Pyrometallurgy

SYMPOSIUM: 03 PYROMETALLURGY

CODE AUTHOR PY01 James Edwards PY02 PY03 PY04 PY05

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TITLE ABSTRACT COMING OF AGE - 21 YEARS COMERCIAL OPERATION OF COPPER ISASMELT IM AT MONT ISA Kim Fagerlund SMELTING - INTEGRATED, SUSTAINABLE PLANT SOLUTION Dean Gregurek WEAR PHENOMENA OF BASIC BRICK LININGS IN COPPER INDUSTRY Dean Gregurek CORROSION TESTING METHODS FOR NEWLY DEVELOPED REFRACTORY PRODUCTS N. Brogden ELECTROMAGNETIC LEVEL PROFILE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM TESTED BY AGELLIS GROUP AB ON KENNECOTT COPPER FLASH SMELTERS IS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE PROCESS CONTROL DECISION MAKING AND IMPROVE OPERATOR SAFETY Klaus Gamweger FIELD REPORTS OF THE NEW INNOVATIVE GAS PURGING SYSTEM FOR STATIONARY AND TILTING COPPER ANODE FURNACES F. Alvear SMELTING OF KAZAKHSTAN CONCENTRATES AT UST-KAMENOGORSK USING A COPPER ISASMELT FURNACE Angelika Ressler DESTRUCTIVE AND NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING METHODS FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF MGOCR2O3-BASED REFRACTORY BRICKS Chiharu Tokoro SULFULIZATION AND SLOW-COOLING FOR MOLYBDENUM RECOVERY FROM COPPER SMELTING SLAG Gavin Swayn DESIGN AND COMMISSIONING OF THE OUTOTEC AUSMELT TSL COPPER SMELTER AT DNMC Cristian General Maintenance of Electric Furnace Martinez Grf Alvear XSTRATA TECHNOLOGY`S APPROACH FOR THE PROCESSING OF COPPER BEARING MATERIALS G. Richter CALETONES SMELTER; ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMPETITIVENESS CHALLENGES Maximo Leon ON THE INTERACTION BETWEEN REVERTS MEAN PARTICLE SIZE AND FLASH FURNACE REACTION SHAFT HEIGHT: A SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS

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PY15

Taufiq Hidayat

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Carl Justav Berg Per G. Brnnstrm

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G. Richter G. Richter G. Richter

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Boajun Zhao Baojun Zhao Alejandro Molina Alejandro Molina F. Jimenez

A THERMODYNAMIC OPTIMIZATION OF THE "CU2O"-CONTAINING SLAG SYSTEM AND ITS APPLICATIONS IN HIGH-TEMPERATURE COPPER MAKING PROCESSES OPTIMUM DRYING SOLUTION FOR COPPER CONCENTRATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR PS CONVERTERS WITH OUTOTEC'S CONVERTER HOOD TECHNOLOGY FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY GAS CAPTURE INCREASE AVAILABILITY SMELTER PLANT INCREASE SULFUR CAPTURE - OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT INSTALLATION OF DILUTED OPXYGEN COMBUSTION TECHNOLOGY IN A COPPER ANODE REFINING FURNACE AT CODELCO EL TENIENTE PLANT FEATURES OF THE BOTTOM BLOWN OXYGEN COPPER SMELTING TECHNOLOGY VISCOSITY MEASUREMENTS FOR COPPER SMELTING SLAGS AVA (ANLISIS VA VISIN ARTIFICIAL)} SYSTEM

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THE SYSTEM FOR OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF EMISSIONS (SCOE+) SPECIATION OF COPPER IN FLASH, CONVERTER AND SLAG CLEANING FURNACE SLAGS Milorad ?irkovi? SYNERGY OF ENERGY RESOURCES OF COPPER PYROMETALLURGY IN RTB BOR-SERBIA S. Pietrzyk VISCOSITY OF COPPER SLAGS FROM THE PROCESS OF DECOPPERING IN AN ELECTRIC FURNACE J. Font OPTIMAL CONFIGURATION OF VOLTAGE AND CURRENT INTENSITY IN AN ELECTRIC FURNACE FOR SLAG CLEANING B. T. Chambers SULPHATION ROASTING OF ENARGITE CONCENTRATE A. Warczok COPPER RECOVERY FROM THE SMELTING SLAG IN A ELECTRIC FURNACE Peter Bjrklund RECENT EXPRIENCES FROM IMPLEMENTING DYNAMIC PROCESS CONTROL AND MONITORING IN THE FLASH SMELTING PROCESS S. B. Breyner THERMAL SHOCK RESISTANT ALUMINA-CHROMIA REFRACTORY MATERIALS FOR THE COPPER

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INDUSTRY PY35 Zhi Sun LIQUIDUS TEMPERATURES, MAJOR AND MINOR ELEMENTS EQUILIBRIUM PARTITIONING IN COPPER SMELTING SLAG / MATTE /GAS SYSTEMS QUASI-CHEMICAL VISCOSITY MODEL FOR COPPERCONTAINING MULTI-COMPONENT LIQUID SLAGS MEANS OF REMOVING LEAD AND ARSENIC DURING THE COPPER PRODUCTION CYCLE IN UPGRADED TECHNOLOGY OF KGHM POLSKA MIED? SA FLASH SMELTING AND FLASH CONVERTING PROCESS AND COMMISSIONING AT JINGUAN COPPER AN EXTENSIVE SLAG DATABASE: LEAD-ING THE WAY INVESTIGATION OF THE BATH-DEPOSIT INTERFACE OF FREEZE-LININGS IN COPPER SLAGS ADVANCED PILOT PLANT ROASTING TESTS GIVE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE FOR DESIGN OF A LARGE ROASTER PLANT AT MMH INTEGRATED EXPERIMENTAL AND MODELLING RESEARCH ON COPPER SLAGS PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES IN SUPPORT OF OPTIMISATION OF COPPER MAKING PROCESSES CALCIUM FERRITE SLAG PHASE CHEMISTRY CONTROL USED IN CONTINUOUS FLASH CONVERTING DISTRIBUTION RATIOS OF PLATINUM AND PALLADIUM BETWEEN IRON OXIDE SLAGS AND MOLTEN COPPER AT 1573 K IMPROVEMENT OF CIRCULATED WATER COOLING SYSTEM FOR COPPER SLAG GRANULATION AND EFFECTIVE USE OF BLEEDING-OFF WATER DEVELOPMENT OF SIDE-BLOWING OXY-FUEL CONCENTRATE BURNER IN FLASH SMELTING PROCESS AT SUMITOMO TOYO SMELTER STUDY ON LIQUIDUS TEMPERATURE AND VISCOSITY OF COPPER SMELTING SLAG THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OPTIMUM OPERATION AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE O-SR PROCESS AT ONAHAMA SMELTER & REFINERY HIGH EFFICIENT SLAG CLEANING - LATEST RESULTS FROM PILOT SCALE OPERATION

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Zhi Sun Czernecki Jozef

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Zhou Jun

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Vaajamo Lina Ata FallahMehrjardi Sergio Carrasco

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Evgueni Jak

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E. Jak

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Katsunori Yamaguchi Hiromichi Inada

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S. Sasai

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Jun-Ichi Masanori Yoshida R. Knig

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N. Cardona

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OPTIMIZING CONVERTER AISLE OPERATION AT ATLANTIC COPPER SMELTER, HUELVA, SPAIN Javad Khosravi APPLICATION OF EXERGY ANALYSIS IN COPPER SMELTING PRODUCTION Baojun Zhao PHASE EQUILIBRIA STUDIES FOR COPPER SMELTIMG/ CONVERTING SLAGS Ata FallahINVESTIGATION OF FREEZE-LINING FORMED IN AN Mehrjardi INDUSTRIAL COPPER CONVERTING CALCIUM FERRITE SLAGS V.R. ParraCHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND DUST GENERATION Sanchez OF COPPER CONCENTRATE PARTICLES OXIDIZED UNDER SUSPENSION-SMELTING CONDITIONS V.R. ParraEVOLUTION OF SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF COPPER Sanchez CONCENTRATE PARTICLES OXIDIZED UNDER SUSPENSION-SMELTING CONDITIONS I. Wilkomirsky CONTINUOUS CONVERTING OF COPPER MATTE IN A MOLETEN - LAYER REACTOR I. Wilkomirsky PHYSICO - CHEMISTRY OF NEUTRAL ROASTING OF HIGH ARSENIC COPPER CONCENTRATES I. Wilkomirsky RECOVERY OF COPPER, MOLYBDENUM, ZINC AND IRON (HEMATITE) FROM COPPER SMELTER SLAGS Claudio Queirolo NEW SLAG FLOTATION PLANT POTRERILLOS SMELTER Mark Coleman REFINEMENT OF FLASH FURNACE AND CODELCO TENIENTE REACTOR MATERIAL FEED SYSTEMS TO UTILISE CALCINED CONCENTRATES Xiaohong Hao DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF OXYGEN BOTTOM-BLOWING CU SMELTING TECHNOLOGY Bing Li DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONTINUOUS BOTTOMBLOWING MATTE CONVERTING PROCESS Mike Santaluce AN INTEGRATED LIFECYCLE APPROACH TO FURNACE REBUILDS P.J. Mackey COPPER SMELTING TECHNOLOGIES IN 2013 AND BEYOND Alfredo Martinez USE OF WASTE HEAT BOILERS TO SAVE RESOURCES Antoine Allanore DIRECT SULFIDES ELECTROLYSIS: A SUSTAINABLE PROCESS FOR COPPER RECOVERY? L. Scheunis THE EFFECT OF IN SITU PHASE FORMATION ON THE INFILTRATION BEHAVIOR AND CHEMICAL DEGRADATION OF MAGNESIA-CHROMITE BRICKS IN CONTACT WITH A SYNTHETIC NON-FERROUS SLAG

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PY71

Marcin Kacperski Patricio Hernandez N. Alberto Fernandez Matt Russell A.J.Rigby

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L. Voisin

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L. Voisin - J. Diaz L. Voisin - F. Mansilla L. Voisin - G. Damm L. Voisin - K. Mhlenbrock L. Voisin - E. Marambio L. Voisin Chang-Buhm Kim Jonkion Font

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Kozhakhmetov S J. Font - J. Ahumada

OPTIMIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY FOR CONCENTRATE SMELTING IN FLASH FURNACE WITH CHARGE CHANGES MECHANICAL SYSTEM FOR REVERTS CHARGING INTO PEIRCE-SMITH CONVERTERS EMISSIONS REDUCTION AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS ACHIEVED WITH THE NEW ANODE FURNACE OFF-GAS SYSTEM AT ASARCO HAYDEN TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS FOR SMELTER OFFGAS HEAT RECOVERY THE USE OF CHROME-ALUMINA REFRACTORIES IN THE HIGH WEAR AREAS OF ANODE REFINING VESSLS IMPURITY BEHAVIOUR DURING THE CONTINUOUS CONVERTING OF COPPER MATTE IN A PACKED BED REACTOR OXIDATION KINETIC OF COPPER MATTE DURING THE CONTINUOUS CONVERTING PROCESS IN A PACKED BED REACTOR KINETIC AND MODELING OF CONTINUOUS COPPER REFINING IN A PACKED BED REACTOR DURING THE REDUCTION STAGE PHASE RELATIONS AND MINOR ELEMENT DISTRIBUTION IN CU-FE-PB-AS SYSTEM SATURATED WITH CARBON AT 1473 K PHASE RELATIONS AND MINOR ELEMENT DISTRIBUTION IN CU-FE-PB-SB SYSTEM SATURATED WITH CARBON AT 1473 K THERMO-FLUID-DYNAMICS MODELING FOR CONTINUOUS CONVERTING PROCESS OF COPPER MATTE IN PACKED BED REACTOR CHARACTERIZATION AND FROTH FLOTATION OF SMELTING FURNACE COPPER SLAG MAXIMIZATION OF HEAT RECOVERY BY PRODUCING LOW PRESSURE STEAM COPPER DISSOLUTION IN THE FEOX-SIO2 BASE SLAG OF THE FLASH SMELTING FURNACE AND THE TENIENTE CONVERTER AT THE CHUQUICAMATA SMELTER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VANYUKOV SMELTING TECHNOLOGY CHUQUICAMATA SMELTER: PRESENT AND FUTURE

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PY89 PY90 PY91

Yan Jie Li Feng Zhixiang Cui

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Zhixiang Cui

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Eduardo Balladares L. A. Campos L.B. Tsymbulov

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L.B. Tsymbulov

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P.Coursol M. Rosales G. Wastavino

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Enrique Herrera

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Stefan Konetschnik Arsenio (Jun) Enriquez Alessandro Navarra Gert Erasmus

