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By S. Vellinga, G. H. R. Janssen, C. J. N. Buisman, C. F. M. Copini

Non-ferrous metallurgical plants are often confronted with the need to neutralize bleed streams or effluents containing sulfates. The treatment of these streams could produce large amounts of gypsum. With a biological sulfate-reduction process, the production of gypsum is avoided and the metals can be recovered as sulfides. In this paper, the biological treatment of an industrial stream is presented. The bleed solution from a roaster gas scrubber was treated by means of a two-step process. First, the acid was neutralized with calcine. The resulting zinc sulfate solution was converted to ZnS with bacteria using PAQUES-THIOPAQ® technology. The precipitated ZnS was de-watered to 70 wt% solids, and was returned to the roasters. The quality of the effluent stream complied with the environmental regulations.

Jan 1, 2000

By Ian Masters, Saul B. Davies, David T. Gethin

The purpose of this model is to simulate and analyze the energy flows within a rotary aluminum recycling furnace, using the global properties of its main components, the gas, metal and refractory walls. The model will simulate a series of operations such as loading, heating and stirring which will constitute the processing of a batch. Each main component of the furnace is treated as a one-dimensional heat transfer medium, the thickness and area of each medium being calculated from the actual geometry of the furnace. The physical properties are taken as the weighted average of those for the various layers forming the medium. Incorporated into the model are elements describing the radiative exchange within the furnace, melting of the charge, and forced convection in the melt due to the rotation of the furnace. This approach has produced a model with a reasonable computing time that can be used to run a whole series of simulations for the prediction and comparison of the furnace performance under different operating conditions.

Jan 1, 2000

By D. J. Burkhardt

Newer copper SX/EW facilities often incorporate hot water heating for the cell feed electrolyte to obtain the necessary plating temperatures of 40 to 50°C. Heating is most necessary in oxide heap leaching, however it may also be required in bioleaching of secondary sulphides in colder climates or higher altitudes where most of the heat gain in the heap is lost to the environment. Given that the solution flows in the leach, organic circuit and electrolyte circuit are circular in nature, and the fact that the hot lean electrolyte is often exchanged with cooler rich electrolyte, it can be difficult to access the heating requirement for the cell feed. There are energy losses in piping, tankage, raffinate, and energy gains through the PLS and electrowinning process itself; some of these are significant and others are not. This paper discusses the overall heat balance, the relative significance of the various energy gains and losses, and describes a methodology to develop a heat balance to assist the engineer in sizing the heating equipment.

Jan 1, 2003

By Ian M. Ritchie

Cementation or metal displacement reactions such as Cu2+ + Fe Cu + Fe2+ are among the oldest known hydrometallurgical reactions. They are still used in the recovery of some metals and in the purification of process liquors and waste water streams. However, they are often more complex than the stoichiometric reaction would suggest because they involve the simultaneous deposition of one metal onto a second which is dissolving. For example, sometimes a cementation will not take place, even though it is thermodynamically favoured. On other occasions, a cementation reaction will start but come to a halt as the depositing metal blankets the reacting surface. On yet other occasions, side reactions, catalyzed by the deposit, can be important. In this paper, the electrochemical basis of cementation reactions is described. The conditions for each of the complications encountered in these reactions are described and illustrated by examples drawn from a number of hydrometallurgical processes. The cementation reaction between activated carbon and gold thiosulfate is also briefly described, this reaction being unusual in that no dissolution of the carbon occurs.

Jan 1, 2003

By Graeme Miller

The geotechnical characteristics of the ore are important in understanding the kinetics of a copper heap leach. These characteristics can indicate potential problems and can be used to determine the semi-quantitative changes in field kinetics as compared with column kinetics. The application of this approach allows a more rigorously based determination of ?scale up factors? than has been the case the date. The shrinking core model has been shown to be a poor predictor of leach kinetics based on the crushed ore size distribution. However the model itself is a very useful tool to analyse commercial heap data. Significant geotechnical parameters such as: bulk density / stress characteristic, limit moisture capacity and particle density are used to determine the effect of changes on the diffusion controlled leach rate. By consideration of the geotechnical reaction of the ore mass the leach rate changes are related to changes in these variables. Analysis of commercial heap data has indicated effective diffusion lengths of up to ten times the largest particle size.

