sige @deeton rake Matte Smelting oan =) 3 eke FV SA yooshiy Sot one PY . * The production of liquid matter and its subsequent conversion to blister copper is the most important method of extracting copper from sulphide minerals. The principal . fs" oh se clolepythe Copper Reverberatory Furnace Cures, + 02 0" Chalcopyrte Cures» Flue Gas CuS + FeO +502 ‘sand, Sidg Px cop vase Limestone, CaCOs S02 Natural gas ~ Slag, CaSi05, Fesidg Copper(i) Sulfide (liquid) 2D Ph a Air, 02 Cups CaCOs + S102 -> casios Fesi0s (ts) Se ey ce sitticate seq 63 Converter: CuzS + 02 -> Cu (matte copper) + S02 Scanned with CamScannerDon onde Fluxes feo Sidp Lr AP opp ieee Pla xses FeaSh , Fe SiOz C080, so EEE a oo = Ne g (2323020) Gad + Lis fe a] S/-\ cuss { bool HE “EL eh, as oro) eee ot 1 = ‘noaPmecase.7 | § =a a : sr « gna © phase clenlane Scanned with CamScannerScanned with CamScannerinoue reer de and end views ofa reverberstry furnace ‘ difference in scale. yok CU abn? Scanned with CamScannervo | Smelting Reactions Summary Smelting Reactions: * CuFeS, + O, = CuS + FeO + SO, ¢CuS + O, = aa a nec” elf more O; 98 Cu, +3/20,= Cu,0\ (in anslag) +SO, Not good ore Slag Reactions (7? Sis wltaabey Frey es Sol ae If high Conc of FeO “a FeO (slag) + Cu,S (matte)=FeS (matte)+ Cu,0 (slag) not good x © The above reaction can go if high activity of FeO. It even lead to formation of Maes solid) uw TI ire Silica is added to reduce activity Tf FeO + SOP STEHGS eestor fr &" «CaCO, + SiO, = CaSiO, Cu to Cu,0 which will be lost with slag = | Scanned with CamScanneree oa es ei 5” Reverberatory Furnace fap ¢ Weaknesses: ~0 eer Id technology aw — Low matte grade (so high converter load) — Poor sulphur elimination and low gas strength 4 Strengths: oyna SY Te ee omen — Good impurity rejection to slag (low matte grade) — Disposable slag (less than 0.6% copper) — Low-tech control — Sunk capital nis ex Pere Ye nvold ony Scanned with CamScannerst Ar 6b Ue oe Te { Le oS tee! -ftanwso CouttesD Electric Furnace Matte ie . ay ox. Ress Smelting © “2488 The electric furnace is an i ; : electrically heated hearth furnace which performs the same functions as the reverberatory furnace. It is used in locations where electrical ener inexpensivi gy is inexpensive and where SO2 evolution from the furnace must be tightly controlled. nen The electric furnace has two environmental advantages over the reverberatory furnace due to the absence of gaseous combustion products — SO, concentration is controllable by adjustment of the air infiltration into the furnace. or: © OEP tee The furnace has areas. The heat for smelting is gen electric current through.a.siag layer, “TC It produces smaller quantities of effluent gases been used in environmentally sensitive erated by the flow of between submerged electrodes. Scanned with CamScanneree wg | rege hence of sing Gererdion pes of heat Ue CHaroine Smeting Pires ain ee Smee Cys) MUNOER * Sy te) . z ce ze Kolte bo Fig. 1.5, Cutaway view of a submerged arc electric furnace for the production of matte from dry sulphide concentrates or roasted calcines (Boldt and Queneau, 1967). Scanned with CamScanner® OMe abl Legend 1. Matte launder Converter slag return Inunder Tie-rod spring Electrode openings SONA wy |. Matte tapping blocks snesite refractory bricks Magnesite hearth and sub-hearth | Magnesite castable . Firesclay bricks Firebrick roof .- Slag tapholes 7 Average slag level ‘Average matte level Scanned with CamScannerry Advantages and Disadvantages of Electric Furnace Smetting pie pacer advantages of electric furnace smelting are: esl SEY is completely versatile and can be used to smelt all feed stocks o> — It produces small volumes of effluent gas -»¢ +!* #" a — SO, concentration of off gas easily controlled = “gstaeation = Efficient use of electrical energya® to* «© see quence of the-small quantity. « The efficient use of electrical energy is a conset act and of the low temperature ©! this lead to-a low heat cé ff, of gas whichis duced by the process th ‘ese actors | iLcarry ON. gas (500-700° « The disadvantages of the electric furnace are:- it make litle use of energy which is potentially available from oxidising the C sulphide minerals — Its operating costs are high. + The energy costs for this process are significantly higher than for flash smelting. Electric furnaces therefore do not have a major role in copper matte production, they do however find application in special circumstances @) where’ clectrical.enerayis.cheap and plentiful, where diverse maler ials are to be smelied and where emissions must be! controtied. oo Scanned with CamScanner° Flash fur ili of their ee ple the heat evolved from oxidising | ‘ le charge to provi - required for smelting. Provide much or all of the energy / “The Principle advantage of the flash smelting process is that their energy costs are much lower than for reverberatory and electric furnace smelters. te *Flash furnaces are also excellent from an environmental y= v because they produce SO, rich effluent gases _point of view from which the SO, can be recovered for the production of sulphuric acid. SOS = *Since 1965 flash smelters have accounted for the majority of te of smelting installations. Currently 