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By M. A. Llavona

In Spain, as in many countries, the gold content of jewellery must be officially hallmarked. The official methods of assay are gravimetnc cupellation (a method which is highly accurate but both time and sample consuming), potentiometry, gravimetry and volumetry. In this paper, a procedure for measuring gold by flame atomic absorption in jewellery samples is described. The method is based on the acid digestion of a 40 mg sample. The quantity of aqua regia necessary for dissolving the gold, the ideal weight of a sample in order that the error may be minimal, the effect of the acids employed, the type of material used for its storage, and the necessity of employing a buffer to avoid the ionization of the solution are described. The method proposed is simple, highly accurate and causes little damage to the jewellery.

Jan 1, 1999

By Pedro A. Netto, Giulio R. Altoé, Sergio N. Monteiro, Ygor M. Moraes, Frederico M. Margem, Gabriel O. Glória

Since environmental issues are becoming more and more important Worldwide. Nowadays, Natural fibers are been used to substitute the synthetic ones. Although PALF fiber is an important natural fiber and its mechanical Properties surpass in various aspects some other lignocelluloses fibers, such few studies have been conducted with the fiber obtained from leaf of PALF plant. In order to better evaluate the mechanical properties and possible applications, this paper aims to improve the elastic modulus of the PALF fiber by Weibull statistics, by evaluating their mechanicals properties and possible applications. The fibers were divided in diameter intervals and the tensile strength and elasticity modulus were measured in each range. The fractured surface was examined using scanning electron microscopy. The results, interpreted by the Weibull statistical method, showed a correlation between the fiber elastic modulus and its diameter.

Jan 1, 2015

By Thomas R. Wildeman

Experimental methods for studying vapors over solid minerals are reviewed and an especially developed method using atomic absorption is described. The method is used to study vapor pressures over Te. Ag, Au, Ag2Te, and AuTe2 from 250°C through 10S0oe. Vapor pressures observed and, concurrently. sintering properties are significantly altered by the form of the solid. The vapor pressures of the tellurium compounds reveal complex processes occurring on the surfaces of the solids. The data given also point out a method of recovering precious metals from their telluride minerals w

Jan 1, 1987

By Bin Xu, Qian Li, Yong-bin Yang, Xiao-liang Liu, Tao Jiang, Yan Zhang

Some high sulfur and arsenic-bearing gold concentrate has a gold leaching rate less than 80% by oxidation roasting-pickling-cyanidation process. The characteristics and intensification of gold leaching were studied systemically. By combining chemical composition and phase analysis, the low gold leaching rate was found to lie in the capsulation of gold by iron-containing phases including iron oxides, arsenopyrite and pyrite. 96.66% of gold in the industrial leaching residue was capsulated and 95.88% of the capsulated turned out to be in the iron-containing phases. The results of laboratory pickling-cyanidation experiments on the calcine and industrial leaching residue presented further demonstration for the fact that gold capsulated in the iron-containing phases was hard to be leached. However, the gold cyanide leaching rate of calcine could be raised over 95% by a reduction roasting-pickling pretreatment which played such a significant role in exposing the capsulated gold that gold leaching was intensified remarkably.

Jan 1, 2015

By Zhijing Zhang

A thermodynamic structure model for alkali borate melts is developed to describe the distribution of structural groups in the alkali borate melts as a function of compositions. Fractions of threefold coordinated boron atoms and fourfold coordinated boron atoms in the potassium borate melt are calculated for the entire composition range and compared with results reported in the literature. The model has been used for structural interpretation for the borate anomaly in viscosity, which regards the borate anomaly as a manifestation of the various antithetical effects caused by the introduction of alkali oxide into boric oxide. It has been found that the viscosities of alkali borate melts increase or decrease according to the changes in rigidity and spatial connectivity of the glass network structure, which is a function of temperature and composition.