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LATEST DEVELOPMENT OF OXYGEN BOTTOMBLOWING COPPER SMELTING TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT OF COPPER/GOLD SULFIDE CONCENTRATES PYROMETALLURGICAL PROCESS INDUSTRIAL TEST DEVELOPMENT OF CONTINUOUS BOTTOM BLOWN OXYGEN COPPER SMELTING PROCESS NEW DEVELOPMENT OF BOTTOM BLOWN OXYGEN SMELTING TECHNOLOGY IN DONGYING FANGYUAN NONFERROUS METALS CO. LTD COPPER SMELTING FLUE DUST CHARACTERIZATION AS A KEY ISSUE IN THEIR TREATMENT DESIGN OF A HEAT RECOVERY COOLING CHAMBER SYSTEM FOR COPPER SMELTERS COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PYROMETALLURGICAL METHODS FOR PROCESSING OF SULFIDE COPPER CONCENTRATION FROM UDOCAN DEPOSIT OPTIMAL SLAG COMPOSITION FOR PROCESSING OF COPPER NICKEL MATTES AND CONCENTRATES IN A VANIUKOV TWO-ZONE CONVERTER THAT PRODUCES BLISTER COPPER ARSENIC REMOVAL FROM BLISTER COPPER USING MOLTEN SODIUM AND CALCIUM SULPHATES ON THE POSSIBILITY OF USING HIGH OXYGEN ENRICHMENT IN TENIENTE CONVERTERS COPPER CONTENT IN FLASH FURNACE SLAG CHUQUICAMATA SMELTER, USING OLIVINE-TYPE SLAG CONTROLLING SO3 FORMATION IN THE OFF-GASES PROCESS FROM THE ISASMELTTM FURNACE AT SOUTHERN PERU ILO SMELTER SERVICE LIVE INCREASE OF TSL LANCES USING IONIC LIQUID COOLING TECHNOLOGY AN UPDATE ON KENNECOTT UTAH COPPER'S USE OF PRAXAIR'S COHERENT JET TECHNOLOGY IN ANODE REFINING - DEVELOPMENTS SINCE 2010 AUTOMATIC SCHEDULING OF ALTONORTE OPERATIONS USING GREEDY ALGORITHMS A NOVEL METHOD FOR QUANTIFYING SMELTER SO2 FUGITIVE EMISSIONS USING AN OPEN PATH FOURIER TRANSFORMS INFRARED (FTIR) ANALYSER

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Thomas Zabev Pascal Coursol Y. Prevost

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OBSERVATIONS ON THE REDUCTIVE PYRO DEARSENIFICATION OF ENARGITE FORTY YEARS OF OPERATION OF THE NORANDA REACTOR PROCESS A.Warczok PHENOMENOLOGY OF COPPER MATTE CONTINUOUS CONVERTING IN A PACKED BED L. Diaz A MASS TRANSFER MODEL FOR MOLTEN COPPER DEOXIDATION M. Gous DUST EXPLOSIONS AT THE CHAGRES SMELTER DUE TO SPONTANEOUS SELF-HEATING OF DRIED COPPER CONCENTRATES Chunlin Chen THERMODYNAMICS DATABASE OF SULPHIDE SMELTING SYSTEM AND ITS APPLICATIONS TO RECYCLING CU-PB-FE-S MATERIALS Evelien De CHARACTERIZATION METHODOLOGY FOR CUWilde DROPLET LOSSES IN SLAGS G. Wastavino COPPER LOSSES CONTROL IN FLASH SMELTING SLAG AT CHUQUICAMATA SMELTER Bhavin Desai CONTROL STRATEGY FOR REDUCING COPPER LOSS FROM MITSUBISHI PROCESS M. U. Jastrzebski IN PURSUIT OF IMPROVED FLASH-SMELTING BURNER PERFORMANCE Songlin Zhou APPLICATION OF ROTATION-SUSPENSION SMELTING PROCESS AND PULSE CYCLONE BURNER IN XIANGGUANG COPPER Afshin Sadri APPLICATION OF SPECIALIZED NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING (NDT) FOR OPERATING COPPER PROCESS VESSELS G. Richter DEVELOPMENT PLAN CALETONES SMELTER Joel Kapusta THE SAVARD-LEE SHROUDED INJECTOR: A REVIEW OF ITS ADOPTION AND ADAPTATION FROM FERROUS TO NON-FERROUS PYROMETALLURGY Michael Reed DEBOTTLENECKING AND OPTIMISATION OF COPPER SMELTERS LEVERAGING SIMULATION

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PY01

COMING OF AGE - 21 YEARS COMMERCIAL OPERATION OF COPPER ISASMELT AT MOUNT ISA

JS Edwards Principal Metallurgist, Xstrata Technology, Level 10, 160 Ann St, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4000 P Telford General Manager, Mount Isa Mines, Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia, 4825 L Yunus Senior Metallurgist, Mount Isa Mines, Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia, 4825

ABSTRACT Development of a new smelting technology, such as ISASMELT, requires a significant investment of time as well as resources and capital. In the case of the copper ISASMELT process developed in Mount Isa the commissioning of the commercial furnace in 1992 was the culmination of 14 years of bench, pilot and demonstration scale testwork. The demonstration plant was operated from 1987 to 1992, initially at a feed rate of 12 t/h of concentrate increasing to a maximum of 50 t/h during trials performed to reduce the scale-up factor between demonstration plant and commercial plant. The commercial scale copper ISASMELT furnace in Mount Isa was commissioned in August 1992 with a capacity rated at 180 000 tonnes per year of copper anode. In 2013 the copper ISASMELT has been operating for 21 years which is a Coming of Age birthday in Australia. After two major smelter upgrades in 21 years the original furnace is still in service and routinely treats in excess of 1 000 000 tonnes per annum of copper containing feed and has a demonstrated campaign life, using uncooled refractory, approaching 4 years.

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PY02

OUTOTEC SMELTING INTEGRATED, SUSTAINABLE PLANT SOLUTIONS

Fagerlund, K

ABSTRACT Outotec has a very unique and exceptional combination of different types of smelting process technologies together with the state-of-art products and continuous development in our research laboratories and pilot-plants. Worlds leading smelting technologies are all now within the Outotec family: Outotec Flash Smelting, KennecottOutotec Flash Converting, Direct Blister Flash Smelting, Ausmelt TSL, Kaldo, Troff, Electric Furnace, Fire-refining and Anode Casting. Outotec is not only able to evaluate the available various complex raw materials but also to provide the best available solution for the specific project. This paper will provide examples how to cross-utilize and apply knowhow, expertise from different technologies and products in an innovative way to provide sustainable solutions for copper industry. In addition, social responsibility and increasing governmental regulatory requirements brings new demands to the copper producers, thus environmental approvals for the new and existing smelting plants have become increasingly more difficult to acquire. This paper will provide an examples how to combine overall process knowledge together with modern tools to enable reliable and effective data for decision making, especially while discussing with different authorities, stake-holders and investors. Selection of best-available-technologies with proven references can ensure the long operational lifetime of the smelters. Also, modernization and upgrade investments of the operational plants can be better justified by taking into consideration not only the economical but also environmental aspects. Examples will be provided where safety, campaign life, furnace integrity all contribute into the plant life-cycle, where Outotec new cooling solutions can provide considerable improvements and can be flexibly applied in the operating plants and also in wide variety of different applications.

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PY03

WEAR PHENOMENA OF BASIC BRICK LININGS IN THE COPPER INDUSTRY

D. Gregurek, C. Majcenovic RHI AG; TC Leoben; Magnesitstrasse 2; Leoben, A-8700, Austria A. Spanring, M. Kirschen RHI AG; Wienerbergerstrasse 9, Vienna, A-1100, Austria

ABSTRACT In the non ferrous metals industry particulary in the copper smelting furnaces the refractory lining made of magnesia-chromite bricks is exposed to several stresses rather complex in their interaction. These can be classified as chemical, thermal and mechanical stresses occurring as a single wear factor or in combination. The chemical factors include corrosion caused by acidic slag and gaseous SO2 diffusion, redox effects and in particular cases hydration. In most of the non-ferrous metallurgical processes the chemo-thermal load by Fe-silicatic slags of fayalithic type is a common wear mechanism of the magnesia-chromite bricks. Nevertheless the extraordinary massive SiO2-supply caused by changes in the processing and the uncontrolled addition of silica sand results in a severe formation of forsterite respectively in a volume expansion due to forsterite bursting. Increased temperature level respectively changes in the temperature during the furnace operation as well as the copper metal infiltration into the brick microstructure are further wear factors on thermal side. The hot erosion is the dominant mechanical factor. Therefore understanding of wear mechanisms through post mortem investigation and praxis field trials are highly important to ensure product recommendation for industrial application.

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PY04

CORROSION TESTING METHODS FOR NEWLY DEVELOPED REFRACTORY PRODUCTS

D. Gregurek, A. Ressler, V. Reiter, RHI AG, TC Leoben, Magnesitstrasse 2, Leoben, A-8700, Austria

A. Franzkowiak, A. Spanring RHI AG, Wienerbergerstrasse 9, Vienna, A-1100, Austria

ABSTRACT

The processing routes in the base metals industry, especially copper smelting, converting and fire-refining, have recently undergone significant changes in terms of slag chemistry, temperatures, redox and more frequently deviating raw material compositions (blended low-grade fractions) in the primary smelter feed. All these parameters significantly influence the performance of already well-approved refractory linings. Decreased brick lifetimes associated with process changes - also confirmed by the results of post mortem studies - were a clear signal for RHI AG to focus on the development of high grade refractory bricks for chemically stressed areas. In order to determine the most suitable refractory grades and to improve the performance in specific furnace areas, special test methods were selected.

The practical test facilities, including an induction furnace, rotary kiln and cup test, at RHIs Technology Center use process slags, for example of a fayalithic and Ca-ferritic type, and enable the best possible understanding of brick wear on a pilot scale. A complete mineralogical investigation including thermo-chemical calculations with FactSage were performed to determine the highest influencing wear parameters. Optimized and engineered

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lining solutions for the copper industry can be provided based on the acquired knowledge from test results in combination with praxis trials.

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PY05

ELECTROMAGNETIC LEVEL PROFILE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM TESTED BY AGELLIS GROUP AB ON KENNECOTT COPPER FLASH SMELTERS IS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE PROCESS CONTROL DECISION MAKING AND IMPROVE OPERATOR SAFETY.

N. Brogden, JP. Nilsson, P. Bloemer, A. Lyons AGELLIS Group AB, Tellusgatan 15, 224 57 Lund, Sweden R. Kaur, David Krippner, KUC, Magna Plant, Salt lake City, Utah, USA

ABSTRACT Reliable and accurate furnace level information for blister, matte and slag during smelting processes is invaluable for decision making and process optimization, while obtaining such information safely is a necessity. Agellis Group AB had previously identified inherent problems with gauging levels accurately in furnaces. We had successfully installed our EMLI ELP systems on Submerged Arc and other electric furnaces in order to solve measurement problems. In Flash Furnaces the problems appeared to be the same, with sounding bars operated from the furnace roof area being used to take measurements. As a result operators can be at risk and the results are often inaccurate. It was therefore decided to test the ELP system on a flash smelter. This paper shows how the Agellis EMLI-ELP system was successfully trialled at Kennecott Utah Copper (KUC) on both their Flash Smelting (FSF) and Flash Converting (FCF) furnaces. The results were used to compare the accuracy and reliability of Kennecotts current measuring methods with that of the Agellis system. Finally the paper will discuss the potential production/safety improvements, maintenance savings and data integration attainable through application of the Agellis EMLI- ELP measurement system.

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PY06

FIELD REPORTS OF THE NEW INNOVATIVE GAS PURGING SYSTEM FOR STATIONARY AND TILTING COPPER ANODE FURNACES

Klaus Gamweger

ABSTRACT The use of gas purging plugs in the copper industry is a widely used practice. They provide substantial improvements especially in anode refining furnaces, where savings in process time and energy are obtained as well as refractory wear and buildups inside the furnace are minimized. The newly developed system enables purging plugs to be implemented in both stationary and tilting furnaces is in operation in vessels on three continents. An additional advantage in these furnaces above all other benefits is the significantly improved melting rate. This innovative and patented gas purging system consists of a purging plug cooling device and a slidable, cooled piping system. It provides compensation for any thermal expansion in the furnace lining and minimizes the risk of undesirable copper infiltration.

