected by CaF2 in the 40%MnO system. Consequently, the bulk thermophysical property of the CaO-SiO2-MnO-CaF2 slags was quantitatively correlated to the structural information.

Jan 1, 2014

By Chuan-fu Zhang

The fibrous precursor can be obtained by coordination precipitation process, using oxalate, cobalt chloride and ammonia. XRD pattern of precursor precipitated at pH=9.0 is different from that of ß-CoC2O4?2H2O precipitated at pH=1.0 which indicates that the precursor powders are one type of cobalt complex. According to the results of element analysis and IR spectra, it can be inferred that the composition of the precursor is [Co(NH3)x]C2O4?H2O(x=1.2?..6) formed by the coordination reaction at pH=9.00 in the Co(II)-C2O42--NH3-NH4+-H2O system. It?s found that the fibrous cobalt powders greatly inherited the morphologies of the precursors. Many factors could affect the formation of the fibrous cobalt precursor powders, such as the initial Co2+concentration, pH value and so on. The SEM images show how they influence the morphologies of the precursor powders. By adding proper surfactant, the dispersion of the precursor powders would be improved. At last, the final product-fibrous cobalt powders which are about 0.3~0.5min size and 40~60 in aspect ratio were produced by thermal decomposition of fibrous cobalt complex at 400~500°C in the weak reducing atmosphere.

Jan 1, 2006

By Wang Youlai

Sichuan province is the richest province for its waterpower resource in China, perfectly suited to develop a high consuming energy industry. Sichuan Aostar Group Company has two Aluminum smelters, Guangyuan Aostar smelter and Sichuan Aostar Smelter. The production capacity of Aostar Group was 240,000 tons in 2004. The construction scale of Sichuan Aostar Aluminum smelter is 250,000 tons per year. The first 168 GY-300KA pre-baked anode cells (125,000 tons/year) were put into production in 2003. This company has taken the lead in the use of the transfer gantry technology in China. Besides making the process of calibration the pot shell it has concentrated the efforts to construct cell lining elsewhere. This company also has taken the lead in China for using the EIRICH force mixing and cooling technology as well as in the world for the CP Company?s vertical ball mill technology that produces the pre-baked anodes. The carbon anode system completed its 190,000 tons/year production scale. This is the most advanced technology and the biggest scale pre-baking anode manufacture in China. Since the Sichuan Aostar 300KA cell was put into production, it runs normally and smoothly. Up to now the current efficiency is higher than 94% and the specific energy is only 13300kWh/T-Al.

Jan 1, 2006

By F. Kongoli

A computerized thermophysicochemical database is being developed for various processes involved in nickel smelting and converting. This database includes optimized models for slag, matte, liquid and solid alloys in the multicomponent system(s) as applied to batch and continuous nickel smelting and converting processes. This database can be used to quantify the multicomponent and multiphase slag/matte/alloy/gas equilibria, liquidus and solidus surface, tie-lines, solubility and/or losses of nickel and other components in the slag, distribution coefficients, components activities, heat and mass balance, etc. The database also includes optimized models for the viscosity of the slags associated with any of the above processes. Both databases are coupled and this constitutes a very effective method to quantify the effect of each component on several parameters of the smelting and converting processes and to diffuse the confusion that exists in the literature. Several application examples have been given to demonstrate the usefulness of this database for quantitative prediction of the thermophysicochemical properties of the phases involved in actual or developing processes, even in the areas where experiments are difficult or impossible. The considerable cost reduction that results ftom the use of this database as compared to other methods in the improvement of existing technologies or in the development of new ones is discussed along with continuing new developments of this database.