Jan 1, 2001

By F. Nava-Alonso, O. Alonso-González, A. Uribe-Salas, R. Pérez-Garibay

"Cyanidation is the most used method to recover gold and silver from their ores. In this process, other metals besides gold and silver may sometimes dissolve and interfere with the efficiency of extraction. Copper is one of those metals, reaching concentrations as high as 1000 mg/L in some cyanidation plants, making difficult the extraction and purification processes, and increasing the operating costs.This preliminary work was intended to study the feasibility of using amines to form a precipitate and to eliminate copper from a synthetic solution containing high copper and cyanide concentrations, as is the case of some cyanidation effluents. The solid formed is removed from the solution using conventional filtration techniques. Seven amines were evaluated at different pH values and amine additions. Up to 90% of copper present may be removed at the natural pH of the effluent (alkaline). The remaining copper would permit to recycle the solution back to the cyanidation process. IntroductionCopper is generally considered the most problematic metal in gold leaching due to the rapid formation of copper cyanide complexes when some readily-soluble minerals are processed (e.g., azurite, malaquite, cuprite, chalcocite and bornite). The copper solubilization as cuprous cyanide complexes leads to a significant economic penalty in terms of excessive cyanide consumption and high cost for cyanide elimination. When activated carbon is used to recover gold and silver, the copper-cyanide complexes decrease the efficiency of the process because of the competition of the cuprocyanides with the aurocyanide for the adsorptive sites on the activated carbon (Rees and Deventer, 1999).Several techniques have been developed to attempt to overcome the problems caused by the copper presence in cyanidation solutions, notably: acidification-volatilization-regeneration (AVR), ion exchange-electrolysis or solvent extraction-electrowinning (Lu et al., 2002). In this work the use of some amines is proposed to remove the copper-cyanide complexes by precipitation of a copper-cyanide-amine solid. The process was evaluated for different amine additions and pH values, using copper-cyanide synthetic solutions of composition similar to that presented by some cyanidation plants with high copper."

Jan 1, 2008

By Keith M. Axler

This report addresses issues specific to the generation of hydrogen fluoride via reaction of calcium fluoride with sulfuric acid. This process has been established on a commercial scale and is under consideration for treatment of calcium fluoride residues from uranium processing. Magnesium fluoride slags are also available as a product of uranium processing. The technique of using sulfuric acid for the production of hydrogen fluoride from magnesium fluoride is also under consideration as a residue processing scheme. In the current study, thermodynamic modeling was used to investigate these chemical processing systems. The results presented herein reveal information relevant to the selection of processing temperatures and conditions. Details include predicted effects in system composition based on operating temperatures for both the calcium fluoride and the magnesium fluoride systems.

Jan 1, 1996

By Jorge A. S. Tenorio, Chuanwei Zhuo, Joner O. Alves, Yiannis A. Levendis

"The disposal of wastes is a serious environmental problem, since available landfill space is dwindling. Their treatment by pyrolysis or combustion has merit, and the corresponding fuel or power production is of technological interest. However, such processes need a rigid control of emissions. This work addresses the gaseous light hydrocarbons (LHCs) generated during sequential pyrolysis and partial oxidation of unserviceable tires, PET bottles, com wastes (DDGS) and sugarcane bagasse in a two-stage laminar-flow horizontal furnace, kept at 1000 °C. Gas chromatography was used to identify and quantify the components of the emitted gaseous light hydrocarbons. The results showed that the biomass residues generated the highest emissions of aliphatic hydrocarbons, whereas PET generated the most aromatic hydrocarbons. When stainless steel meshes were inserted in the exhaust flow, it was found that hydrocarbon emissions were curtailed; as such meshes catalyzed partial conversion of these carbon-bearing gases to carbonaceous nanomaterials.IntroductionLight hydrocarbons (LHCs) are volatile organic compounds, consisting of hydrogen and carbon with low molecular weight; the most common species are methane, ethane, propane, butane, etc. LHCs are valuable since they are a very important energy resource. However, uncontrolled release of light hydrocarbon gases to the atmosphere should be avoided [l, 2]. In this work, a development is presented for the evaluation of LHCs generated during the controlled pyrolysis/combustion of several wastes in a two-stage laminar-flow horizontal furnace. Samples of unserviceable tires, post-consumer PET bottles and waste residues from the bioethanol industry (DDGS and sugarcane bagasse) were burned. A catalyst system, consisting of stainless steel screens, was tested for its effects on the gaseous emissions."