Jan 1, 2003

By J. C. Riani

The release of heavy metals into the environment is increasing among others due to human activities such paint and pigment industries, tanneries, and metal finishing industries. Among metal releases, chromium is notable because this metal is carcinogenic. Thus, the aim of this work is to use an ion exchange system composed of one cationic resin column and one anionic resin column in order to adsorb the chromium (III, VI) from chromium electroplating effluents with the objective of recycling the water. The methodology consists of chromium adsorption tests using the ion exchange resins system with Purolite the 850 (polystyrene matrix, functional group quaternary amine) and Purolite C 150 (polystyrene matrix, functional group sulfonic acid). The contaminated solutions were passed through the columns with the assistance of peristaltic pump. Samples of the outgoing solution were taken in order to control the conductivity and pH and analyze the metals. The effects of the feeding outflow on the chromium adsorption were evaluated. The results show that the quality of the water collected at the end of the process is within the Brazilian standards about the discarding of toxic substances in the environment (CONAMA 357/05). This makes possible the recycling of water into the process and also its discharge in the rivers.

Jan 1, 2006

By María Cristina Ruiz

In the processing of copper concentrates by the conventional smelting-converting technology, complying with the increasingly severity of environmental legislation in some countries has become difficult, mainly due to severe fugitive emissions of gases produced during the batch PS (Peirce-Smith) converting step. In this work, the results of an investigation on the pressure leaching with sulfuric acid and oxygen of white metal (produced in a Teniente Converter reactor) are discussed. The study was carried out at laboratory scale and the main variables studied were temperature, concentration of sulfuric acid and partial pressure of oxygen. The experimental results indicated that most of the sulfur in the white metal was oxidized to sulfate in the whole range of temperature studied (105ºC to 150 ºC). The concentration of sulfuric acid over 0.05 M, and oxygen partial pressure over 6 atm had little effect on the dissolution of copper from the white metal. On the other hand, temperature had the most significant effect on copper dissolution; below 130 ºC copper dissolution was incomplete after 5 hours of leaching while at 150 ºC the dissolution was complete in 90 minutes and 10 atm of partial pressure of oxygen

Jan 1, 2006

By K. P. Nishad

The origin of many casting defects can be traced at the mold filling stage. Entrapped air/gas pockets and oxide film formation are notable examples. In the present work, the mold-filling process is simulated using a mathematical model, built on a multi-physics based commercial package PHYSICA. The simulation code has the capability to solve multi-phase problems. The numerical model addresses a complicated dynamics of filling operation including free surface flow and subsequent flow behavior and is based on conservation of mass and momentum. The Free surface is modeled using the scalar equation method (SEM). The model is validated with benchmark experimental results from the literature. The role of turbulence and the pouring rate on variables affecting sites prone to oxide film formation are investigated using a simple but novel technique. Key findings of the work are presented.

Jan 1, 2006

By M. Kawakami

In the blast furnace, the reduction of iron oxide and gasification of coke occur simultaneously. It is well accepted that the gasification reaction controls the simultaneous reaction. Therefore, it is important to develop highly reactive carbonaceous materials. It is also known that the reaction is accelerated catalytically with the addition of some materials. In the present work, the catalytic effect of iron, nickel and CaO on the gasification of graphite and coke was examined. The catalytic effect of iron, nickel and CaO on the reaction rate of graphite was noticed The effect was larger at lower temperature. At 1373 K, the effect almost vanished. The effect was larger in the order of CaO, iron and nickel. The reaction rate of de-ashed coke increased by the addition of iron and nickel. The effect of iron was larger than that of nickel. The effect was larger at higher temperature, which was contrary to the case of graphite. The reactive surface area increased also by the addition. Therefore, the catalytic effect on reaction rate might be attributable to the increase in the reactive surface area.