50% of Cu matte is produced by FS Scanned with CamScannercan Use win, [. foe se ee OPO ration ata. tect one 285 Flash Smelting: Principle of Flash smel 5 oxide oo Le SSS -hot air (as0.G Consists of blowing dry concentrates together with oxygen, "~O* Once in the fi into a hot hearth type furnace. ye anoest of lurnace the sulphide particles (about 100um) react rapidly with Ts a. we Sa th vi idisit Conambanving oxidising gases, This results in c ontrolled partial oxidation of the concentrates fests = Large evolution of heat. Lewes One —— losses y The oxidation reactions are all exothermic and they provide a large proportion of the heat required for heating, melting and superheating the furnace charge. When commercial oxygen is the combustant the process is autogenous. Combustion.of the sulphide particles is extremely rapid and the heat produced by the oxidation reactions is sufficient to quickly melt the sulphide articles. The melted droplets fall to the Slag layer where the matte and slag forming reaction are completed.and.where tt e_oxidised copper is reduced back to Cu,S, The resulting matte drop settle through the slag layer to form the matte. roductivities of flash furnaces are in the order of 8-12 tonnes of charge r times gréater than electric or reverberatory furnaces. §=§=—— The He per day/m? of hearth area. This is two to fou! Scanned with CamScanner: Typical data Flash smelting Cu,% Fe, % S,% sio2 Concentrate 22.7 32.1 34.3 44 AG : a ae SR <= be Matte oS G4 . 10.6 244 0.0 oy rez stag cthe GB) 44.4 1.6 26.6 Yedderteg 9 ot Pan Wits Fae ne . : yy eh ee POS 4 cee Scanned with CamScanner; TYPes of flash smelter here a mai _ I re two main types of flash smelter Se ATEN - pee NCO eos DS Emalle 2. sé * OUTOKUMPU + Advantages and Disadvantages of Flash Smelting * The principle advantages of flash smelting are:- — Less'plant space since oxidation and smelting is carried out in one unit #0 -£ >©— Fuel costs are low 1 2 — Waste gases are rich in SO, — High production rates — High matte grade (55-65%) + Principle disadvantage is high copper content slag (INCO 0.7% Cu and Outokumpu_1%).. This means that flash furnaces e used to recover copper from converter slag. (30-70%), —= sine cod Ae® cannot b Scanned with CamScannerFlash Smelting (Het) 2 Sa: . Problem: N a air g Meee oan yy, an ; absorbs h : 1200-13008 needed ee content Inco ny 7 Pure Oxygen ¥ “ ‘s— Higher SO, concentration easier to scrub Outokumpo Miviny aie + onag en — Preheated air/sometimes oxygen ome vx, ~~ — Still requires, some Fuel Scanned with CamScanner° The INCO fi urnace is a rather small hea A rth type furn. i and 5m high. re = sty) lace, 23m long, 6m. wide ae smelt1600 tonnes of dry charge per day. Mane oreonate, Huxes and oxyaet are blown horizontally into the furnace from ends and the waste gases aré drawn of from a central off take/ Slag is tapped at one end. “The furnace is made from a refractory lined welded steel construction which keeps the furnace. gas tight. ~ «Smelting is started by heating (over several-days) the furnace to its operating temperature with temporary oil burners. B fe. “When the 1 temperature reaches 1200°C, the oil burmers are replaced by sulphide burners.) Fae ~~ #7 «The oxygen is blown in and the rate of concentrate feed is gradually increased until the desired temperature is reached. Full smelting rate is reached within 2 days. «The process is autogenous and stops only for maintenance i = Scanned with CamScanner. - INCO Furnace ‘oh ace Inco Oxygen Flash Smelting Furn Scanned with CamScannerInco Oxygen Flash Smelting Furnace Scanned with CamScannerComparative Operating Data INCO ouToKuMPU_| PRODUCTIVITY 16 87 |___T/DAYM? DUST LOSS % Cj 5-10 SO, CONC » 60-80 20-45 00 sutable tr SLAG %Cu | Fuel Rea. (9) et 8 Perticharge __|¢<~ zm [O, REQUIREMENT, | 0.5T/T matte or SLAG ay sip P 40 RETREATMENT a Jee ota Kwhit "nse Scanned with CamScannerOutokumpu Flash Smelting seh * Process uses air (450°C), concentrate and O. ° Downward | burner causes particles to stick to slag + Newest furnaces are 20 m long, 7m wide 3m high ° 1200 t/day * Oil burners required - not totally autogenous fie ae Scanned with CamScannerOutokumpu Flash Furnace . Vee Kical Oufokumpu Flash Smelting Furnace Continous QORSS Scanned with CamScannerOutokumpu Flash Furnace WZ ¢ Outokumpu Flash Smelting Furnace Scanned with CamScannerOutokumpu Flash Koo P Furnace RSS) ‘s ° Weaknesses: - — Needs dry, fine feed - drier cost and feed problems aa 7 - High energy costs Scanned with CamScannerOutokumpu Flash C Furnace IN > ¢ Strengths: _ High capacity unit capable of maybe 500,000 tpy copper ee as Scanned with CamScannerComparison of INCO and hood Outokumpu Processes KEX)0 ¢ ADVANTAGES OF INCO — Much lower energy requirement ¥ — & = Small volume of effluent gas ¥ /~ SO, concentration is high gan oy ) -¥ —Low dust losses “>” 1h cag Oe O72, — Higher productivity rate. ; : geod Scanned with CamScannerTechnologies -._, et ee 6) Oe yi ber . Peirce-Smith Converter - main device e Misubishi Continuous converter | ogestag 3 ¢ Flash Converter pe te ¢ Inco MK Converter e Noranda/El Teniente Converter « Ausmelt Converter Single stage smelting and converting Scanned with CamScanner