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By Robert F. Jenkins, King G. Robertson

This paper presents a practical approach for utilizing a computer model to determine the mass balance for a typical UBC recycling complex - starting with raw materials input, through scrap preparation, delacquering, melting, alloy adjustment and casting. This model is especially concerned with metal unit losses throughout the recycling complex with emphasis on metal losses at the melting furnace. The model also addresses the application of hardener alloys, metallurgical salts, chlorine for demagging, and reagents for acid gas emissions control. Other issues addressed are dross generation, acid gas emissions and dirt and fines to landfill. One benefit of the model is the conversion of annual production objectives to hourly production rates and resource requirements taking into account production schedules, maintenance downtime, and operations inefficiencies.

Jan 1, 2000

By Michel G. Drouet

Dross, a major by-product of all processes involving molten aluminum, forms at the surface of the molten metal as the latter reacts with the furnace atmosphere. It generally represents 1 to 5 wt% of the melt, depending on the process, and contains on average about 50% free aluminum dispersed in an oxide layer. Since aluminum production is highly energy-intensive, dross recycling is very attractive from both the energy and the economic standpoints. The conventional recycling process using salt rotary furnaces is thermally inefficient and environmentally non-acceptable because of the production of salt slags. Hydro-Quebec has developed and patented a new salt-free technology using a rotary furnace heated by an electric arc between two graphite electrodes, called DROSCAR®. A 600-kW pilot plant in operation at LTEE is in use to demonstrate the process. This process provides aluminum recovery rates over 90%, using a highly energy efficient, environmentally sound production method. In 1994, 400 tonnes of aluminum dross were treated in this facility and several tests on various types of dross have also been conducted in early 1995. A report on the results will be presented.

Jan 1, 1995

By R. Harris

Blister copper melts of 800 g to 1000 g containing less than 1 wt % S and up to 3 wt % Ni were desulfurized at 1523 K in air or by a pure oxygen jet blown at 75,500 and 1000 cm3/min, from 1 cm above the melt. Rates of desulfurization and oxygen pickup were measured and visible surface phenomena were photographed and videotaped. It was observed that SO2 was evolved from Cu-S melts in a manner reminiscent of the effervescence seen in carbonated drinks. The effervescence lasted up to 20 minutes and resulted in the ejection of material up to a height 50 cm above the melt surface. Sporadic discharge of large bubbles was also observed in a Ni containing melt top-blown with oxygen at 1000 cm3/min. The Cu-S melts top-blown with oxygen experienced faster sulfur elimination as compared to stagnant melts exposed to air and experienced only a single period of turbulent SO2 evolution, which occurred almost immediately after oxygen injection commenced. The Cu-S melts exposed to air experienced multiple episodes of effervescence. The stagnant blister copper melt containing nickel did not exhibit effervescent behaviour and experienced a lower rate of sulfur elimination compared to Cu-S melts tested under similar conditions. The present article examines the role of surface phenomena in determining the observed behaviour.

Jan 1, 1999

By Zhi-xiang Cui

Effects of flux, vulcanizing agent and reductant on slag cleaning in new-type slag cleaning furnace (Φ3.6 × 8.1 m) were investigated under the conditions including smelting temperature of 1200 and 1250 °C, settling time of 30 and 60 min, and Fe/SiO2 of 1.7–1.9. The results show that addition of SiO2, B2O3 or CaF2 into original copper smelting slag can improve settling separation effect. Though no effect on copper recovery, addition of FeS can provide heat required by reaction with oxygen and reduce copper dissolution in spinel phase and slag. Copper content in discarded slag can be controlled at 0.26% under the optimum comprehensive conditions with ratio of oxygen to natural gas of 1.6.

By V. Madhusudhan Rao

Fly ash is a finely divide non ? combustible material obtained as a by ? product of coal combustion. It is a major by ? product of coal based thermal power stations. Until recent past it was considered as a waste and highly polluting material. However its formation can only be minimized by using suitable technology in the boilers. In recent past it is found that Fly ash has many end uses and it has proven itself to be a potential construction material. But the suitability of fly ash for various applications largely depends on the amount of unburned carbon, which is turn depends on the firing method. Fly ash samples from various power plants existing in India using a fluidized bed method and pulverized bed were analyzed and a comparison of these two firing methods was carried. This paper deals with the compositional requirements for fly ash used for the fabrication of insulating doors using AAC (Aerated Autoclave Concrete) and the methods employed to make fly ash suitable for this purpose. It also includes the latest ?U? beam technology for effective fly ash recycle. If the by products of coal combustion from power plants like fly ash as the paper stresses are utilized properly, it is not an exaggeration to say that power generation is possible with absolutely zero cost.