Jan 1, 2006

By Wang Haibei

China is the important country in terms of Ga, Ge reserves and products. These elements usually associate with lead and zinc ores such as in Fankou, Dachang and Lanping mines. Until now these metals could not be extracted from zinc residues effectively. The main reason is that it is difficult to separate zinc and iron. BGRIMM has carried out considerable research on this subject and some hydrometallurgical processes were developed. Zinc residues were pressure leached with a reducing agent such as zinc concentrates or SO2 at 110~130C. The final concentrate of H2SO4 was 30~50g/L. The metals such as Zn, Fe, Ga and Ge were dissolved into solution. In the leaching residue Pb and Ag could reach 20% and 2000g/t. The feed of solvent extraction was prepared from the leaching solution by pre-neutralization ? precipitation of Ga, Ge and acid dissolving. Then Ga and Ge were extracted by solvent extraction through P204 and G315 produced by BGRIMM. After stripping, metallic Ga was produced by electrowinning. GeO2 was produced by precipitation. The iron in raffinate was removed by the hematite process. The solution after removal of iron came back at the zinc neutral leaching stage. In 2003-2004, pilot tests were finished in BGRIMM in cooperation with Fankou Lead and Zinc Mine Ltd. And the extraction rate of Ga and Ge in the leaching stage was 94% and 83% respectively. The total recovery rate was 90% and 80%. It is estimated that the technology has a wide commercial use in the coming five years.

Jan 1, 2006

By M. Somerville

In 1989 CSIRO Minerals initiated investigations into continuous converting of copper matte into low sulphur blister in Sirosmelt type reactors. Following the successful piloting of this processing route, some effort was directed towards a single stage copper making process where copper metal is made in one step from concentrate. The aim of the project is to develop a continuous process, which offers considerable environmental and economic benefits over conventional copper making processes, which use Pierce-Smith converters. In the selection of the optimum flowsheet a number of slag treatment options have been considered and tested. These unit operations include: leaching and electrowinning, flotation-leaching-electrowinning and flotation with recycling of recovered copper through the smelting vessel. In this paper the suitability of these process options are evaluated using the available information and recently measured copper recoveries from our testwork at CSIRO. The operating and capital costs of the various options have been estimated using Aspen Plus simulation procedures. The most attractive flowsheet in terms of capital and operating costs is the treatment of slag using mineral processing techniques and the recycle of a copper slag concentrate to the smelting vessel. It has been found that the chemistry of the slag being treated has a large bearing on the recovery of copper in flotation and hence on the economics of the process.

Jan 1, 1999

By Mark E. Schlesinger

A substantial database exists for the thermodynamic properties of many antimonide compounds, but these have rarely been compiled or critically discussed. An abbreviated version of a full?scale review of the thermodynamic properties of binary antimonide compounds is presented, focusing on the choice of experimental techniques.

Jan 1, 2006

By K. D. Peaslee

The 150 metal producers in Missouri generate approximately 8,000 tons of spent refractories each year, most of which is landfilled. Spent refractory samples were characterized and recycling / reuse techniques developed for some of the largest waste streams. Products using recycled materials are compared with products made from virgin materials.

Jan 1, 2000

By Sylvie C. Bouffard

The need for a better understanding of the heap biooxidation pretreatment of pyritic refractory gold ores has prompted us to develop a rigorous mathematical model of the process. The hydrological structure of the model takes the form of lateral stagnant pores in contact with a uniformly distributed gas stream and connected to vertical plug flow channels, as suggested by the results of an independent study of column hydrology. A model of pyrite oxidation kinetics was derived based on electrochemical leaching theory and the results of potentiostatic stirred tank and column tests. The growth rates of attached and planktonic iron- and sulfur-oxidizing cells are modeled with separate Monod expressions over three separate temperature ranges corresponding to mesophiles, moderate thermophiles, and extreme thermophiles. Isothermal column tests validate the model simulations. Excellent fits of several leaching indicators (potential, extent of sulfide oxidation, iron concentration, cell numbers) reveal the rate-limiting step to shift from particle kinetics to oxygen gas/liquid mass transfer with increasing temperatures and pyrite head grades. Competition for oxygen between sulfur- and iron-oxidizing microorganisms lowers potentials and slows down pyrite oxidation. This modeling tool may assist engineers in the design and operation of heaps to give more complete gold liberation in a shorter time.