Jan 1, 2011

By Zhongning Shi, Ramana G. Reddy

"By cyclic voltammetry and potentiostat electrodeposition using Potentiostat/Galvanstat, electrochemical behavior on Ag electrode in electrolyte 0.2M NaOH+0.01MPb(NO3)2-0.01M TeO2 -0.01M TlNO3 solution were also carried out at 298K. The processes of electrodeposition of Tl2Te3 and PbTl4Te3, a thermoelectric material, are reported along with analysis of the composition of the obtained deposits. The results showed that two different underlying processes are occurring depending on deposition potential. One process involves the reduction of TeO3 2- and Tl+ to Tl2Te3 in a potential interval of -0.70V < E < - 0.89V (vs. Hg/HgO). A second process at more negative reduction potentials involves reduction of TeO3 2-, Pb2+ and Tl+ to PbTl4Te3 in a potential interval of -1.02V < E < - 1.19V. The crystalline Tl2Te3 and PbTl2Te3 were deposited electrochemically on Ag substrates at -0.84V and -1.10V respectively. Thermoelectric (TE) material can form a temperature gradient across the material to make electric voltage, which is popular in waste heat utilization and recovery industry. Lead telluride, PbTe, is a small band gap semiconductor of 0.32eV at 300K. PbTe can change its n-type semiconductors with Pb-rich to p-type semiconductors with Te-rich[1]. And it is one of the best TE materials used in thermoelectric generators working between 500K and 600K, or even at a higher temperature of 800K.Three facto,rs play a role in the performance of a thermoelectric material: electrical conductivity (s), thermal conductivity(?), and the Seebeck coefficient (S). These can be combined with absolute temperature (T) to give a figure of merit (ZT) for the material, ZT = s2sT/?. By increasing the electrical conductivity and decreasing the thermal conductivity, which can enhance the ZT value, many efforts, such as alloying with other elements and making the materials nano-sized, have been done to improve its properties recently. Hsu et al. reported that the ZT value of Cubic AgPbmSbTe2+m is increased to 2.2 by doping Ag-Sb to PbTe.[2]."

Jan 1, 2011

By Onuralp Yücel, Mehmet Bugdayc, Murat Alkan

"In this study, iron based alloys (Fe-Mo, Fe-Cr-Ni, etc.) were produced by using aluminothermic methods starting from Mill Scales obtained continuous casting processes. Mill scales are an oxidised layer of steel alloys containing iron oxide, which includes + 2, + 3 values, on the surface of slabs and billets occurring during annealing in heating furnace at integrated iron and steel milling plant, and continuous casting unit. In the metallothermic experiments, different ratios of starting mixtures and addition of the oxide powders (Alz03, Si02, CaO, MgO) were examined, and their effects on the metal recovery and alloy compositions were carried out. The samples were characterized by using chemical analysis (AAS), XRD, XRF and SEM/EDS techniques.IntroductionSelf Propagating High Temperature Synthesis process (SHS) has many favour compared to the furnace applications, such as low energy requirement, low cost, very short processing time and simple operation, [l, 2]. In a SHS process, the ignition starts the combustion and propagates throughout the reactant mixture yielding the desired product. However, the disadvantages of the process such as inhomogeneous or unreacted products due to undesirable reaction rates needs to be overcome by changing some parameters such as ignition temperature, particle size, additive, atmosphere etc. [3, 4]. Mill scale is a layer of iron oxide which forms on ferrous materials cooling after being processed in hot rolling or continuous casting plants. Mill scale contains iron (II) and iron (III) oxides, which result in a 70% total iron content in oxide form. Not being able to reuse this material will prevent the raw material entering the production plant from being fully utilized [5]. This study aimed to produce Fe-based alloys via SHS (Self Propagating High Temperature Synthesis) metallurgy which is attractive process technique regarding fast and low-cost production ability of cast alloys by using high metallic iron content by reducing continuous casting mill scale."

Jan 1, 2013

By Gabriel Zarate

Mantoverde is a heap leach-SX-EW plant that was commissioned in December 1995 at a production rate of 42,130 tonnes of copper per year and 5.4 million tonnes of ore per year. Copper production was steadily increased reaching a maximum of 62,239 tonnes in 2012 for an ore throughput of 10,5 million tonnes. In order to get these production and throughput rates, a number of changes have been made in the metallurgical parameters of the plant operation since the start up, among them particle size, heap height, acid addition distribution in curing and leaching solution, leach cycles and pad type. Most of the modifications have been implemented after carrying out extensive column test work programs. The modifications implemented and the results obtained, as well as the test work programs carried out, are discussed in this paper.

By Katri Avarmaa

Aluminum and copper are large volume metals in electronic appliances, while tin and indium exist as common minor elements. All of these non-ferrous metals are aimed to be separated and recycled from the end-of-life electronics into non-ferrous scrap fraction(s), and further through pyrometallurgical and/or hydrometallurgical processes to pure metals. Depending on the mechanical pre-treatment processes, aluminum and copper liberation from each other varies. This study focuses on the influence of alumina on indium and tin distributions between copper alloy and iron silicate slags with 0, 9 and ∼16 wt% of Al2O3. The experiments were executed with an equilibration-quenching-EPMA technique in an oxygen pressure range of 10−10–10−5 atm at 1300 °C. The metal-slag distribution coefficient of indium remains constant as a function of alumina in slag, while that of tin increases. Therefore, aluminum in feed or alumina addition to the slag improves the recovery of tin into copper. Nevertheless, oxygen pressure has clearly more significant influence on the behavior of both the metals in the smelting conditions.