Jan 1, 2006

By Jakub Kaczorowski

In the production of Mn-alloys, the Boudouard reaction significantly influences the mass and energy balance. The endothermic nature of this reaction requires more energy for the process, while the direct consumption of carbon is reflected in the greater demand for carbonaceous raw materials. Therefore, it is desirable to eliminate or suppress the reaction. The kinetics of the Boudouard reaction are a function of many factors, of which coke properties and the conditions around the particles (i.e. temperature, gas composition) seem to be the most important. In the present study properties of selected single source and commercial metallurgical cokes are compared with reactivity results. The single source cokes represent a single coal that has been carbonized in a laboratory scale furnace. The commercial cokes are products of carbonization of coal blends under industrial conditions. The coke properties include proximate, ultimate and ash analysis. Also, coke petrography with carbon forms is included. The reactivity tests were performed on different particle sizes at various temperatures, gas compositions and gas flow rates. The experimental parameters were chosen to simulate the conditions in an industrial furnace. The results show that highly graphitized structure of cokes, minimal surface area and a low concentration of ash retard the reactivity. Of the other factors, the temperature and the gas composition have the greatest impact on the reactivity.

Jan 1, 2006

By Kenji Monden

"The creep properties of tin-based lead-free solders Sn3.0AgO.5Cu and SnO.7CuO.1Ni and lead solders 10Sn90Pb and 50Sn50Pb were investigated at temperatures between 298 K and 398 K. The creep-rupture time decreases with increasing initial stress and temperature. The analysis of the solder creep curves uses the Omega method. The creep rate E is expressed by following formula: 1n ? = 1n ?0 + O?, where ?0 and O are experimentally determined. The parameter Eo increases with increasing initial stress and temperature. The activation energy for ?0 is 108 kJ/mol for Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu and 85 kJ/mol for SnO.7CuO.INi. These energies suggest that the lattice diffusion of tin is dominant. The energy of 1OSn90Pb is 37 kJ/mol and that of 50Sn50Pb is 67 kJ/mol. The creep-rupture time is calculated using the parameters, ?0 and O. The calculated creep-rupture time is in good agreement with the measured creep-rupture time.IntroductionLead-free solders are replacing traditional tin-lead solders as part of a major trend toward protecting the earth's environment. However, tin-lead solders are currently needed for a high temperature range. Since creep is the main deformation mechanism in solder joints, understanding a constitutive model for creep and examining creep data for solders are important for reliability analysis of solder joints. A steady-state creep equation is generally used for solders [1,2], and it supposes that the secondary-, or minimum-, creep rate occupies the entire creep life. However, secondary creep accounts for only about 15 % to 40 % of the entire creep life for solders. Thus, the equation may not represent the entire creep life."

Jan 1, 2012

By Anjan Kumari, B. K. Soni, Manis Kumar Jha, A. Vidyadhar, Vinod Kumar

"In the present paper, recovery of valuable metals from the poly-cracked ash obtained by pyrolysis of discarded PCBs has been studied following physical beneficiation and a hydrometallurgical process alternate to smelting. The ash is subjected to comminution for the separation of metallic components from non-metallic fractions by scrubbing, tabling and froth flotation which enriched the metal in the concentrate -97% which was further screened to separate high and low metal concentrate. The finer fraction containing -12% metallic value was leached in acidic solution. Almost all (Cu, Pb, Fe, etc) were leached in 4M HN03 at 90°C in 75 min at a pulp density 100 g/L. The characterization of both ash and residues were made by XRD, EPMA, EDS, etc. to validate the experimental results. The metals from the leach liquor could be recovered/separated using solvent extraction techniques which can further be processed to get pure metal salts/ sheets.IntroductionPrinted circuit boards (PCBs) are an essential component of electrical and electronic equipments (EEEs) as it plays an important role during operation of these devices. The world market of PCBs has reached nearly $60 billion in 2012, with 1.7 percent real growth over 2011 [1]. The diverse technology-driven global market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 5% by 2014 [2]. The waste EEEs are generated due to replacement of obsolete equipments with modem ones and thus their demand is also increasing rapidly [3]. The discarded e-wastes are being piled up as landfills which affect the environment and cause health threats to living organisms, if not disposed of properly. These e-wastes contain metals some of which are precious, few are hazardous and others as valuable."