Jan 1, 2003

By Mingzhou Li, Lin Wu, Changren Tong, Fengli Yang, Shaohua Yang

"According to characteristics of Tm, Yb and Lu enriched oxides composition and problems in its traditional extraction separation process, the computer simulation of a optimized fuzzy extraction separation process, in which three products with high purity(>99.99%) could be obtained at same time, was carried out. Distributing Curves of every element in both organic and aqueous phases were worked out. Distribution rules of rare earth elements in every stage of the optimized extraction process were studied. The computation results of economical and technical index showed the consumption of the acid and base chemical reagents in the optimized process would be saved more than 30%.IntroductionFor the solvent extraction separation process of rare earths, countercurrent extraction process was widespread in the industrial practice. Normally, rare earth ions were extracted by the saponificated extractant and transferred into the organic phase, where the acidic extractant was saponificated by the base firstly. Then, the loaded rare earth ions were stripped from the organic phase into the aqueous phase by the acid. Therefore, the acid and the base were the main consumptions in the process, and the equilibrium acid of the stripped rare earth solution was one of the main pollution resources. Meanwhile, for the heavy rare earths, such as Tm, Yb and Lu, stripping was more difficult, and the equilibrium acidity of the stripped rare earth solution was higher, so the acid consumption increased greatly."

Jan 1, 2012

By Wenshan Zhang

The industrial production experiments on Zn, Mn simultaneous leaching, impurity removal and ZnMnO2 simultaneous electrolysis were carried out. The process flow, technical requirement and research results about the experiments were discussed and the good technical quail-fixation and high quality of products were obtained. Reactions for each major technological process have been expatiated based on the thermodynamic analysis.

Jan 1, 2006

By Isabela Leao Amaral da Silva, Alice Barreto Bevitori, Frederico Muylaert Margem, Victor Bastos da Silva, Sergio Neves Monteiro, Artur Camposo Pereira

"The jute fiber is one of the most rigid natural lignocellulosic fibers, which has since the last decade been investigated as possible reinforcement for polymeric composites. In the present work, the tensile properties of DGEBA/TETA epoxy composites reinforced with jute fibers with different diameters were investigated. Composites with volume fractions up to 30% of continuous and aligned jute fibers were tensile tested at room temperature to evaluate the ultimate strength, elastic modulus and total strain. For each volume fraction, separated fibers with smaller larger diameters were tested. The results indicated that the tensile properties tend to improve with increasing volume fraction of the thinnest jute fibers. The role played by the fiber/matrix interaction was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy.IntroductionThe interest of this research is to develop composites with epoxy resin matrix reinforced with continuous and aligned jute fibers, for applications in various industries, including construction and automotive industry. Conflicts related to the use of non-renewable forms of energy are increasing the interest to enter the market to replace natural materials, synthetic materials synthetics have a higher power consumption in its manufacture [ 1-4].Therefore, applications of natural lignocellulosic fibers obtained from cellulose-based plants are receiving increased attention as an alternative to replace more environmentally correct nonrecyclable materials, energy intensive and glass fiber composites in [5-6]. The use of composites reinforced with natural fibers is a reflection of the concerns with environmental issues such as pollution caused by waste that is not biodegradable or cannot be incinerated and climate change due to C02 emissions associated with the processes of intensive energy and also motivates this work to develop self-sustaining, since natural fibers generate a source of income, especially in developing countries, where most originate, encouraging the cultivation of non-food agriculture [7-9]. Additionally, it is worth also remembering that these fibers come from renewable sources, in addition to being abundant, inexpensive and have a relevant set of mechanical properties [10]."