Economics and Markets

PY07

SMELTING OF KAZAKHSTAN CONCENTRATES AT UST-KAMENOGORSK USING A COPPER ISASMELT FURNACE

G.R.F. Alvear F.1, A.S. Burrows2 and A.T. Tynybaev3 1 Xstrata Technology; Level 10, 700 West Pender St. Vancouver, Canada 2 Xstrata Technology; Level 10, 160 Ann St.; Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia 3 Kazzinc Ltd; 1 Promyshlennaya St., 070002 Ust-Kamenogorsk, Republic of Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT In July 2011 a new Copper ISASMELT Furnace was commissioned at the UstKamenogorsk Metallurgical Complex, in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. It was part of a greenfields smelter project, situated inside an existing metallurgical complex. The entire copper stream was new, from feed blending through to cathode strapping. Within 14 months it was sustainably achieving its design production capacity.

For the project to be brought to successful fruition, numerous challenges had to be met: new technology had to be brought into the Republic of Kazakhstan and the local operating team had to become competent to operate it; the complex polymetallic concentrates of the East Kazakhstan region had to be smelted without compromising the production rate or product quality; and the copper production stream had to be integrated into the overall metallurgical complex to derive greatest benefit from the polymetallic nature of the raw materials.

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This paper describes how the Copper ISASMELT Furnace fitted into this strategy, and how the coordinated actions of Kazzinc and Xstrata Technology personnel brought this project to fruition.

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PY08

DESTRUCTIVE AND NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING METHODS FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF MGO-CR2O3-BASED REFRACTORY BRICKS

A. Ressler, C. Manhart and R. Neuboeck RHI AG Technology Center Leoben Magnesitstrasse 2 A-8700 Leoben, Austria Angelika.ressler@rhi-ag.com A. Franzkowiak RHI AG Wienerbergstrasse 9 A-1100 Vienna, Austria

ABSTRACT In the nonferrous metal industry and particularly in the copper production magnesia-chromite refractory bricks are widely applied since decades. Being characterized by high refractoriness and good resistance to slag corrosion these bricks are used in chemically high stressed areas. While the frequently determined physical properties (e.g. density, open porosity, cold crushing strength measured at room temperature) are adequate for quality management and selection purposes, but they are insufficient for conclusions about the behavior of the brick after installation at application temperature (from 1200C up to 1750C). Especially the characterization at operation conditions support the understanding of main wear mechanisms. This paper provides information concerning investigated properties, which have a high impact on the lining performance, such as thermal shock resistance, modulus of elasticity and hot modulus of rupture. The results of destructive and non destructive measurement methods are compared for specific magnesia and magnesia-chromite brick qualities. The correlation of all tested properties at room and different application temperatures enhance the decisions for lining concepts in different applications for our customers in the copper and other nonferrous metals industry.

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PY09

SULFULIZATION AND SLOW-COOLING FOR MOLYBDENUM RECOVERY FROM COPPER SMELTING SLAG CHIHARU TOKORO Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, tokoro@waseda.jp SHUNSUKE SUDO Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, s-sudo@fuji.waseda.jp TAKAHIKO OKURA The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, okura@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp

ABSTRACT Sulfurization and slow-cooling process was investigated for selective recovery of molybdenum (Mo) from the copper smelting slag. To get slag samples containing 0.2 to 4.0 % of Mo, MoO3 reagent was added to a water cooled slag and heated at 1300 C for 1 hour in Ar atmosphere. After cooled and ground under 125 m, sample was mixed with FeS2 (pyrite) to be 2 or 5 of S/Mo molar ratio. This mixture was heated at 1300 C for 1 hour in Ar atmosphere and slowly cooled at up to 18 C/min. XRD patterns of the slow cooled slag containing 2.0 or 4.0 wt.% of Mo showed Mo was sulfurized as MoS2 crystal. XANES spectra at Mo K edge showed 95.83 % of Mo was sulfurized as MoS2 when S/Mo molar ratio was 5 and Mo content in slag was 4.0 wt.%. According to the observation using SEM-EDS, maximum particle diameter of MoS2 was 150 m which is enough grain size for several physical separations. 16.7 wt.% of Mo concentrate was obtained by flotation after ground under 125 m with PAX and MIBC at pH 6.6.

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PY10

DESIGN AND COMMISSIONING OF THE OUTOTEC AUSMELT TSL COPPER SMELTER AT DNMC

LIU Chuanzhuan, WAN Jun, CHEN Baizhi Daye Non-Ferrous Metallurgical Company, Peoples Republic of China Gavin Swayn, Jacob Wood, Alexander Glinin Outotec, Level 2, 2 Brandon Park Drive, Wheelers Hill, Victoria, Australia

ABSTRACT The largest commercial copper smelter using Outotec Ausmelt TSL Technology has been successfully commissioned and put into operation at Daye Non-Ferrous Metallurgical Company Ltd operations in Huangshi City, Hubei Province, China. The plant was commissioned from November 2010 to January 2011 after three years of design and construction works. The process treats low grade copper sulphide concentrates to produce a matte containing 55% copper and a low copper bearing slag. The molten matte and slag flow continuously from the TSL furnace via an underflow weir to a specifically designed electric settling furnace for matte/slag separation. The paper provides details of the start-up and increase in production to 200kt/a contained copper capacity processing rates in line with oxygen availability, achieved in the first 3 to 6 months of operation.

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PY11

GENERAL MAINTENANCE OF ELECTRIC CLEANING FURNACE SLAG

C. Herrera, C. Martnez, B. Medel, M. Lara G., W. Daz, M. Correa. Hernn Videla Lira Smelter Empresa Nacional de Minera Copiap, Chile

ABSTRACT The Hernn Videla Lira Smelter operates an electric slag cleaning furnaceto treat the slag of the Teniente Converter. This furnace was supplied by DEMAG and was commissioned in September 2001, with a treatment capacity of 800 t/d of liquid slag and 150 t/d of reverts, with a copper content in the end slag of maximum 0,85%. The furnace dimensions are 10 meters of outer diameter and 5,2 meters high. Its electric power reaches 11 MVA. Since its last general maintenance (GM), 4 years ago, a new GM was scheduled to be performed since January the 8th 2013, which mainly includes the replacement of the walls refractory lining, the floor skewback and refractory dome. Additionally, there placement of the open circuit water distribution system, the cooling rings of the slippers of the electrodes N1 and N2, and a full service of 22 of the 24 hydraulic heads of the electrodes displacement system. The dome refractory and cooling rings replacements were works scheduled for the first time since the commissioning of the furnace. The detailed programming and efficient coordination of the activities involved, allowed a repair time of 29 days, 1 day less than considered in the original program. The activities carried out during the GM were recorded in an audio visual file which will be presented at this Conference.

Pyrometallurgy

PY12

XSTRATA TECHNOLOGYS APPROACH FOR THE PROCESSING OF COPPER BEARING MATERIALS

G.R.F. Alvear F. Xstrata Technology; Level 10, 700 West Pender St. Vancouver, Canada S. Nikolic A. S. Burrows, M. Hourn Xstrata Technology; Level 10, 160 Ann.; Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia J. C. Salas M. Xstrata Technology; Alcntara 200, Of. 1202, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile

ABSTRACT The processing of copper bearing materials is becoming more challenging due to the increase in their mineralogical and compositional complexity. Smelting of polymetallic concentrates is becoming more common and this trend has led to the requirement that smelters modify their operating strategies to remain cost competitive, whilst meeting ever more stringent environmental regulations. In addition, when considering the processing of secondary materials, a key aspect in the recycling of electronic scrap is the diverse range of elements that may require recovery. The increased complexity of these primary and secondary raw materials requires the use ofadvanced technologies to maximise the recovery of the targeted metals whilst maintaining sustainable operating practices. Xstrata has developed at its operations a number of processes, including ISASMELT the Albion Process, and IsaKidd technologies that, both individually and when combined, provide a competitive solution for the sustainable production of copper

Pyrometallurgy

PY13

CALETONES SMELTER: ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMPETITIVENESS CHALLENGES

G. Richter P., J. Bobadilla M. and F. Hernndez A. Caletones Smelter - Codelco-Chile - Division El Teniente

ABSTRACT In the nineties decade the environmental variable started to impact in a sensible way the Caletones Smelter business due to the necessity to commit the introduced standards and the Decontamination Plan agreed in 1998 with the governmental authorities.

During that period several technical and management modifications were introduced in the smelter, being the most noticeable the construction of the sulfuric acid plants 1 and 2 in 1995 and 1999 respectively, and the adoption of a new operation philosophy of progressive subordination of the copper production to the environmental control. The operation paradigm change implemented in an almost centenary smelter has been a complex process of continuous improvement not exempt of difficulties.

However the net result had been favorable, noticed that Caletones Smelter is accomplishing the environmental standards currently in force in Chile and attaining also competitive results that permitted to successfully overcome recent periods of depressed and volatile treatment charges.

Most recently in 2011, as result of several operational improvements introduced in the gas handling and treatment systems, SO2 capture that until 2010 was less than 88%, was increased to 94%, ensuring the environmental results attained.

Pyrometallurgy

Even though the human en financial efforts done in the recent past, the environmental performance achieved is not being enough to fulfill the most strict emission standards that the governmental authorities are designing to be applied to the Chilean copper smelters.

This paper describes the actions that allow the present environmental results and the proposal of improvement that Caletones Smelter is developing to accomplish the future environmental standards and maintain it as a sustainable smelter.

Pyrometallurgy

PY14

ON THE INTERACTION BETWEEN REVERTS MEAN PARTICLE SIZE AND FLASH FURNACE REACTION SHAFT HEIGHT: A SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS

Maximo Leon, Javier Larrondo, Tom Gonzales

ABSTRACT The dimensions of a Flash Furnace (FF) are critical in determining the characteristics of its cooling system. In particular, the thermal loads on cooling blocks located at the base of the Reaction Shaft (RS) are strongly dependent on the heat generated by the reactions taking place inside the furnace. In the typical FF process, low sulfur feedmaterials are added to reduce the temperatures that arise from these reactions. The current paper provides a sensitivity analysis of the size of the RS for several mean particle sizes of reverts. The objective is to develop a correlation between the minimum Reaction Shaft size and revert particle size. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used to compare the heat absorbed by reverts with that absorbed by the cooling system. The indicated minimum size is determined with the design parameters of the cooling system. In general, a non linear interaction between the size of the furnace and the mean particle size of reverts has been found. However, a more precise indication of a recommended FF size needs to be studied in detail within a range of FF shaft sizes.

Pyrometallurgy

PY15

A THERMODYNAMIC OPTIMIZATION OF THE Cu2O-CONTAINING SLAG SYSTEM AND ITS APPLICATIONS IN HIGH-TEMPERATURE COPPER MAKING PROCESSES

Taufiq Hidayat, Evgueni Jak PYROSEARCH, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Denis Shishin, Sergei A. Decterov Centre de Recherche en Calcul Thermochimique (CRCT), cole Polytechnique, Montral, Qubec, Canada

ABSTRACT Improvements to industrial copper production can be made through informed decisions on the selection of slag compositions, fluxing strategies, and operating conditions for a given feed and product requirement. This can be facilitated through thermodynamic modelling in which phase equilibria, partitioning of major and minor elements between phases, activities, vapour pressure, and other thermodynamic properties of the relevant systems can be accurately predicted over a wide range of process conditions. The Al-CaCu-Fe-Mg-Si-O-S system is of importance for copper smelting, converting, and slagcleaning processes. New experimental data of the systems for various compositions and conditions relevant to copper production process have been generated and improvement of the existing chemical thermodynamic FactSageTM database for the cuprous oxidecontaining system has been carried out as part of the overall integrated research program on complex copper-containing slag-matte-metal-solids system. All cuprous oxide-containing binaries, ternaries, and multi-components systems are optimized simultaneously to obtain one self-consistent set of model parameters for Gibbs energies of stoichiometric phases, solid solutions, and liquid solution as functions of temperature and composition. Details of the recent optimization of the thermodynamic database and examples of industrial application of the database for the high-temperature copper making processes are presented.

Pyrometallurgy

PY16

OPTIMUM DRYING SOLUTION FOR COPPER CONCENTRATE

Mr. Jyri Talja, Dr. Shaolong Chen, Mr. Hannu Mansikkaviita, Dr. Carl-Gustav Berg Kumera Corporation Kumerankatu 2 11100 Riihimki, Finland

ABSTRACT Non-ferrous metal concentrates contain typically 7-12 % water when received at the smelter. Removal of this water prior to smelting is always economically feasible because unnecessary heating of vapour can thus be eliminated resulting in major savings and reduction in CO2 emission. Energy efficiency of drying can be significantly increased by selection of modern drying technology. Consequently, CO2 emission, SO2 emission and NOx emission will be all eliminated. Replacement of conventional devices with indirect steam dryers brings, in addition to significant reduction in emission, additional savings due to improved energy efficiency. Direct energy savings count for 900-1,300 MJ/tH2O, which depending on the concentrate feed rate, its moisture content and price of energy is worth 1-3 MEUR every year. Furthermore, other operational expenses can also be cut by another 1-3 MEUR resulting in combined 2-6 MEUR direct savings annually in operational expenses. Furthermore, availability can exceed 99 %. Sustainability is the key issue today in process industry. Kumera Steam Dryer is already recognized as a symbol of the energy saving and emission-free equipment with very high availability for non-ferrous metallurgical industry world-wide. Latest improvements of the Kumera steam dryer are discussed in greater detail.