Jan 1, 2002

By B. Holleis, M. Potesser, D. Spoljaric, H. Antrekowitsch, A. Hengelmolen

"During the past only an optimization of metallurgical furnaces were done without attention on the burners. Nevertheless, furnaces without burners are impossible to use in the primary and secondary nonferrous metallurgy in an economic way. Since the energy cost is increasing and the environmental protection is becoming a global issue, the burners are in the focus of several investigations and optimizations. One possible way is the combustion by oxygen. By using oxygen, the flame temperature increases and therefore, fuel accordingly money could be saved by having a low amount of harmful substances like NOx in the off gas. This paper describes a new burner system which combusts fuel with oxygen or air by diluted combustion, hence low pollutants in the off gas. Furthermore the effectiveness of the burner characterized by off gas analyses and simulation in the new development chamber, but also practical tests at an aluminum smelter are described.IntroductionIn 2005, Messer Group established a technology competence centre for metallurgy in Gumpoldskirchen (Austria), with the aim to develop oxygen burners which satisfy today’s and upcoming standards of legislation as well as customer requirements. With the assistance of the Development Sponsorship Fund (FFF) of Austria, cooperation with the University of Leoben was agreed on. With the long term experience of the Gas-Wärme-Institut “GWI” in Essen (Germany) and the University of Leoben, different new burners have been developed."

Jan 1, 2008

By Edgar E. Vidal, Keith Smith, James A. Yurko

Beryllium, like many other reactive metals, is extracted from a halide (generally BeF2) using magnesiothermic reduction, also known as the Kroll process. The beryllium is produced in a molten state, which when solidified resemble "pebbles". Although beryllium is used in limited quantities compared to other metals (< 100 Mt/annual), it is a critical material for the nuclear, defense/aerospace, and large science markets because of its unique nuclear and mechanical properties. Beryllium processing has unique environmental, health, and safety concerns which must be handled appropriately in the 21st century from a worker and environmental safety perspective, and must be designed with this first in mind. In 2011, Materion began operations of its new Kroll plant – informally known as the “Pebbles Plant” - in Elmore, Ohio. The plant was majority funded by a U.S. Department of Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III grant, which is a unique government/industry partnership program to, "create assured, affordable, and commercially viable production capabilities and capacities for items essential for national defense." After a twelve year hiatus from primary beryllium production, Materion has reentered its extraction business and has relearned how to make pebbles. The purpose of this presentation is to give an overview on beryllium extraction and discuss some of the unique aspects of building and operating a safe beryllium facility during the production scale-up phase.

Jan 1, 2015

By A. F. Otero

During the electrowinning (EW) of copper significant quantities of highly toxic vapors (acid mist) are produced due to the liberation of oxygen at the cathodes. Acid mist affects the health of operators, the environment and plant infrastructure. Acid mist can be decreased to acceptable levels by a combination of physical means (e.g. ventilation, plastic spheres over electrolyte) and chemical surfactants that decrease the surface tension of the electrolyte, modifying the way oxygen bubbles burst at the surface of the electrolyte. However, only few chemical surfactants are compatible with electrolytic applications, and they are not always used due to their high costs. This paper describes the application of a novel surfactant of natural origin (commercial name Mistop®) to suppress acid mist in copper EW process. Mistop® contains triterpenic saponins derived from the Chilean quillaja tree Quillaja saponaria Molina. The product is non-toxic, and poses no risks to the environment or to EW operators. Mistop® was tested at a laboratory, pilot plant and industrial scale in the world?s largest copper EW production plant at Radomiro Tomic (RT), CODELCO, Chile. At a Mistop® dosage of 8-9 ppm, acid mist decreased below the value accepted by Chilean regulations (< 0.5 mg/m3). At this dosage, Mistop® represents and economical alternative to chemical surfactants, and it is currently industrially used at RT.

Jan 1, 2003

By Johannes Boonstra

High rate bacterial catalyzed processes can serve to improve hydrometallurgical operations. These solutions are not only economical but also environmental sustainable. With references around the globe, the value of this new approach is recognized by industry worldwide. For instance, metals can safely and economically be separated from process and waste streams using biotechnologically produced sulfide, recovering a valuable metal sulfide product instead of a waste gypsum stream for disposal. Both the natural biological sulfur and nitrogen cycles offer bioconversions that are applied on industrial scale. The shared advantage of these processes is that waste compounds are converted in either a reusable raw material or in a harmless product. This way, natural product cycles can be closed. Applications based upon bioconversions are for example: Sulfur based: Bioleaching, reduction of oxidized sulfur compounds to elemental sulfur, metal recovery with biogenic produced H2S, SO2removal from gas streams, etc. Nitrogen based: Ammonia removal using the anammox-process, biological removal of NOxfrom gas streams, nitrate removal from water streams, etc. Metals: Bacterial processes for the reduction of metals such as uranium, selenium and manganese have proven to offer great potential for clean-up of groundwater streams. This paper contains a description of the above applications. Further, a short introduction on engineered high rate bioreactor systems and a description of industrial biotechnological applications will be provided.