Jan 1, 2014

By Rolando Campos

The CODELCO-CHILE Teniente Converter Technology, is presently being applied in four Chilean smelters (Caletones, Chuquicamata, Potrerillos and ENAMI-Ventanas). A Teniente Converter is due to be used at ENAMI-Hernan Videla Lira (Paipote) smelter in the near future. Also, a Teniente Converter is to be installed as part of a retrofit project for Nkana smelter of Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Ltd. (ZCCM). The charge to be treated through this smelter will consist of a blend of concentrate arisings from the various concentrators within the ZCCM group. The present status on the application of the Teniente Converter Technology at Caletones smelter as well as its projected performance when used at Nkana smelter, are presented in this paper. The design operational basis, autogenous smelting throughputs, concentrate to matte ratios and benefits due to the use of technical oxygen, are presented and analysed.

Jan 1, 1992

By C. A. Silva

The kinetics of chlorination of titanium-bearing raw materials has been investigated. For comparison purposes pellets of controlled macro-porosity, made of analytical grade TiO2 and anatase concentrate (Brazil) , have been exposed to different combinations of gas composition - CO, CO2, C12 -, gas flowrate and temperature. A thermogravimetric technique and an adapted grain model have been used in order to assess the influence of the several experimental parameters upon the chlorination behavior.

Jan 1, 1997

By Jason Eric Sallee

Ongoing operations at the Cyprus Miami Smelter involve the use of an electric furnace for settling of copper matte from discard slag. Proper operation of the electric settling furnace is a major factor in minimizing losses of copper to the discard slag. Recent test work at the smelter has shown improvement in the operation of the electric furnace with a subsequent improvement with regard to the copper losses. This paper presents a general discussion of the Cyprus Miami Smelter operation, past results with respect to copper losses, recent operational changes and test work, and the subsequent results.

Jan 1, 1999

By Ali Unal, Ali I. Kahveci

Alcoa developed a fractional crystallization process some 30 years ago as a method to purify aluminum. Depending on the purity of feed metal, it has been commercially used to make 3N7-6N purity aluminum. As an extension of this technology, Alcoa has experimented with purifying various aluminum alloy scrap for the purpose of recycling. Purified aluminum alloy scrap can be reused for making the same alloy. This presentation will discuss Alcoa fractional crystallization technology and its application to alloy scrap processing. Process capabilities and the partitioning of eutectic and peritectic impurities during fractional crystallization will be discussed for the alloy systems investigated.

Jan 1, 2000

By W. D. Keller

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) accompanied by X-ray energy dispersive analysis (XES) is a useful tool in process clay mineralogy. The texture of kaolin, illustrated by SEM, gives a clue to its mode of genesis and probable industrial application. One type of kaolin, originating dominantly by weathering, has an open texture, slakes readily, and is used for filling and coating paper. Another type, in contrast, originates by diagenesis of Al-silicate sediments, and spectacularly resists slaking, thereby enabling it to maintain its bulk density and controlled size and shape of particles after crushing and moistening; this meets an important requirement for the manufacture of refractories. Ratios of elemental Al:Si that may be rapidly determined by SEM and XES yield information on the origin and purity of bauxite and bauxitic clays, and aid in quality control and processing of them. SEM of dissimilar textures of quartz, as in chert and novaculite, are evidence for geothermometry on a stratigraphic scale that is potentially useful in delimiting thermally favorable or unfavorable areas for hydrocarbon exploration, and possibly for unexposed metallic ore deposits.

Jan 1, 1982

By Stuart M. Jones

This paper describes the state of the art of grinding in the Copper Industry today including descriptions of the largest equipment and design features which allow processing of as much as 100,000 mtpd in a single mill line. We include a typical flowsheet, control philosophies, and maintenance techniques which result in low cost production which is essential in today's market.