Pyrometallurgy

PY17

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR PS CONVERTERS WITH OUTOTECS CONVERTER HOOD TECHNOLOGY FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY GAS CAPTURE

Per G. Brnnstrm & Lennart M. Hedlund Outotec

ABSTRACT The paper describes the improvements that Outotec has made on the design on converter hoods in order to improve operational performance and environmental situation in the converter aisle. Most smelters have changed their primary smelting technology. Reverberatory furnaces have been replaced by more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient furnaces like Outotec FSF or TSL. When the environmental performance has been improved for the primary smelting furnace, the focus turns toward the acid plant (if single absorption) and later the converter aisle. Outotec`s Converter Hood Technology assures that processing of copper matte will be done more sustainable and environmentally acceptable. Sulphur and dust capture above 95 percent is no problem to reach with Outotec`s water cooled primary converter hoods. Outotec`s converter hoods for primary gas capture are designed for low false air inlet and high production. After changing the primary hoods, the next step in the environmental efforts, is implementation of a secondary gas system to collect fugitive gas and dust. Fugitive gas comes from rolling the PS-converter in and out, ladles handling etc. With Outotec`s knowhow and technology the converter aisle will become a more environmentally friendly unit with high production.

Pyrometallurgy

PY18

INCREASE AVAILABILITY SMELTER PLANT

G. Richter P. General Manager - Codelco-Chile J. Berrios O. Maintenance Superintendent - Codelco-Chile

ABSTRACT Caletones Smelter has a nominal capacity of 1.4 Mton smelting copper concentrate, for this purpose, would have a significant asset, namely:

Three Concentrate Drying Plants Two Smelting Reactors, Teniente Converters Four Peirce Smith Converters Four Slag Cleaning Furnaces Five Anode Refining Furnace Two Casting Wheels Two Acid Plant Two Effluent Treatment Plants Two Oxygen Plant

In order to increase the use of smelter complex, intensive work is done in the main equipment.

This work consisted of defining operating models, use of materials and different maintenance strategies, the results to date are:

Pyrometallurgy

Bases Smelting Reactors: Acid Plants: Slag Cleaning Furnaces: 1.5 years 1 year 7 months

Present 3 years 2 years 2 years

This paper describes the actions, which allowed achieving these results and increasing the smelting capacity of concentrate.

Pyrometallurgy

PY19

INCREASE SULFUR CAPTURE OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT

G. Richter P. General Manager - Codelco-Chile J. Bobadilla M. Operation Superintendent - Codelco-Chile

ABSTRACT Caletones Smelter has a nominal melting capacity of 1,4 Mt/y copper concentrated, the concentrate is fed entirely from the mining complex of mine pant of El Teniente Division.

Until 2010 sulfur capture reached 85%, re presenting a sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission of 130 kt/y. This low capture put at risk the future fulfillment of sulfur emission limits voluntarily committed environmental authorities, commitment established the following schedule : Year Sulfur dioxide emission (SO2) (kt/y) 140 130 120 100 2011 2012 2013 2014

In order to meet the timetable for reducing emissions in 2011, modifications were made to the scheme operating and maintenance and modifications to the gas handling system. Changes made it possible to increase the capture of sulfur to 92.9% in 2011 and 94% by 2012, sulfur dioxide emissions were around 60 kt/y.

Pyrometallurgy

This paper describes the actions that allowed these results and anticipate achieving compliance contracted emission reduction.

Pyrometallurgy

PY20

INSTALLATION OF DILUTED OXYGEN COMBUSTION TECHNOLOGY IN A COPPER ANODE REFINING FURNACE AT CODELCO EL TENIENTE PLANT

G. Richter P., C. Carrasco O., F. Condore R. Codelco Chile Divisin El Teniente A. Tasca White Martins Gases Industriais Ltda F. Kaiser Praxair Chile Ltda.

ABSTRACT The combustion system in #2 Anode Refining furnace at CODELCO (Corporacin Nacional del Cobre) El Tenientes plant in Chile was retrofitted to an advanced oxy-fuel technology called DOC (Dilute Oxygen Combustion). Praxair DOC technology uses separate high momentum fuel and oxygen jets to generate strong in-furnace gas recirculation.

This technique produces low peak temperature flame, substantially improves temperature uniformity, generates ultra low NOx emission rates and reduces carbon emissions. DOC technology has been developed and commercially demonstrated in several types of industrial melting and heating furnaces meeting the industry needs for increased productivity and lower operating costs with minimal capital expense and low maintenance. This paper presents the results achieved regarding fuel savings, and reduction in operating cost.

Pyrometallurgy

PY21

FEATURES OF THE BOTTOM BLOWN OXYGEN COPPER SMELTING TECHNOLOGY

Baojun Zhao School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia Zhixiang Cui, Zhi Wang Dongying Fangyuan Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd, Dongying City, China Email: baojun@uq.edu.au

ABSTRACT The first commercial scale bottom blown oxygen copper smelting furnace has been installed and operated at Dongying Fangyuan Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. for 4 years. This is the first modern copper smelting technology developed in China with the advantages of 1) high oxygen enrichment, which results in high productivity, low off-gas volume and negative pressure inside the furnace; 2) high Fe/SiO2 ratio in the slag, which not only reduce the direct cost of the flux (SiO2) but also reduce the slag volume and therefore the heat loss associated with the slag and workload of the slag cleaning; 3) high grade matte (over 70 wt% Cu) and low Cu content (2-3 wt%) in the smelting slag which significantly increase the direct recovery of the smelting process; 4) autothermal operation. When normal concentrate is treated in the bottom blown oxygen furnace no extra fuel is required due to a) low temperature operation (1160-1180 oC); b) high Fe/SiO2 ratio results in low slag volume for less heat loss; c) high concentration oxygen reduces the heat loss associated with the off-gas; d) high heat efficiency as a result of submerge combustion.

Pyrometallurgy

The details of these advantages and their influences on the operations are discussed.

Economics and Markets

PY22

VISCOSITY MEASUREMENTS FOR COPPER SMELTING SLAGS

Baojun Zhao School of Chemical Engineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

ABSTRACT Phase equilibria of silicate slags relevant to the copper smelting/converting operations have been systemically investigated in the temperature range 1.200 to 1.300 oC and oxygen partial pressures between 10-5 and 10-9 atm. The experimental procedures include high temperature equilibration, quenching and accurate measurements of phase compositions using electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA). The effects of CaO, Al2O3, MgO and PO2 on the phase equilibria of the fayalite slags have been systematically investigated.

It was found that spinel and silica are major primary phases in the composition range related to copper smelting/converting slags. In addition, olivine, diopside and pyroxene also appear at certain conditions. The presence ofup to 20 wt% CaO, and up to 10 wt% MgO and Al2O3 in the slag increases the spinel liquidus and decreases the silica liquidus. Liquidus temperatures in silica primary phase field are not sensitive to PO2; Liquidus temperatures in spinel primary phase field increase significantly with increasing PO2.

Pyrometallurgy

PY24

AVA (ANLISIS VA VISIN ARTIFICIAL)} SYSTEM

Alejandro Molina Olave E-MAS Ingeniera S.A.

ABSTRACT We present an artificial vision system to analyze the concentration of copper in the white metal or matte, that is based on the measurement of some color tones of a sample obtained from the liquid discharge of the copper concentrates melting furnace . Empirically we have obtained a mathematical relationship that allows relating the color intensity of a sample of white metal with its concentration of copper, which is the base of the patent no. 47.109 Integrated system for the determination of copper in a sample of white metal and associated method. This technology strengthens the eyesight of the operators to determine the quality of the product by some distinguishing and quantifiable physical characteristic. Here, we propose to capture an image of the sample using a diffuse lighting system for further digital processing with an algorithm that quantifies and correlates the color intensity with the copper composition. This method requires no sample preparation room (avoiding the production of contaminant, noise, dust and solids waste that usually take place in this facilities) after the analisys, . This technological innovation analyzes quickly, with precision and accuracy matte grade and allows the operator to opportunely correct the input variables for control.

Pyrometallurgy

PY25

THE SYSTEM FOR OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF EMISSIONS (SCOE+)

Alejandro Molina Olave E-MAS Ingeniera S.A.

ABSTRACT The System for Operational Control of Emissions (SCOE+) uses mathematical modeling of mass and energy balances, thermodynamic equilibrium and empirical correlations to simulate steady state all daily unit operations of a copper concentrate smelter in stationary state. SCOE+ integrates in its simulations all the reactions that take part during the following processes: drying, smelting, conversion and refining, flotation , and acid plant, and allows to configure any particular foundry. The interface user-server is friendly and just requires a basic knowledge of managing windows and pop-up menus. The user configures each unit operation and also stablishes its own strategy for handling with the recycle material. The result report includes the following outputs: flows of supplies and products, overall balances, particular mass balances (for copper, sulfur, arsenic, etc.), flows of emissions of contaminants and performance indicators (KPI). These outputs can be exported and integrated with other applications/softwares, allowing to look for optimal points of production in a sustainable way. SCOE+ is an innovative solution that gives daily support on the analysis of operations, evaluation of strategies for the mitigation of polutants, and it also stands as a help to look for sustainable points of production without investments, using information about concentrates mix, matte grade, handling of recycles and fuels..

Pyrometallurgy

PY26

SPECIATION OF COPPER IN FLASH, CONVERTER AND SLAG CLEANING FURNACE SLAGS.

J.C. Fernndez-Caliani Department of Geology, University of Huelva, Spain F. Jimnez, G. Ros, J. Martnez Atlantic Copper (Subsidiary of Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold), Huelva, Spain

ABSTRACT Research on slags involved in smelting-converting-refining operations to produce blister copper at the Atlantic Copper smelter, in Huelva (Spain), has been carried out by quantitative electron microprobe analysis, X-ray diffraction and digital imaging techniques. The results showed that mechanically entrapped matte particles are the dominant copper losses in the slags. The largest proportion of Cu-bearing particles is present in the magnetite-rich converter slags, due to the negative effect of viscosity on coalescence and precipitation of copper matte during conversion. The mechanical entrapment of copper matte by slags from both the flash and electric furnaces resulted in copper losses mostly occurring as tiny particles with a stoichiometric composition similar to that of bornite. The Cu-bearing particle distribution has been analysed and the effect on settling time in the slag cleaning furnace calculated.

Pyrometallurgy

PY27

SYNERGY OF ENERGY RESOURCES OF COPPER PYROMETALLURGY IN RTB BOR-SERBIA Milorad IRKOVI, Vlastimir TRUJI, Mile BUGARIN Mining and Metallurgy Institute Bor, Zeleni bulevar 35, Bor, Serbia E-mail: milorad.cirkovic@irmbor.co.rs MILANE MITOVSKI RTB-BOR Group, Djordja Vajferta 20, Bor, Serbia Aleksandra MITOVSKI University of Belgrade, Tehnical Faculty, Bor, Serbia

ABSTRACT Copper production is a big consumer of energy consisting of almost all fossil fuels, including also electricity. This work presents a comparison of the specific energy consumption of many metallurgical copper producers in the world, with the installed different technological processes, in relation to the production of copper in RTB Bor (Serbia). An important place is dedicated to the quantitative participation of energy fuels in the production of copper. In addition to this, an analysis of cost structure for energy fuels was shown in the production process of copper. This work particularly emphasizes the aspect of use the secondary (waste) heat energy as a prerequisite to improve the energy efficiency and economy of pyrometallurgical copper production. Using the waste heat of pyrometallurgical process, m the protection of workin and life environment is improved Selection and development of new metallurgical processes in order to achieve the best economic effects is achieved selecting the optimum technology, on one side, and selection of energy system with the best performances with the full utilization the secondary heat energy of the process. Concretization of this aspect also relates to the modernization of the Copper Smelter in RTB Bor installing the new technology for smelting of copper concentrates.