Jan 1, 2003

By Wei Liu

A new process for extracting cadmium from the electric precipitated dust produced by ISP process was studied. A leaching rate of 89.1% of cadmium was attained by leaching the dust with NH3?H2O-(NH4)2SO4 system under the best leaching conditions: ratio of liquid to solid(l:s)=2.5, c(NH3):c(NH4+)=3:5, total concentration of ammonium and ammonia=8 mol?L-1, leaching time= 1.5h, temperature=35. The most troublesome impurity of lead could be deposited from the leached out solution automatically after put it static more than 15h when the total concentration of zinc and cadmium was up to 45gL-1 , and the final concentration of lead was 0.0047 gL-1, which meant 99% of it was removed. Metallic cadmium which contained cadmium more than 99% was prepared by electrowinning under the conditions: current density=750Am-2, total concentration of Cd2+ and Zn2+>25gL-1. The current efficiency was about 87% and the energy consumption for every ton of cadmium was about 548KWht-1. Main impurities of the metallic cadmium were copper and zinc and all of they could be got rid of in the following pyrometallurgical refining step.

Jan 1, 2006

By Oleg I. Platonov

The process for desulfurizing coke oven gas in a regenerative system ?scrubber-stripper?, with sour gas being fed to Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU) and tail gas being recycled to raw coke gas scrubber, has been developed. A key problem of this process is the presence of elemental sulfur in the SRU off-gas, which may deposit on gas-blowing equipment, thus disrupting its operation. A new treatment technology for SRU off-gas that has been worked out for a Claus unit operated by «Russian Metallurgical Company» (RMC) in Magnitogorsk (Russia) is presented. It incorporates a catalytic hydrolysis/hydrogenation stage, where all sulfur-bearing species such as sulfur dioxide, carbonyl sulfide and elemental sulfur are converted to hydrogen sulfide. The SRU in Magnitogorsk comprises three main units: gas re-heater; catalytic hydrolysis reactor and waste gas cooler. Re-heater is required to increase temperature of the process gas up to a level of catalytic conversion (beyond 330-3500C). Oxygen utilized as an oxidizing agent reduces the volume of waste gas to a minimal possible value. The operational data garnered since 16.07.2004 clearly shows that the new technology allows high-level purification of Claus tail gas from elemental sulfur. Unlike SCOT ? process, this technology does not require separate stages for H2S removal and enrichment that tangibly simplifies its implementation at lower capital and operation expenditures.

Jan 1, 2006

By Brent W. Madsen

The acid-ferric sulfate leaching of low-grade sulfide copper mine waste provides more than 10 percent of the U.S. supply of new copper, but recoveries and leaching rates are very low. In Federal Bureau of Mines research to improve the leaching process, experiments on 5- to 10-ton lots of mine-run ore were more revealing than bench-scale tests on fine ore. This report discusses the results obtained by leaching run-of-mine and minus 6-inch plus 112-inch samples of low-grade chalcocite-bearing mine waste. The samples were leached for 461 days and 61.6 and 37.7 percent of the copper was extracted from the minus 6-inch plus -112-inch and run-of- mine samples, respectively. A mixed kinetics model was applied successfully to the leaching of the sample with the fines removed where bulk solution transport was not rate controlling. The model, when applied to the run-of- mine ore, gave somewhat higher predicted copper extractions than experimentally determined. Subsequently, oxygen was introduced into the run-of- mine ore, leaching continued for an additional 312 days, and an additional 53.0 percent of the copper was extracted. Before the leaching experiment was dismantled and the residue sampled, the ore was treated with sulfur dioxide and its permeability was improved markedly. The results of each of these procedures are interpreted in relation to the attendant condition of the test.