By Kazuya Koyama

We are studying the hydrometallurgical recycling process of indium from an Indium-Tin-Oxide(ITO) target. For this process, it is necessary to remove Sn(IV) ions from the aqueous hydrochloric acid solutions containing In(III). In this study, the removal of Sn(IV) ions by a potentiostatic electrolysis method was examined. The polarization measurements and potentiostatic electrolyses were carried out under a nitrogen atmosphere. In the Sn(IV) solution, current begins to rise at the cathode potential of -0.26 V vs. SHE, and increases with a reduction in the cathode potential. In the In(III) solution, current begins to rise at a cathode potential of -0.43 V vs. SHE. Metallic tin was electrodeposited without indium electrodeposition at the cathode potentials of -0.30 and -0.40V vs. SHE. More than 98% of the Sn(IV) was removed at the cathode potential of -0.40 V after the electrolysis for 3hrs. Both tin and indium were electrodeposited at the cathode potential of -0.50V vs. SHE.

Jan 1, 2006

By J. R. Kiji

The Cerro Matoso S.A. mine and smelter, in the Cordoba lowlands of northwestern Colombia, consist of a dedicated laterite nickel mine, ore blending, drying and an RKEF process to produce high-quality ferronickel. At a project investment of $400M, first production of ferronickel was in September 1982, and in its inaugural year CMSA produced 6,150 tons of contained Ni from a mined ore grade of 3.2% Ni. Initial operational difficulties resulted in a number of furnace run-outs, which impacted ramp up to design ore throughput of 128 dry t/h Since then CMSA has steadily incorporated process improvements and initiatives to take the single line operation to an ore throughput of 175 dry t/h. A second 175 dry t/h line was added in 2001 (investment of US$ 300M) to consolidate CMSA as one of the world&apos;s lowest cost Ni producers with an installed annual production capacity of 50-55,000 tons Ni. The most recent addition is commissioning of Phase I of an ore-upgrading project to counteract the effect of declining ore grades. Keywords: Laterite, ferronickel, pyrometallurgy, smelter.

Jan 1, 2004

By Jiang Feng, Zhang Libo, Peng Jinhui, Guo Zhanyong, Ju Shaohua, Lei Ting

The clean utilization of the residue containing chloride, CuCl residue, produced from zinc hydrometallurgy is very important for the recycle of valuable metals. And drying is the main process in recycling. In this study, response surface methodology was used to optimize operating conditions of the drying of CuCl residue in a convection oven and desirability function used as the methodology for the optimization. Optimization factors were air temperature (80–100°C), material thickness (10–25mm) and process time (80–120min) while investigated responses was final moisture content. The optimum conditions were found to be the temperature of 95.48°C with the material thickness of 13.47mm for the process time of 89.48 min. Under optimum conditions, the predicted moisture content of CuCl residue was 4.11% while the experimental date was 4.13%. The experimental value after process optimization was found to agree satisfactory with the predicted value. After drying, XRD was used to analyze the main phases of CuCl residue. The CuCl residue is made up of CuCl,Cu2O, ZnS and other compounds.

Jan 1, 2015

By Nobuaki Sato

The electrical conductivity, k, of pure and sodium doped sulfur melts was measured with and without ultrasonic waves at temperatures ranging from 140 to 340&apos;C by the two probe method using an ultra high resistance meter. The k value of the pure sulfur melt with irradiation jumped at around 170°C by an order of 102 after which it mouutuniocally increased from 10-5 to10-4 A&apos; 1 cm-1 with an increase of the temperature. The addition of the sodium metal to the sulfur melt was found to cause a larger jumping in the K value. The k value increased with the increase of Na proportion in the melt. For a 10mol% Na doped sulfur melt it was as high as max ~30 A 1cm -1 above 180 C under the irradiation of of ultrasconics.