Pyrometallurgy

PY28

VISCOSITY OF COPPER SLAGS FROM THE PROCESS OF DECOPPERING IN AN ELECTRIC FURNACE

S. Pietrzyk, J. Kowalczyk, W. Mroz AGH-University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Non-ferrous Metals, Department of Physical Chemistry and Metallurgy of Non-ferrous Metals, Krakow, Poland

ABSTRACT One of the stages of copper production process based on direct-to-blister flash furnace is decoppering of a slag containing considerable amounts of copper (12-15 wt%). At the GLOGOW Copper Smelter this stage is performed under reducing conditions in an electric slag-cleaning furnace with the addition of coke and limestone. During the implementation of a process, there are changes of the viscosity of the slag subjected to decoppering. In this work, viscosity of the industrial flash smelting slags with different degree of reduction and variable contents of the oxides were investigated in the temperature range from 1200 to -13500C. The viscosity was measured by the rotating cylinder method. The increase of CaO and Cu2O contents leads to decrease in the viscosity as long as the slags remain fully liquid. However, upon reaching the liquidus temperature, a sharp inverse in viscosity is observed. This is clearly illustrated by change in the slope of the viscosity logarithm vs the temperature. The activation energy above the critical temperature have been determined.

Pyrometallurgy

PY29

OPTIMAL CONFIGURATION OF VOLTAGE AND CURRENT INTENSITY IN AN ELECTRIC FURNACE FOR SLAG CLEANING J. Font and V. Montenegro Instituto De Innovacion En Mineria Y Metalurgia Ahumada 357, Piso 7. Santiago, Chile A.Warczok Universidad De Chile Departamento Ingenieria deMinas Av. Tupper 2069 Santiago, Chile awarczok@bell.net A. Moyano Codelco Norte Calama, Chile

ABSTRACT The three phases, rounded electric furnace is the most typical unit used for a slag cleaning. The configuration voltage/current depends on the slag electric conductivity, the depth of electrodes immersion in the slag and the properties of the transformer, Based on analysis of industrial parameters of the electric furnace in CODELCO NORTE Smelter the optimal voltage/current intensity has been determined for various criteria, such as unitary energy consumption, unitary coke and electrode consumptions, and copper recovery. CFD and heat transfer modeling allowed for determination of a slag motion and its impact on the rate of magnetite reduction, coalescence of copper matte inclusions for various depth of electrodes immersion and voltage. The increase of the electrodes immersion in a slag did not result in the increase of the slag motion, leading to the increase of cod and the decrease of energy efficiency.

Pyrometallurgy

PY30

SULPHATION ROASTING OF AN ENARGITE CONCENTRATE

B. Chambers, C. Pickles and J. Peacey Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining Queens University Kingston, Ontario Canada K7L 3N6 John.Peacey@queensu.ca

ABSTRACT Due to the increasing difficulty of finding conventional copper and gold ore bodies, the processing of complex ores, such as those containing enargite, is being explored. A sulphation roast, weak-acid leach, electrowinning process flowsheet was studied as a possible new treatment method for copper concentrates containing significant amounts of enargite. The sulphation roasting of an enargite concentrate was investigated in the laboratory in order to determine the behaviour of arsenic as a function of roasting conditions. Diagnostic leaching tests were then used to estimate the probable arsenic, copper and iron phases in the resulting calcine. Based on the estimated heat and mass balances, the economics of a sulphation roast-leach-electrowinning process was compared to that for the conventional partial dearsenizing roast and sale of calcine to copper smelters.

Pyrometallurgy

PY31

COPPER RECOVERY FROM THE SMELTING SLAG IN AN ELECTRIC FURNACE

A.Warczok Universidad De Chile Departamento Ingenieria deMinas Av. Tupper 2069 Santiago, Chile awarczok@bell.net J. Font, V. Montenegro and C.Pizarro Instituto De Innovacion En Mineria Y Metalurgia Ahumada 357, Piso 7. Santiago, Chile A. Moyano Codelco Norte Calama, Chile

ABSTRACT The mechanisms of a slag reduction and removal of copper matte inclusions in an electric furnace for slag cleaning have been analyzed and discussed on the basis of CFD modeling, rate of magnetite reduction controlled by its transfer in the slag, and gravitational coalescence of copper matte and metallic copper inclusions. The results were confronted with the results of slag cleaning in CODELCO NORTE Smelter. Slag properties, particularly its viscosity and related temperature, were analyzed on the background of matte inclusions size distribution, and their settling and gravitational coalescence. The recycling of highly oxidized slags from matte converting into Teniente Converter as a smelting unit was pointed out as one of the important factor affecting the decrease of copper recovery.

Pyrometallurgy

PY33

RECENT EXPERIENCES FROM IMPLEMENTING DYNAMIC PROCESS CONTROL AND MONITORING IN THE FLASH SMELTING PROCESS

Peter Bjrklund, Tiina Ranki, Elli Miettinen Outotec Oyj, Espoo, Finland

ABSTRACT This paper will discuss recent advances and challenges in implementing control and monitoring of the Flash Smelting process and possibilities to utilize these in improving not only the process itself but also the safety and work environment for the smelter personnel. To achieve these targets Outotec has developed advanced Expert Systems integrated with the Automation system and these were successfully started up in the Paranapanema Smelter in 2012. As raw-materials become more complex operating tools need to follow this trend. The Outotec Process Advisor is a predictive dynamic online process control model for calculating the optimal operating parameters in real time taking into account all relevant raw-material elements and the actual furnace situation. Together with the Outotec Proscon automation system, these form a complete platform for smelter operation. A rising trend is also the need to focus on plant safety in a smelter. The highest risk rankings are often related to close proximity of molten metal. Through accurate and userfriendly individual element heat flux monitoring these risks can be caught and reacted on in time and the furnace integrity improved, meaning a safer plant and a longer campaign life. The Outotec Sentinel system provides such a complete monitoring system.

Pyrometallurgy

PY34

THERMAL SHOCK RESISTANT ALUMINA-CHROMIA REFRACTORY MATERIALS FOR THE COPPER INDUSTRY.

S. B. Breyner, K. Santowski RHI AG, TC Leoben, Magnesitstrasse 2, Leoben, A-8700, Austria T. Prietl RHI AG, Wienerbergstrasse 9, Vienna, A-1100, Austria

ASBTRACT Conventional alumina-chromia materials are characterized by a high resistance to acidic slags due to the formation of a Al2O3-Cr2O3 solid solution during brick firing. Typical application areas for such products are glass tanks, waste incinerators or copper smelting furnaces. In other areas, where not only corrosion by chemothermal load but also thermal shock is predominating, these products suffer from discontinuous spalling and exhibit poor refractory service life. Research and development efforts were therefore shifted in favour of increased thermal shock resistance of shaped alumina-chromia products. Laboratory slag testing and physical testing indicated that the material properties are on a sufficiently high level to conduct field experiments at customers. First test results in a tyuere zone of a Peirce-Smith converter demonstrated that the material properties of the new alumina-chromia products meet both the corrosion and thermal shock resistance required for this application. This was particularly evident from the fact that the postmortem sample had a residual thickness of 47% after a standard operation cycle of 11 weeks.

Pyrometallurgy

PY35

LIQUIDUS TEMPERATURES, MAJOR AND MINOR ELEMENTS EQUILIBRIUM PARTITIONING IN COPPER SMELTING SLAG / MATTE /GAS SYSTEMS

Zhi Sun, Evgueni Jak PYROSEARCH, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

ABSTRACT Phase-equilibria data make it possible to identify the likely outcomes of reactions and the limits to reactor performance. Although repeated studies have been carried out over the past several decades, significant gaps and uncertainties still remain for the copper slag/matte/gas systems so that the description of liquidus-temperatures, major and minor elements equilibrium partitioning require further improvements. Experimental procedures involving high-temperature-equilibration and quenching followed by electron-probe X-ray microanalysis, developed at PYROSEARCH, have resolved a number of experimental difficulties associated with high temperature phaseequilibria determination in these systems. Systematic investigations are carried out in the multi-component Cu-Fe-Si-S-O system with addition of impurities, such as CaO, Al2O3, MgO, and minor elements, such as Bi, Sn, at controlled oxygen and sulphur partial pressures and temperatures in the range of interest to copper smelting operations. New experimental data have been obtained for the slag/matte/gas equilibria. Tridymite/spinel liquidus, copper and sulphur solubilities in slag, Bi and Sn partitioning between slag and matte for the range of matte grades from 20 to 70 wt.% Cu have been measured. These data resolve previous discrepancies in values previously reported in literature, and provide better characterisation of the complex chemistry, which is vital for the process optimisation of copper production.

Pyrometallurgy

PY36

QUASI-CHEMICAL VISCOSITY MODEL FOR COPPER-CONTAINING MULTICOMPONENT LIQUID SLAGS

Zhi Sun, Evgueni Jak PYROSEARCH, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia Masanori Suzuki Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, 565-0871 Osaka, Japan

ABSTRACT Slag viscosity is one of the key properties particularly important for good metal recovery and overall productivity in pyrometallurgical copper-making processes. The quasi-chemical viscosity (QCV) model has been developed and recently modified to allow the viscosities of multi-component fully-liquid oxide slags to be predicted within experimental uncertainties over wide ranges of compositions and temperatures. This model takes into account the complex internal slag structure providing advantages in accurate predictions of multi-component liquid slag viscosities, especially in slags having high SiO2 concentrations. The present research extends the QCV model to the SiO2 - Al2O3 - CaO - MgO - FeO - Fe2O3 Cu2O multi-component liquid slags directly relevant to various copper smelting and converting operations by incorporating new experimental data and new optimised thermodynamic model of copper-containing oxide slags. Critical analysis of the available experimental viscosity measurements and their uncertainties, as well as analysis of common trends, has enabled the model parameters to be developed so as to give reliable viscosity predictions. Examples of the applications of the model will be presented for conditions where the control of viscosity of the multicomponent complex slag systems is important for the copper smelting and converting operations.

Pyrometallurgy

PY37

MEANS OF REMOVING LEAD AND ARSENIC DURING THE COPPER PRODUCTION CYCLE IN UPGRADED TECHNOLOGY OF KGHM POLSKA MIEDZ SA

Czernecki Jzef, Ph.D, Prof. IMN Miczkowski Zdzisaw, Dr Eng. Krawiec Grzegorz, MSc.Eng. Institute of Non-ferrous Metals, Gliwice Byszyski Leszek MSc.Eng Gostyski Zbigniew MScEng KGHM Polska Mied S.A. Lubin

ABSTRACT The copper content in chalcocite-bornite concentrates produced by KGHM Polska Mied SA is similar to that in chalcopyrite concentrates (20 - 30% by wt.). However, the concentration of sulfur and iron is much lower, respectively by 9 - 12 and 3 - 6% by wt. Furthermore, a characteristic of Polish concentrates is the presence of carbon (6 - 9% by wt.) and impurities: lead (1.5 - 3.0% by wt.) and arsenic (0.05 - 0.4% by wt.). Due to the low sulfur and iron content and the presence of organic carbon, two types of technology were chosen for the melting of the kinds of concentrates encountered in Poland: the shaft smelting process (Gogw I and Legnica) and the one-stage flash smelting process (Gogw II). In both processes the organic carbon constitutes a fuel to provide the desired temperature of the products. The smelters in which the shaft process is used are characterized by a high degree of elimination of Pb and As in the copper production cycle when, in the first two pyrometallurgical operations (concentrates melting, copper matte converting) stable sulfide phases occur.

Pyrometallurgy

A different situation occurs in the one-stage flash smelting process, where the sulfides are oxidized quickly to the metals. The beginning of the process of pyrometallurgy modernization by KGHM Polska Mied SA, involving replacement of the shaft furnaces at Gogw I and Legnica with a single flash smelting furnace, required solutions to such problems as how to remove major contaminants such as lead and arsenic from the copper production cycle. In this paper the behavior of lead and arsenic is presented, as well as the current means of removing these contaminants from the copper production cycle, when there are two technologies, i.e. the process of shaft furnace smelting and the one-stage flash smelting process. To deal with the situation after the upgrade, when KGHM Polish Copper SA will operate two flash smelting furnaces for the production of copper blister directly from concentrates, solutions are being developed to enable the elimination of Pb and As to the degree necessary to ensure that the concentration levels of these metals in the semi-finished products are maintained at the required level.

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PY38

FLASH SMELTING AND FLASH CONVERTING PROCESS AND COMMISSIONING AT JINGUAN COPPER

Zhou Jun, Sun Laisheng, Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group Co., Ltd Tongling, Anhui, China 244100 zhouj@jgty.net, zhouj@tlys.cn

ABSTRACT Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group, the leading copper producer in China, started up a green-field copper smelter and refinery in December 2012. The new copper smelter employs Outotec flash smelting and Outotec-Kennecott flash converting process with a design capacity of 400,000tpa primary copper. It is the third flash converting plant in the world, and also the biggest copper smelter in terms of concentrate throughput. This paper presents process, facilities, commissioning, operation and environment control of the new smelter.