Jan 1, 1976

By P. L. Sibrell

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has tested cyanide leaching for recovery of palladium (Pd) from spent petroleum processing catalysts. Three different catalyst samples were supplied by a spent-catalyst processor. These catalysts consisted of a zeolite base and contained 0.4 to 0.7 pct Pd. During alkaline cyanide leaching, the catalysts exhibited ion-exchange properties due to their zeolite matrices. Hydrogen ions were released from the zeolite in exchange for sodium ions in solution, resulting in a significant decrease in solution pH. This could present a safety hazard because of the potential for release of toxic hydrogen cyanide gas. A pretreatment .step where the catalysts were contacted with a 1.0M sodium hydroxide solution was found to prevent the pH shift from occurring. Following the sodium hydroxide pretreatment, two stages of leaching at 160 °C with solution containing 1 pct sodium cyanide and 0.1M sodium hydroxide gave at least 75 and up to 95 pct Pd recovery. The Pd was quantitatively recovered from the leach solution by thermal decomposition in an autoclave at 250 °C for 1 h. The Pd content of the precipitate was over 50 pct. Thermal decomposition also decreased the total cyanide content of the barren solution to less than 0.2 mg/L. The catalyst leach residues passed the Federal Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure and the California Waste Extraction Test, indicating that landfill disposal of the leach residues would be acceptable.

Jan 1, 1995

By Dale T. Peters

In the United States, the United Kingdom and numerous other countries, copper has long been the plumbing material of choice. This has been the case since the late 1920s in the United States and since World War II in the United Kingdom. However, in recent years the plumbing tube market has caught the eye of the chemical industry, and several plastic resins have been introduced to the marketplace as substitutes for copper in household plumbing systems. One of these, polybutylene tube, had so many failures in the United States that a class action law suit was filed, and the manufactures of this product were forced to create a trust fund of nearly one billion dollars to repair damages caused by their product. Chlorinated polyvinylchloride (CPVC), in rigid pipe form, on the other hand, has been mechanically acceptable albeit its recent introduction precludes the test of time enjoyed by copper tube in this application. This paper reviews the State of California&apos;s portrayal of copper&apos;s environmental effects and will be largely based on the data and information assembled by the Copper Development Association Inc. in its presentation to the State of California in August, 1998 in response to the State&apos;s Draft Environmental Impact Report for Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CVPC) Pipe for Use for Potable Water Piping in Residential Buildings. The paper is intended for use as a model for the use of other copper organizations and individuals in responding to similar situations.

Jan 1, 1999

By Cao rong-jiang, Tang Xin-he

"In ordinary manufacture process of tungsten powder, a preferable intermediate product used is ammonium paratungstate (APT). The particle size of tungten powder made from it through W2OO58 is larger than 1. 0 um. In order to obtain ultrafine tungsten powder with narrow size distribution, a new type of tungstate, hydraziniull tungstate, was studied. Its formula is 5(N2H5)2O·12 WO.s , with tetragonal crystal structure of a=5.821 , c=18. 468. Three methods for preparing hydrazinium tungstate (ART) were set up and ART can be produced by current industrial APT process with little modification of operation and without any change of equipment.Under certain PH and operation condition of the solution from which ART was produced, an autoreduction of tungsten occured, which produced a lower valency tungstate with blue color when ART was heated at different temperatures, in N atmosphere, tungsten bronze, tetragonal W0290 and W02.7E could be obtained respectively. They all have the superiorities, in the production of tungsten powder, of superfine size and narrow size distribution [average size of 0.5um or even smaller.The rate of autoreduction of ART is very fast at elevated temperature. The reduction reaction, which gaves tetragonal WO290, could be handled smoothly without explosion. To research their behaviors at autoreduction temperatures and the products of autoreduction will be new advances of tungsten chemistry and may also serve tungsten industry with new processes and materials."