Jan 1, 2013

By D. Norman, D. J. Hughes, R. Dashwood, I. McGregor, N. D. Raath

"This paper develops a methodology for predicting spot weld fractures in automotive boron steel grades, such that fracture modes can be predicted accurately in a vehicle or sub-assembly structure. To achieve this, it was necessary to understand the range of complex fracture modes observed in boron steel spot welds and how these are linked to the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) microstructures and hardness distributions and residual stress.Material data for the HAZ was extracted by simulating the spot welding process using a Gleeble machine; achieving specific weld microstructure in a larger volume which was used in destructive testing. Neutron diffraction was employed to accurately characterize the post-weld residual stresses found inside the weld. The constitutive relations of specific areas in the HAZ where fracture is thought to occur is being incorporated into finite element software to improve fracture prediction of boron steel welds.IntroductionWith the drive for light-weighting and improving passenger safety, lighter and stronger materials are being continuously sought in the automotive industry. The application of boron steel in the Body-In-White (BIW) meets both these criteria by down-gauging thickness of the steel and increasing the strength. As an example, when applied to crash-relevant areas in cars, components have an ultimate tensile strength of 1500 MPa, minimum springback and reduced sheet thickness.To achieve high strength and low springback, boron steel components must be formed and hardened at the same time. This is typically achieved by austenitizing the steel around 900 °C and simultaneously quenching and forming, usually with a hydraulic press and tool-set. Trace amounts of boron, typically 0.005wt%, increase the hardenability of the steel dramatically. This is attributed to the grain boundary segregation of boron, which hinders the formation of ferrite during cooling and forces the transformation of austenite to martensite at high cooling rates, a minimum of25 °C/s."

Jan 1, 2013

By Zbigniew Smieszek, Ryszard Chamer, Ryszard Prajsnar, Zygmunt Kurek

"Lead-containing wastes processed at the IMN’s Division in Legnica originate mainly from dry and wet dedusting installations of the technological lines for copper production. These are lead dusts and lead-zinc dusts characterised by the specific properties resulting from the chemical composition of the Polish copper concentrates. Besides lead, they contain many accompanying metals and impurities such as zinc, copper, sulfur, chlorine, potassium, sodium, and also bituminous substances. Processing of lead-containing dusts is conducted in the installations of rotary-rocking furnaces heated with gas-oxygen burners fitted with auxiliary systems for cleaning process gases and refining re-circulating dusts. The processing technology utilizes innovative process and technical solutions enabling disposal of lead-containing wastes from copper metallurgy and from non-ferrous metals industry according to the BAT recommendations and to the guidelines specified in integrated permission. In this paper, the main technological aspects of processing lead-containing dusts at the IMN’s Division in Legnica have been presented.IntroductionCrude lead is obtained in Polish lead metallurgy from various primary and secondary materials, such as Zn-Pb concentrates, lead-bearing dusts of copper metallurgy and battery scrap. In zinc smelter Miasteczko Slaskie S.A. crude lead is produced from sulfide and oxide Pb-Zn concentrates in ISP process. Orzel Bialy S.A. and Baterpol Ltd. produce crude lead in short rotary furnaces in the process of smelting products of mechanical battery scrap separation– desulfurised or not desulfurised paste and metallic fraction. KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. and IMN Divison in Legnica produce crude lead in rotary furnaces in the process of smelting of polymetallic dusts and slimes from copper production processes."

Jan 1, 2008

By Kang-In Rhee

Nonferrous metal recycling not only provides energy saving and environmental benefits but also is a significant factor in the supply of various types of metals used in our society. Recycling plays an important role in establishing the sustainability of materials. The total amount of recycled nonferrous metals by weight accounts for less than 5% but their value is larger than 50% compared to ferrous metal recycling which consists of about half of the total metal recycling in weight. This paper describes trends and typical achievements in nonferrous metal recycling and overviews the present and future of nonferrous metal recycling technology and business in Korea.

Jan 1, 2006