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PY39

AN EXTENSIVE SLAG DATABASE: LEAD-ING THE WAY

Vaajamo Iina, Taskinen Pekka, Gisby John

ABSTRACT Industrial processes at high temperatures are complex in nature involving many types of compounds, substances and solution phases. Due to this complexity it is sometimes impossible to investigate a specific problem experimentally or even understand in-depth the problem in question without input from reliable models. The MTDATA software package from UKs national measurement institute NPL (National Physical Laboratory) and the thermodynamic databases developed by NPL and its co-operators are used to understand these problems faced by industry. This work gives insight into the development of a leadbased database built as a part of NPLs extensive MTOX (metal-oxide-sulphide) database.

The database development work has required a critical literature review, new equilibration experiments providing information of the mutual solubilities of the elements, and optimization of interaction parameters for the lead-containing systems. A direct-toblister copper slag cleaning process in an electric furnace has been simulated as an illustrative application of the MTOX database.

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PY40

INVESTIGATION OF THE BATH-DEPOSIT INTERFACE OF FREEZE-LININGS IN COPPER SLAGS

Ata Fallah-Mehrjardi, Peter C. Hayes, Evgueni Jak Pyrosearch, The University Of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

ABSTRACT Freeze-lining technology is actively employed to protect reactors walls from chemically- aggressive molten slags. To date, the design of freeze-linings for pyrometallurgical reactors has been solely based on the assumption that the interface between the deposit and bath at steady stage is at the liquidus temperature of the bulk liquid bath. However, there is increasing evidence that the interface temperature between stagnant deposit and molten bath at steady state may be below the liquidus of the bulk liquid. This finding strongly influences the way bath chemistry effects should be taken into account in freeze-lining designs. In order to investigate fundamental

processes involved in the formation and stability of the freeze- lining deposits, experimental laboratory studies have been undertaken in the Cu-Fe-Si-Al-O slag system at equilibrium with metallic copper using an air-cooled cold finger probe technique; the probe is submerged into the synthetic slag bath heated in an induction furnace and stirred by rotation of a crucible. The effects of bath agitation on the microstructure, morphology of phases and formation of various layers across the freeze-lining deposit were studied at steady-state conditions in this study. It appears that the changes in the fluid flow characteristics strongly affect the deposit microstructures, the formation of the sealing solids layer and, thus, the interface temperature between freeze-lining deposit and the liquid bath. The results demonstrate that the mass transfer and crystallisation / dissolution processes in the area adjacent to the deposit interface are crucial factors that determine the

Pyrometallurgy

microstructures and temperatures of the interface layer of the deposits. Systematic laboratory study provides firm scientific basis to assist in the freeze-lining design that can result in significant energy savings and therefore reduction of CO2 emissions by optimisation of process temperature and flux additions.

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PY41

ADVANCED PILOT PLANT ROASTING TESTS GIVE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE FOR DESIGN OF A LARGE ROASTER PLANT AT MMH

Sergio Carrasco, Mr Daniel Deutsch, Codelco-VP Gunnar Berg, Dr ke Holmstrom, Mr Lars Hedstrom, Outotec

ABSTRACT The MMH roaster project has a long history and it is now about 20 years since the initial plans of a roaster for the MMH concentrate came up. The first contacts were made between Codelco and Outotec. (At the time named Boliden Contech.) Outotec had the knowledge of arsenic removal from copper and gold concentrates by fluidized bed roasting and Codelco had a new huge copper deposit, called MMH, located in between the Calama city and the Chuquicamata copper smelter. The arsenic bearing mineral at MMH is mainly enargite (Cu3AsS4) so is not possible to eliminate the arsenic by selective flotation. Partial roasting is one possible method to clean the concentrate from arsenic and thereby produce a suitable raw material for the copper smelter. Outotec had already before the MMH project run pilot plant tests in a fluidized bed roaster on behalf of Codelco to remove arsenic from the arsenic rich Chuquicamata concentrate to produce a low arsenic containing calcine. The tests were successful and showed that the roasting process was an efficient way of separating arsenic from the copper rich raw material before it is treated in the copper smelter. All concentrates containing arsenic are unique and the process design of a roaster plant must be based on relevant design data. The process data was collected during several tests in fluidized bed pilot plants. Most tests were made in the fluidized bed pilot plant of Outotec in Sweden and others were carried out in Chile (Concepcin University).

Pyrometallurgy

The influence on calcine quality by critical process parameters like e.g. roasting temperature, silica bed, feed composition and the temperature of gas cleaning equipment was studied and the outcome of the tests have had direct influence on the design of the full scale plant at Calama. The ability to run pilot plant tests is essential during development of the roasting process. During the long history of roasting in Outotec, the roasting group, formed out of former Lurgi and Boliden Contech, has to date delivered 285 fluid bed plants. The Outotec roaster reference list includes a variety of processes and concepts: from high trough-put circulating fluid bed rosters for ore (Newmont Gold Roaster) to small two-stage stationary bed rosters for concentrate (Tongguan Smelting). Outotec can deliver the complete process chain for the pyrometallurgical plant, e.g.: roaster; dust-gas separation; calcine cooling; gas cleaning; water treatment; sulphuric acid. Outotec can also provide required technology for many beneficiation and the hydrometallurgical processes, which are connected to our roasters. In the MMH project, Codelco has chosen Outotec as supplier on EPC basis for roaster, gas cleaning sulphuric acid and effluent treatment. This presentation summarizes the pilot plants experiences made during tests both in Sweden and in Chile and describes how important knowledge has been collected by the cooperative work of Codelco and Outotec.

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PY42

INTEGRATED EXPERIMENTAL AND MODELLING RESEARCH ON COPPER SLAGS PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES IN SUPPORT OF OPTIMISATION OF COPPER MAKING PROCESSES

Evgueni Jak and Peter Hayes Pyrosearch, The University Of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia. E.Jak@uq.edu.au

ABSTRACT Copper smelter operations around the world are under sustained pressure to reduce costs and increase output. Through the provision of reliable data on fundamental properties of the chemical systems the opportunities for improvements of industrial copper production can be identified. Experimental and modelling studies on phase equilibria, thermodynamics and viscosities of copper slag/matte/metal/gas systems have been combined into an integrated research program undertaken at PYROSEARCH. Experimental phase equilibria studies involve high temperature equilibration in controlled gas atmospheres, rapid quenching and direct measurement of compositions of equilibrium phases with electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA). Thermodynamic modelling is undertaken using the computer package FactSage in conjunction with advanced models used for complex solution phases. Slag viscosities are characterised through systematic modelling supported by experiments. Progressive development of these research methodologies has brought significant advances in characterisation of these complex systems. The new data and models can now be applied to assist in improvements of the processes. The effects of changes to chemistry and process conditions within the smelting reactor can be examined. Examples of multivariate analysis of trends in a range of conditions relevant to a typical copper smelter operation parameters are provided. These examples examine the potential impact of impurity elements on slag properties, fluxing requirements, metal losses, fuel requirements and operating temperature. These demonstrate the potential of the theoretical, laboratory and plant-based studies, to improve smelter performance.

Pyrometallurgy

PY43

CALCIUM FERRITE SLAG PHASE CHEMISTRY CONTROL USED IN CONTINUOUS FLASH CONVERTING E. Jak, Pyrosearch, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, e.jak@uq.edu.au C. Nexhip , D. P. George-Kennedy Rio Tinto -Kennecott Utah Copper LLC, Magna, Utah, USA

ABSTRACT Calcium ferrite slags with Cu2O, "Fe2O3" and CaO as major components are used in the continuous flash copper-converting process developed at Rio Tinto -Kennecott Utah Copper LLC (KUC). A number of other impurities including SiO2 , S, MgO, Al2O3, As and other are also present in the slag. Knowledge of phase equilibria in this slag system is important for optimal control of the furnace performance including melting temperatures and deposit control. Extensive investigations have been undertaken a) to characterise the phase chemistry of deposits taken from various parts of the smelter in parallel with b) comprehensive laboratory-based liquidus and sub-liquidus phase equilibria studies in the multi-component system using synthetic slag samples. Major findings related to the phase chemistry control of the Ca-ferrite slags, constitution and possible mechanisms of deposits formation in the converter, including protective freeze-lining, will be summarised. The role of major and, in particular, minor elements including SiO2, S, and As will be discussed. The combination of systematic collaborative research into the plant deposits and fundamental phase equilibria studies provided better understanding of the melting and solidification behaviour of the complex Ca-ferrite slags.

Pyrometallurgy

PY44

DISTRIBUTION RATIOS OF PLATINUM AND PALLADIUM BETWEEN IRON OXIDE SLAGS AND MOLTEN COPPER AT 1573 K

Katsunori Yamaguchi Iwate University

ABSTRACT Copper scrap containing PGM is treated with a copper smelting process, and copper and PGM are recovered. As a fundamental study of the oxidation process, measurement of the distribution ratios of iron, platinum and palladium between the FeOx-CaO slag and molten copper was carried out in the range of log pO2 between 9 and -5 at 1573 K Distribution ratios of iron, platinum and palladium are increasing with oxygen partial pressure. Based on the distnb~ ution ratios, the recovery of platinum and palladium is calculated under the oxygen potential, log yo2 between `9 and -5 at 1573 K using the FeOx-CaO slag.

Pyrometallurgy

PY45

IMPROVEMENT OF COPPER SLAG GRANULATION SYSTEM WITH CLOSED WATER CIRCULATION AND IMPURITIES BLEED--OFF CIRCUIT

Hiromichi Inada, Hiroyuki Wakasa Tamano Smelter & Refinery Bibi Kyodo Smelting Co., Ltd Tatsuya Wada Saganoseki Smelter & Refinery Pan Pacific Copper Co., Ltd.

ABSTRACT In Tamano smelter, seawater had been used as the granulation measure of flash smelting furnace slag. Since some amount of heavy metals, such as As and Pb, tended to elute from slag to the granulation water, Tarn&no tried to reduce the heavy metals emission via discharging seawater by converting the granulation system to the closed water circulation. 'I_amano smelter locates at the area where the industrial water supply is not abundant. Therefore, the indirect water cooling system was applied to minimize the evaporation loss. To avoid the impurities condensation in the circulating water, impurities bleed-off circuit was developed and adopted to the system. The system has started its operation in April 2012, and achieved almost zero emission of impurities derived from slag granulation. This paper describes the design concept of the system and its cuxTent operational performance.

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PY46

DEVELOPMENT OF SIDE-BLOWING OXY-FUEL CONCENTRATE BURNER IN FLASH SMELTING PROCESS AT SUMITOMO TOYS SMELTER

S, Sasai, K. Nagai, K. Kawanaka and K. Yarnamoto Toyo Smelter & Refme Non-ferrous Metals Division Sumitomo MetaI Mining Co., Ltd, DISH 145-I, FunLtya, Saijo, Ehime 793-0005 JAPAN

ABSTRACT Sumitomo Metal Mining Toyo Smelter and Refillery has achieved concentrate feeding rate of Flash smelting furnace up to 4,000 TPD by developing the Surnitomo type concentrate burner, lo misc the performance of concentrate burner more, Sumitomo original smelting process, "Side-blowillg Oxy-fuel concentrate burner in Flash Smelting process" (S.O.F) which had been developed by using pilot plant in 1980s at Niihama Research Laboratories, was applied to commercial plant. In S.O.F process, parts of reaction air are blown from the side nonles of flash furnace reaction shaft. In commercial plant, several tests had been carried out and the longest test was continued successfully for one month without serious trouble. S.O.F process also showed very high performance such as low dusting rate. This paper describes the details of those technical development referring test operation results.