Jan 1, 1999

By B. Ozturk, K. Ito, R. J. Fruehan

"A simulation model for bath smelting processes for the production of iron was developed which predicts the coal, flux, ore, and oxygen consumptions and the off gas volume, temperature and composition. The model is comprehensive in that it takes into account all of the important variables including coal composition, metal composition, ore composition, slag basicity, post combustion ratio, (PCR), prereduction degree (PRO), heat transfer coefficient (HTC) , flux, scrap charge, and heat losses. Four basic cases were considered: I. 30% PRO-50% PCR; II. 90% PRO-O% PCR; III. 60% PRO-30% PCR; and IV. 0% PRO-50% PCR. Several different coals were considered and a sensitivity analysis of the critical variables was performed. The model also estimates the sulfur content of the metal. The major conclusions included:1. Post combustion significantly reduces coal consumption but above 20% PCR little reduction of FeO to Fe can be performed with the off gas.2. Prereducing to FeO (Case I) and having as much post combustion as consistent with good heat transfer is an attractive process. This process only requires a simple pre reducer, uses less coal, and is relatively insensitive to the type of coal used.3. High off gas temperatures may pose a potential problem. The off gas temperature can be reduced by using an 02-Air mixture for post combustion, limiting post combustion or adding water to the gas.4. The use of CaC03 in place of CaO or of supplemental electricity does not appear attractive.5. The melting unit is theoretically an energy efficient scrap melter. For Case I using 200 kg of scrap as part of the charge the coal consumption decreases by about 80 kg.6. With PCR > 30% the FeO content of the slag is expected to be 2-5%, and the metal will not be saturated with carbon. These factors and the increased sulfur load since coal is the fuel indicate the sulfur content of the metal may exceed 0.25%"

Jan 1, 1988

By Corby G. Anderson

In the majority of industrial operations recovering gold and silver by hydrometallurgical means, cyanide is the predominant lixiviant. However, as an economic alternative, production of massive quantifies of silver chloride was done on an industrial scale in the nitrous-sulfuric acid pressure leaching of a refractory precious metals concentrate. This proven process required no cyanide. Thus, because of the large volumes encountered during day-to-day plant operation, the need for efficient and low cost methods of silver chloride precipitation, reduction and materials handling was mandatory. As such, this paper covers the evolution of plant scale precipitation, filtration, washing, reduction and control of silver chloride processing. As well, an in-depth description of the unique leaching system is included.

Jan 1, 1998

By Thomas M. Harris

To avoid the escalating cost of disposal of metals-containing wastewater and residues, new wastewater treatments will focus on the recovery of the metals. A combination of ion exchange and electrowinning can produce water suitable for discharge and relatively pure metals. The use of a chelating resin can enhance the selectivity of both the removal process and the elution of metals from the resin. A new, simple method of preparing a variety of chelating resins is being developed. The materials produced by this method exhibit interesting, as well as potentially useful, elution behavior. The performance of one test resin is described.

Jan 1, 1992

By Kenneth L. Reid

The Mineral Resources Research Center at the University of Minnesota has recently installed a QEM*SEM system (Quantitative E.valuation of Materials using Scanning Electron Microscopy) to aid in detailed mineralogical evaluation of potential mineral resource developments in Minnesota and to provide services to the North American mineral industry. A primary application for the unit is to serve the Minnesota taconite industry by providing mineralogical analysis of ores and concentrator products. Minnesota taconite ores contain fine-grained magnetite in a quartz matrix. The ores undergo several size-reduction/magnetic-separation steps to produce a final concentrate with approximately 75% passing 325 mesh and containing about 5% gangue. The paper describes a typical taconite concentrator flowsheet and reports some preliminary results of the applications of QEM*SEM particle image maps and cumulative yield liberation data to samples from selected points in the concentrator circuit.

Jan 1, 1988

By F. San Martin, Y. Lefevre, F. Tamargo

The San Juan de Nieva smelter was commissioned in 1960 with an electrolytic zinc capacity of 15,000 t/y. After a number of minor expansions, the capacity was increased to 320,000 t/y in 1991 and will reach 440,000 t/y by August 2001. The expansion involves the construction of a 900 t/day Lurgi roaster and a new acid plant. The leaching will be fully revamped and modernised, including the construction of a new building for residue treatment and for j arosite precipitation with a separate circuit for silver-containing concentrates. The project also includes the construction of a fully automated 137,000 t/y zinc cathode tankhouse fitted with 3.4 m2 cathodes designed by Asturiana de Zinc, and based on the existing tankhouse and introducing some improvements. New melting and casting facilities, also designed by Asturiana, will be constructed.

Jan 1, 2000

By M. Vondersaar, B. Bulnes

Quemetco, Inc.,. as a subsidiary of RSR Corporation, operates one of RSR's three secondary lead smelters in the City of Industry, California, next to a residential area within Los Angeles County. The Reverberatory furnace serves as the main reactor for melting lead grid and paste recovered by the battery crushing system. Feed material is introduced via screw conveyor after drying in an upstream rotary kiln. Slag produced by the Reverb flows directly to an electric arc furnace. Products from this one-pass furnace system consist of soft lead bullion from the reverb, hard lead bullion from the arc furnace, and a non-hazardous slag from the arc furnace. Furnace bullion is processed into finished product in a six-kettle refinery. An overview ·of plant operations is presented. Where applicable, references will be made to changes that have taken place during the last decade.

Jan 1, 2000