Jan 1, 2003

By Jorge Gibson, P. Chris Pistorius, Megha Jampani

"The main reason for the significant carbon intensity of integrated steelmaking (approximately 1.8 tons of CO2 per ton of steel) is the use of carbon-based reductants in blast furnace ironmaking. Several changes to blast furnace ironmaking have been proposed as ways to reduce carbon intensity and cost. A conceptually simple two-zone blast furnace mass and energy balance can be used to quantify the expected impact of such process changes on coke rate, carbon intensity, and productivity. Examples to be discussed include top gas recycling, combining lower blast temperatures with increased coal injection to produce a rich top gas, using prereduced feed, and tuyère injection of natural gas. The use of the operating window – which illustrates how allowable flame temperatures and top-gas temperatures constrain feasible oxygen enrichment levels – is illustrated. Increased use of natural gas would lower the carbon intensity of blast furnace ironmaking.IntroductionBecause of the significant carbon intensity of steelmaking (approximately 1.8 tons of CO2 emitted per ton of steel produced) and the high production rate of steel (more than 1.4 billion tonnes per annum), steelmaking is responsible for a large percentage, approximately 6.7%, of world anthropogenic CO2 emissions [1]. By far the largest input of the carbon into conventional steelmaking is as coke, which is essential to blast furnace ironmaking. A typical fuel rate for blast furnace ironmaking is 450 kg of fuel per tonne of hot metal (THM). (""Fuel"" includes coke and injectants which partially replace coke; pulverized coal and natural gas are typical injectants.) Assuming the fuels to contain 90% carbon on average, and since nearly all of this carbon exits the steel plant as CO2, a fuel rate of 450 kg is equivalent to a CO2 intensity of 1485 kg/THM – by far the largest part of the total CO2 intensity of steelmaking.Blast furnace ironmaking is expected to remain the main source of new iron units; this paper gives some estimates of the extents to which further reductions in carbon intensity from blast furnace ironmaking is possible. A recent European assessment suggested that blast furnace process intensification options such as increased pulverized-coal injection or natural gas injection would yield only modest energy savings [2]. However, if the focus is on CO2 emissions rather than on total energy use, there would be an advantage to using fuels – such as natural gas – which have lower carbon contents relative to energy content."

Jan 1, 2014

By Christiana Mystrioti

Greece is the only EU country with extensive nickel laterite deposits. Since the 1960s, the Greek laterites are treated for ferronickel production via a pyrometallurgical route, which involves pre-reduction of the ore in rotary kilns and reduction smelting in electric arc furnaces. Due to the rising cost of energy and the decreasing grade of mined laterites, the pyrometallurgical treatment is economically marginal. For this reason, alternative treatment processes are currently under investigation. Potential applicability of hydrometallurgical treatment, using either H2SO4 or HCl, under atmospheric pressure conditions, for Ni and Co extraction from two low grade laterite ores, was examined in the present work. The two samples were selected to represent the different mineralogical composition of the saprolitic and limonitic ore deposits of the Greek laterites. The investigated parameters were temperature (65–90 °C), acid concentration (1–4 N) and solid to liquid ratio (10–30% w/v). The results indicated that HCl was more efficient than H2SO4 for the treatment of the saprolitic ore; Ni and Co extractions were very high for both elements, up to 98% and 96% respectively, while H2SO4 could leach efficiently Ni, up to 100%, but extracted only 34% of Co. Hydrochloric acid was also more efficient for the treatment of the limonitic ore, with Ni and Co extractions up to 98.3% and 87.6% respectively. With H2SO4 the maximum extractions were 71.3% for Ni and 52.1% for Co.

By N. M. S. Balbinot, A. L. Rodríguez, C. M. Mahlmann, R. de C. de S. Schneider

The use of sunflower oil co-products it was studied for production thermoplastic composites. Thermoplastic composites have been processed in polyethylene matrices of virgin linear low density polyethylene (LLDP) or recycled. Samples have been formulated with 10% mass fraction of sunflower bran, seed coat and mixture of bran and seed coat. The material characterization has been achieved by mechanical tensile test and Shore D hardness and by density physical testing. The results have demonstrated better properties to thermoplastic composites with sunflower seed coat.

Jan 1, 2008

By A. E. Torma

In recent years the copper industry has gained considerable economic stability. An essential part of this industrial wealth is attributable to the successful application of bio-mediated heap and dump leaching techniques in the recovery of copper from low-grade resources. This study evaluated the leachability of a chalcopyrite conlentrate using naturally occurring mixed culture of predominantly Thiobacillusferrooxidans and Thiobacillus thiooxidans. For the effects-of pulp density, the overall reaction rate constant (k) and the order of reaction (n) have been determined to be 1.93 h-1 and 1.36, respectively. Cyclic voltammetric measurements revealed that intermediate reactions are involved in the chalcopyrite oxidation. Using the Price approach, it was shown that the dissolution of chalcopyrite is solid state diffusion controlled.

Jan 1, 1992