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PY47

STUDY ON LIQUIDUS TEMPERATURE AND VISCOSITY OF COPPER SMELTING SLAG

Jun`ichi TAKAHASHI Sumitomo Metal g Co., Ltd. Niihama Research Laboratories Process Metallurgy Group Manager of Pyrometallnrgy' Section

ABSTRACT: Limited data are available on the phase chemistry of the copper smelting slag system used in the copper smelting and slag cleaning processes. The measurement of liquidus temperature of silicate slag systems relevant to copper smelting was carried out at controlled oxygen partial pressures in equilibrium with metallic copper by the procedures, which involve equilibration of mixtures, rapid quenching of resulting phases, and measurement of phase compositions using electron probe X`ray microanalyses (EPMA), developed at the Pyrometallurgy Research Centre (PYROSEARCH), the University of Queensland. The measurement or viscosities was also carried out by using the rotating cylinder viscometer techniques which developed at the Kyushu University from 1423K to 1573K at oxygen partial pressure of 10.9 atm as a function of CaO% A1203%, and Fe/SiO2 weight ratio. The increase of CaO% decreases liquidus temperature. The increases of FeiSiO2 and A1203% increase liquidus temperature. The decreases of viscosity were obtained with the increase of CaO% and the increase of Fe/SiO2 without relation to the liquidus

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PY50

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OPTIMUM OPERATION AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE O-SR PROCESS AT ONAHAMA SMELTER & REFINERY

Masanori Yoshida Manager of Production Division Onafiama Smelter & Refinery Onahama Smelting and Refinery

Tetsuro Sakai Managing Director & General Manager Onahafna Smelter & Refinery Onahama Smelting and Refinery Co, Ltd

ABSTRACT The "O-SR" Process, which is an innovative combination of a newly installed Mitsubishi-Process S-furnace with the existing reverberatory furnaces (RFs) followed by PS-converters (PSC), has been operated since December 2007. The project of the O-SR process had aimed to increase the treatment of copper concentrates in the S-furnace while enhancing the treatment of combustible wastes such as shredder residue (SR) and successively corresponded the intention. The original facilities of the O-SR process have recently modified to establish an optimum operation, as follows: Launder between the S-furnace and RFs was redesigned to increase the availability at S-furnace @ A new coal combustion system and a compact hot-blast stove were adopted for RFs. The operation of PSCs including the number of working converters was cllanged to treat high grade matte. As a results, the operation cost and carbon footprint due to the consumption of fossil fuel have decreased dramatically.

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PY51

HIGH EFFICIENT SLAG CLEANING LATEST RESULTS FROM PILOT SCALE OPERATION

R. Knig, R.Degel, L. Rose (SMS Siemag), J. Schmidl, A. Specht, H. Kadereit (Aurubis AG)

ABSTRACT During the last 25 years sustainability has become one of the major issues for our growing society. The fast development of the emerging countries and the still high level of consumption in the industrialized states require the further development of existing production processes. The future challenge for the copper industry is to treat more complex ores on the one hand and increasing the yield by reducing the copper losses and to remain the iron-silicate-by-product marketable on the other hand. By applying a magnetic field to a slag crossing a DC field stirring is improved and thereby the settling of entrained copper droplets is fostered. Based on this theoretical background and the results of an intensive parameter study by CFD-simulation the results were subsequently verified in a 2-4 t/h pilot plant. During 10 test trials, each one week, in the pilot plant it was the aim to generate reliable results for an approximation of the economic feasibility of the new process. The results confirmed that a significant reduction of the Cu-content in the resulting iron-silicate-product depending on the incoming copperslag content is feasible and economical interesting. Hence, the basics for the design of an industrial furnace were determined.

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PY52

OPTIMIZING CONVERTER AISLE OPERATION AT ATLANTIC COPPER SMELTER, HUELVA, SPAIN

Nubia Cardona V. Kingston Process Metallurgy 759 Progress Avenue Kingston, ON, Canada K7M6N6 nubia.cardona@kpm.ca A. Martin, F. Jimnez and G.Rios Atlantic Copper Av. Francisco Montenegro s/n 21001, Huelva, Spain Philip Mackey P.J. Mackey Technology Inc. Pascal Coursol Barrick Gold Corp. 3700-161 Bay Street Toronto, ON, Canada, M5J 2S1

ABSTRACT With the aim of reducing copper losses in slag and to further optimize converters performance, the Atlantic Copper smelter (Huelva smelter) performed a project leading to optimisation of its converter aisle practices. This study consisted of a review of the current converter aisle operation, a full mapping of the slag chemistry and a modeling of the converter cycle through a new blow-by blow approach. The modelling approach and main variables influencing overall performance, slag chemistry and copper losses are discussed in this paper. The impact of operational practices such as blowing rate and blowing time, oxygen enrichment, fluxing, reverts and scrap copper addition, copper slag recirculation and slag skimming practices are discussed in the context of overall heat and mass balance for the Peirce Smith converters. Activities performed at the plant, leading to marked improvements in the converter aisle performance and slag quality are also discussed.

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PY53

APPLICATION OF EXERGY ANALYSIS IN COPPER SMELTING PRODUCTION

Javad Khosravi1, Mark A. Rosen2 WorleyParsons Minerals and Metals, 2645 Skymark Avenue, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada 2 Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Canada Email of corresponding author: javad.khosravi@worleyparsons.com

ABSTRACT

Exergy analysis has received lots of attention in recent years due to its application in the waste heat management in various industries. However, the exergy analysis still is not a common tool for metallurgical industries to use as useful and accurate method of energy measurement. This paper intends to briefly review the exergy concept and its applicability in energy management of metallurgical processes. Two case studies were analyzed: exergy analysis of a copper smelter at different matte grade production. In another study the impacts of copper concentrate grade on exergy of copper production were analyzed.

Pyrometallurgy

PY54

PHASE EQUILIBRIA STUDIES FOR COPPER SMELTING/CONVERTING SLAGS Baojun Zhao School of Chemical Engineering The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
baojun@uq.edu.au

ABSTRACT Phase equilibria of silicate slags relevant to the copper smelting/converting operations have been systemically investigated in the temperature range 1200 to 1300 oC and oxygen partial pressures between 10-5 and 10-9 atm. The experimental procedures include high temperature equilibration, quenching and accurate measurements of phase compositions using electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA). The effects of CaO, Al2O3, MgO and Po2 on the phase equilibria of the fayalite slags have been systematically investigated. It was found that spinel and tridymite (SiO2) are major primary phases in the composition range related to copper smelting/converting slags. In addition, olivine, diopside and pyroxene may also appear at certain conditions. The presence of up to 20 wt% CaO, up to 10 wt% MgO and 10 wt% Al2O3 in the slag increases the spinel liquidus and decreases the tridymite liquidus. Liquidus temperatures in tridymite primary phase field are not sensitive to Po2; Liquidus temperatures in spinel primary phase field increase significantly with increasing Po2. Addition of the same weight of Al2O3 or MgO in slag shows the same effect on the liquidus temperatures in spinel and tridymite primary phase fields. The trends in the effects of Al2O3 or MgO on liquidus temperatura are similar for both copper smelting and converting slags.

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PY55

INVESTIGATION OF FREEZE-LINING FORMED IN AN INDUSTRIAL COPPER CONVERTING CALCIUM-FERRITE SLAG.

ATA FALLAH-MEHRJARDI , PETER C. HAYES, EVGUENI JAK PYROSEARCH, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia JANI JANSSON2, PEKKA TASKINEN2 Thermodynamics and Modelling Group, Aalto University, Finland

ABSTRACT Pyrometallurgical coppermaking processes are operated under intensive conditions such as high process temperatures and vigorously agitated bath to accelerate kinetics of reactions and to achieve high smelters throughput. Slag freeze-lining reactor wall protection is a widely used technology in coppermaking processes, such as, flash smelting and converting reactors to mitigate and resist the effects of thermal and chemical attack by aggressive slags. In this laboratory-based study, water-cooled probe cold finger technique has been used to investigate the behaviour of the calcium ferrite slags in equilibrium with metallic copper; the slag composition reflects that used in the industrial copper flash converting furnace of Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copper LLC (KUC). The effects of probe immersion times on the thickness, stability, and heat transfer characteristics of freeze-lining deposits have been measured. It has been shown that under steady-state conditions several different layers are formed within the deposit starting from the cold probe surface as follows: quenched and microcrystalline layers; closed crystalline layer with multiphase sub-liquidus material formed without mass exchange with the bulk liquid; dense primary phase crystals sealing layer; and the subliquidus boundary layer between stagnant deposit and the agitated liquid bath. The microstructures of the freeze-lining obtained at steady-state thickness were compared to sub-solidus equilibrium phase assemblages.

Pyrometallurgy

PY56

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND DUST GENERATION OF COPPER CONCENTRATE PARTICLES OXIDIZED UNDER SUSPENSION-SMELTING CONDITIONS

V.R. Parra-Snchez, M. Prez-Tello, V.M. Snchez-Corrales, A. Gmez-lvarez Department of Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy, University of Sonora Blvd. Luis Encinas & Rosales. Hermosillo, Mxico 83000 mperezt@iq.uson.mx R. Parra-Figueroa, E. Balladares-Varela, E. Araneda Dept. of Metallurgical Engineering, University of Concepcion. Department of Metallurgical Engineering, University of Concepcin Edmundo Larenas 285 Casilla 160-C Correo 3 Concepcin, Chile.

ABSTRACT The chemical composition and dust formation during the oxidation of copper concentrate particles under suspension-smelting conditions were investigated. The effects of initial particle size and oxygen concentration in the process gas on the particle composition, morphology, and mineralogy of the reacted particles along a laminar-flow reactor were tested. The chemical composition of the reacted particles was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The mineralogy was determined by X-ray diffraction and QEMSCAN techniques, the latter of which involves scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The experimental data indicated that the smaller the size fraction in the feed, the higher the extent of oxidation. The QEMSCAN micrographs in general agree with a reaction mechanism involving expansion and further fragmentation of the particles during flight. The extent at which both phenomena occurred was dependent upon the initial particle size and residence time of the particles in the reactor.

Pyrometallurgy

PY57

EVOLUTION OF SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF COPPER CONCENTRATE PARTICLES OXIDIZED UNDER SUSPENSION-SMELTING CONDITIONS V.R. Parra-Snchez, M. Prez-Tello and V.M. Snchez-Corrales Department of Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy, University of Sonora Blvd. Luis Encinas & Rosales. Hermosillo, Mxico 83000 mperezt@iq.uson.mx R. Parra-Figueroa and E. Balladares-Varela Department of Metallurgical Engineering, University of Concepcin Edmundo Larenas 285 Casilla 160-C Correo 3 Concepcin, Chile

ABSTRACT Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the initial particle size and oxygen concentration in the process gas on the size distribution of copper concentrate particles oxidized under suspension-smelting conditions. The size distribution was determined by both QEMSCAN and laser diffraction techniques from samples of reacted particles collected along the reactor length of a laminar-flow reactor. The experimental data indicate that the change in particle size of the particle population was strongly dependent upon the particle size of the feed material, whereas the oxygen concentration in the process gas did not play a significant role in the range of 40-70 vol. %. Particle expansion was the predominant phenomenon in the early stages of oxidation, whereas fragmentation started to occur at further stages of oxidation down the reactor length. The amount of dust, i.e., particles with size smaller than 20 m, is discussed as a function of the operating conditions tested in the experiments.

Pyrometallurgy

PY59

CONTINUOUS CONVERTING OF COPPER MATTE TO BLISTER COPPER IN A HIGH INTENSITY MOLTEN - LAYER REACTOR.

I. Wilkomirsky, R. Parra, F. Parada & E. Balladares Dept. Metallurgical Engineering University of Concepcin Edmundo Larenas 285, Concepcin, Chile iwilkomi@udec.cl

ABSTRACT Continuous converting of copper matte or white metal into blister copper can be carried out in a new high - intensity molten layer reactor that operates with dry, -65 mesh grinded matte or white metal and technical oxygen. The reactor operates at 1500-1600C producing a blister copper with 0.5 0.8%S which can be refined in conventional form, and a slag with less than 8% Cu. The reactor operates continuously with no fugitive emissions, generating and off gases with over 50% SO2. The phenomenological model of the molten layer reactor can predict with good agreement the results obtained in a pilot prototype reactor.

Pyrometallurgy

PY60

PHYSICOCHEMISTRY AND KINETICS MECHANISMS OF PARTIAL ROASTING OF HIGH ARSENIC COPPER CONCENTRATES

I. Wilkomirsky, R. Parra, F. Parada and E. Balladares Dept. Metallurgical Engineering University of Concepcin Edmundo Larenas 285, Concepcin, Chile iwilkomi@udec.cl

ABSTRACT A physicochemical/kinetic model is being proposed to explain the formation of bornite, chalcopyrite and magnetite during partial roasting of higharsenic copper concentrates at 700C. The mechanism involves solid state-gas and solidgas reactions between chalcosite, pyrrhotite and gaseous sulphur, and is thermodynamically consistent with the experimental results obtained in pilot plant.

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PY61

RECOVERY OF COPPER, MOLYBDENUM, ZINC AND IRON FROM COPPER SMELTER SLAGS.