Jan 1, 1988

By Ron Bernard

HW Process Technologies has successfully developed and commercialized various applications utilizing Engineered Membrane Separation (EMS?) systems for the processing of acidic copper hydrometallurgical solutions and wastewaters. Copper hydrometallurgical EMS? applications include water balance control and increased copper concentration in heap and dump copper leach operations, tankhouse bleed stream treatment to separate/recover copper and cobalt from iron, and removal of PLS/Electrolyte suspended solids/colloids to eliminate "crud" formation during copper SX/EW. Similar applications are underdevelopment to provide ionic separations in copper refinery bleed streams, copper smelter acid plant streams, as well as organic/LIX removal from aqueous electrolyte and raffinate streams. Copper mine wastewater EMS? applications include treatment of copper leach solution contaminated groundwaters for copper recovery and treatment of unwanted heap/dump drainage to provide enhanced precipitation, a smaller precipitation plant, improved operating costs and better quality discharge water, particularly in terms of TDS and sulfates. A discussion of the EMS? technology and general separation results on typical process solutions and wastewaters will be presented. HW Process Technologies, Inc. commercial installations treating copper pregnant solutions and leach solution contaminated groundwaters are in-place at an old Asarco smelter/refining operation, Mexicana de Cananea copper mine, and a major U.S. copper mine, with several additional installations pending. Several case studies, including results from a selection of these installations, will be included with detailed capital, operating cost, and system payback data.

Jan 1, 1999

By S. H. Castro

The El Teniente molybdenite plant (Chile), with a nominal capacity of 3,200 tpd of bulk Cu-Mo concentrate, produced approximately 3,385 metric tonnes of Mo during 1998 by using the phosphate Nokes process (LR-744 reagent). This is the only Chilean moly plant which traditionally has depressed copper and iron sulfides with LR 744 reagent, which is a hydrolysis product of P2S5 and NaOH. El Teniente&apos;s ore Mo grade is 0.02%Mo and is concentrated to 0.45%-0.50% Mo in bulk Cu-Mo flotation. Subsequently, molybdenite is floated by selective flotation to depress Cu and Fe sulfides, such as chalcopyrite, bornite, digenite and pyrite, to produce typically a 49%-50%Mo molybdenite concentrate. An optimisation program during the last two years was undertaken to improve molybdenite recoveries. Current molybdenite plant technology at El Teniente and use of phosphate Nokes in the process process is reported. Use of phosphate Nokes reagent has increased average Mo recovery from 70.5% in 1977 to a mean 74.7% for the first 4 months of 1999. The global Mo recovery, including bulk flotation, incresed from 42.3% in 1997 to 46.8% in 1998, with a projection of 55.5% for 1999. Mo production per year has increased from 3,181 tons in 1997 to 3,385 tons in 1998 and a projected 4,000 tons for 1999.

Jan 1, 1999

By Peter Koh

The velocity solid charge attains when dropping down concentrate chutes is an important boundary condition when developing mathematical models of flash furnace burners and reaction shafts. In this work an experimental rig was developed to measure the velocity attained when nickel concentrate and sand were dropped down a vertical pipe 3m long. The velocity measurements showed that the nickel concentrate did not fall as individual particles. The measured values of the velocity approached, but did not attain, those calculated for solid bodies, the disparity being attributed to friction at the pipe wall and fluid drag losses. After falling 2 m velocities between 5-6 m/s were attained. The analysis was extended and applied to understanding the intermittent problem of puffing which sometimes occurs from the top of the concentrate chute. The pressure at the bottom of the chute is the net result of two opposing pressures, namely that developed by (a)the process air entering through the velocity control device, and (b) the solids falling down the concentrate chute. Flow back up the chute occurs when the former exceeds the latter. The process air pressures in the burner were obtained from CFD simulations of a full burner. Variables considered included air speed through the velocity control device, drop height and furnace draft. The analysis was useful in highlighting the operating conditions which were conducive to puffing and in establishing procedures to minimise its occurrence.

Jan 1, 2006