I. Wilkomirsky, R. Parra, F. Parada and E. Balladares Dept. Metallurgica Engineering University of Concepcin, Chile iwilkomi@udec.cl J. Smit, M. Acua and M. P. Merino ECOMETALES Ltd. Calama, Chile

ABSTRACT A new process is being developed which permit to recover up to 98% of copper, 76% molybdenum and 98% zinc from copper smelter slags, generating a solid residue of red hematite that can be used in paints and ceramics. The process consist of two consecutive step: an initial total sulphation of the slag at 150-180C with sulphuric acid followed by a thermal decomposition at 700C 750C of the sulphated slag to form copper and zinc sulphates, copper molybdate and hematite. The acid used in the first step of sulphation is re-synthtetical in the seconds step of thermal decomposition and recirculated back to the sulphation step. The process is being developed at pilot scale in a plant that will be commissioned by the end of 2013.

Pyrometallurgy

PY62

NEW SLAG FLOTATION PLANT FOR POTRERILLOS SMELTER

Claudio Queirolo Projects Manager Salvador Division CODELCO CHILE

ABSTRACT Potrerillos Smelter, Salvador Division, CODELCO CHILE, replaced its Slag Cleaning Furnaces by a Slag Flotation Plant to treat the smelter slag, as a way to improve its metallurgical efficiency and to reduce gases emissions.

The plant has capacity to treat 1.530 t/d of the Teniente Converter slag with 8 to 10 % Cu, produces a 38 % Cu concentrate and a 0,4 % Cu waste. The copper concentrate is reprocessed in the Teniente Converter.

The project considered pots slag cooling to optimize copper recovery, a SAG mill followed of ball mill, two flotation stages, thickening and filtering of copper concentrate and final waste.

After its start up, the smelter has increased its copper recovery from 95,5 % to 97,4 %. And additional ongoing project considering improvements of the reception, storing and handling of copper concentrates will increase the global copper smelter recovery to 98 %.

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PY63

REFINEMENT OF FLASH FURNACE AND CODELCO TENIENTE REACTOR MATERIAL FEED SYSTEMS TO UTILISE CALCINED CONCENTRATES

Mark Coleman

ABSTRACT Clyde Process an established customer-driven solutions provider, utilising its knowledge, expertise and technologies to transform production processes, operating in the ferrous and non-ferrous metals industries joined the Schenck Process Group of Darmstadt Germany bringing the Brand into their focused Process Team. Clyde Process solutions have delivered transformed operation to many of their global clients, enabling them to generate sustainable economic benefit and maintain positions as leaders in their markets. Clyde Process have been a partner of Codelco for some time and when Codelco developed its Calcined Concentrate from the new Hales Mine they turned to Clyde to support their operation of the Flash Furnace and the Codelco Teniente Reactor allowing the material to be exploited. Homogeneously mixed and delivered such that the existing furnaces could maintain their performance. Following process trials, targets were set and Clyde contracted to supply the transport conveying equipment to deliver the Calcined material from the roaster to the smelter and then homogeneously mix the materials on the Flash Furnace direct to the day bin and on line directly to the Lances on the Codelco Teniente Converter with standard Copper Concentrate and Silica Flux. This paper reveals the solutions delivered showing the truth of Schenck Process Solutions claim that we make processes work

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PY64

DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF OXYGEN BOTTOM-BLOWING CU SMELTING TECHNOLOGY

Xiaohong Hao, Zhifang Lu, Kejian Wei, Zhenmin Zhang, Liqiong Hu and Bing Li China ENFI Engineering Corporation 12 Fuxing Avenue Haidian District,Beijing 100038P.R.China haoxh@enfi.com.cn Zhi Wen , Fuyong Su and Yue Yu University of Science & Technology Beijing 30 Xueyuan Road Haidian District, Beijing 100083 P.R.China wenzhi@me.ustb.edu.cn

ABSTRACT Oxygen Bottom-blowing Cu Smelting Technology is a modern and clean technology featured with low capital cost, low comprehensive energy consumption, high metal and sulfur recovery rate, low operating cost and a good operational environment. The core equipment of this technology is the bottom-blowing smelting furnace. This paper summarizes the development history of bottom-blowing Cu smelting technology, and the structural features and applications of a bottom-blowing smelting furnace. It then compares it with other bath smelting technologies, coming to the conclusion that oxygen bottomblowing smelting furnace could ensure higher smelting strength, longer furnace life and higher operational efficiency and that this technology has broad development prospect.

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PY65

DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONTINUOUS BOTTOM-BLOWING MATTE CONVERTING PROCESS

Bing Li, Jimu Jiang, Kejian Wei, Feng Li and Xiaohong Hao China ENFI Engineering Corporation 12 Fuxing Avenue Haidian District, Beijing 100038 P.R.China libing@enfi.com.cn Chuanfu Zhang Central South University (CSU) Changsha, Hunan 410083, PR. China Chuanfuzhang@csu.edu.cn ABSTRACT This Paper describes the continuous bottom-blowing matte converting process, as well as the pilot plant test conducted for this process from May to June, 2012. The pilot plant test shows that under three-phase conditions in the bath, sulfur in blister is 0.7%-1.0%, and Cu in slag is 8-12%; while under two-phase conditions, sulfur in blister is 0.2%, and Cu in slag is around 20%. During the test, oxygen lance and refractory linings are under good conditions. Therefore, it can be concluded from the pilot plant test that continuous bottom-blowing matte converting process has good application prospect. The first plant adopting this process is under design now and will be put into operation in China in October 2013.

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PY66

AN INTEGRATED LIFECYCLE APPROACH TO FURNACE REBUILDS Mike Santaluce Outotec 1551 Corporate Dr Burlington, Canada L7L 6M3 mike.santaluce@outotec.com

ABSTRACT Outotecs Integrated, Lifecycle Solution to Furnace Rebuild Projects is designed to provide smelters with reliable furnace rebuild project solutions and asset program lifecycle services. The concept addresses furnace rebuilds at the project level and at the asset program level. At the project level, this solution combines Outotecs proven Smelting Technology with its expertise in executing furnace rebuild shutdowns to deliver a complete furnace rebuild project solution to clients which includes design, supply, construction, commissioning and start-up activities for the furnace. At the asset program level, it delivers regular audits, process, operating and maintenance support to provide a solution for lifecycle management of the furnace rebuild program, aimed at maintaining continuity between individual rebuild projects and improving the overall performance of the furnace over the smelter lifecycle. The Integrated, Lifecycle Solution to Furnace Rebuild Projects offers clients a number of benefits both at the project level and the asset management level, ultimately with the goal of enhancing the return on investment that copper smelters extract from their rebuild projects and from the furnace asset itself over the lifecycle of the furnace.

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PY67

COPPER SMELTING TECHNOLOGIES IN 2013 AND BEYOND P.J. Mackey P.J. Mackey Technology Inc., Kirkland, QC, Canada E Mail: pjmackey@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT Modern bath and flash smelting technologies dominate world copper smelting today. In recent years, these technologies have been perfected achieving high unit tonnages as a result of continuous plant improvements and development work by the technology owners. Flash smelting is dominated today by the Outokumpu flash technology, while there are a number of established bath smelting technologies today including: Top Lance Smelting such the ISASMELTTM Process, the Noranda and El Teniente Processes and the Mitsubishi Process. This paper explores the development cycle of these leading processes and charts potential future trends, including aspects such as the early role of piloting and process perfection, energy consumption, environmental design and sustainability, along with capital and operating costs. Included is a technical evaluation of emerging and new smelting technologies, typified by the SKS bath smelting process. Looking beyond 2013 and based on the technical review, the paper attempts to place into perspective the likely niche such new technologies will have in the suite of the bath and flash technologies of the future.

Ref: 20/10/2013 10:28 AM

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PY68

USE OF WASTE HEAT BOILERS TO SAVE RESOURCES

Dipl.-Ing. Alfredo Martnez Oschatz GmbH Westendhof 10 - 12 Essen, Germany martinez.a@oschatz.com ABSTRACT Pyro-metallurgical industries are constantly affected by more rigorous environmental regulations and global lack of necessary resources, like energy and water for their processes. Plant owners look for new ways to operate their plants in an efficient and economical way. One possibility is the usage of waste heat boilers (WHB) to recover the energy potential of their plants. The WHB recovers the waste heat of the process to generate steam and cools down the gas.

The produced steam can be used for power generation to improve the energy efficiency of the plant. By cooling down the waste gas, the requirement of additional cooling systems like water injection is not necessary. Water consumption is reduced.

This work describes some existing furnace technologies and types of WHB which can be installed in non-ferrous industry plants. The main objectives are to show different possibilities to save natural resources (fuels, water, etc.) while producing electrical energy from the steam generated by these WHB.

Furthermore, some mechanisms which improve the efficiency of the waste heat recovery are described and an example for using the recovered heat to generate electricity is shown. Finally, a preview on further developments for this subject is given.

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PY69

DIRECT SULFIDES ELECTROLYSIS: A SUSTAINABLE PROCESS FOR COPPER RECOVERY?

Antoine Allanore Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Materials Science & Engineering 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA allanore@mit.edu

ABSTRACT Environmental awareness along with restrictions on investments, are calling for the development of new approaches for metal extraction. In particular, the notion that an extraction process necessary involves the emission of hazardous gas or the investment in capital-intensive post-treatments is to be revisited. Technological trends suggest that an electricity-based technique is well suited to accommodate these modern challenges [1]. In the case of sulfides processing, one underexplored approach is the direct electrolysis of the sulfides [2], leading to the decomposition of the feedstock to metal and elemental sulfur, e.g.: Cu2S 2Cu + S2 (g) This concept, in particular if applied at a temperature above the metal melting point, has the advantage to allow a semi-continuous single step process, as experienced for aluminium. It also offers to decouple the metal production from the generation of sulfuric acid. In terms of volume, the generation of S2 is an asset as it can be conveniently disposed or transported in solid form. This presentation first proposes to review some of the pioneer concepts. In a second part, a discussion of the electrolyte design challenges that are currently limiting this approach will be offered, along with new opportunities that are arising in this field. [1] A. Allanore, Contribution of Electricity to Materials Processing: Historical and Current Perspectives, JOM, vol. 65, issue 2, 131, (2013) [2] F. Habashi, The Recovery of Elemental Sulfur from Sulfide Ores, Bureau of Mines and Geologym Bulletin 51, (1966)

Pyrometallurgy

PY70

THE EFFECT OF IN SITU PHASE FORMATION ON THE INFILTRATION BEHAVIOR AND CHEMICAL DEGRADATION OF MAGNESIA-CHROMITE BRICKS IN CONTACT WITH A SYNTHETIC NON-FERROUS SLAG

L. Scheunis1, A. Malfliet1, M. Campforts2, P.T. Jones1, B. Blanpain1

1

Dept. Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, KUL, Leuven, Belgium; 2 Umicore R&D, Olen, Belgium

ABSTRACT To have a robust smelting process it is essential to be able to rely on a long refractory life. In case of Cu-smelters, life times of 2 and more years can be obtained. In these processes a fayalite slag is used. However, in processes where a PbO slag is used, the refractory life time is often lower. A major difference between both slags lies in the infiltration behavior of the slag; PbO slags can infiltrate the porous lining much deeper, attacking a larger part of the lining. In order to mitigate this, the possibility of preventing deep infiltration by sealing off the pores with in-situ formed phases is investigated for a synthetic non-ferrous PbO-SiO2-MgO slag. The results indicate the formation of forsterite (Mg2SiO4) throughout the refractory sample by the reaction between the silica present in the infiltrated liquid and the MgO from the refractory sample. This phase grows with time, eventually sealing off the pores near the interface with the bath but is unable to prevent complete infiltration of the refractory. However, once the forsterite seals off the pores, it prevents contact between the bath and the interior of the brick, ceasing the chemical corrosion inside the brick.

Pyrometallurgy

PY71

OPTIMIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY FOR CONCENTRATE SMELTING IN FLASH FURNACE WITH CHARGE CHANGES

Marcin Kacperski, Zbigniew Gostyski, Tomasz Gbka, Piotr Poks. KGHM PM, Poland

ABSTRACT Copper Smelter Glogow (HMG) is a part of mining and metallurgical concern KGHM PM SA. There are two primary smelters and copper refineries in HMG. The flash furnace was built 1978 and the process of concentrates blend melting began. Due to the characteristics of the Polish concentrates (low sulfur content, high organic carbon and lead) technology of the direct smelting to blister copper was applied. Year by year the technology was improved both technically and in case cost effectiveness. Recently, lead and organic carbon content in concentrates increased and forced a change in approach to the technological process parameters and verification its important parameters. The presentation / paper describes the technical and technological changes in flash furnace smelting.

Pyrometallurgy

PY73

MECHANICAL SYSTEM FOR REVERTS CHARGING INTO PEIRCE-SMITH CONVERTERS

Patricio Hernndez Norambuena1 Christian Guibout Cid2

1

Ingeniero de Desarrollo Senior, Divisin Ventanas, Codelco Chile 2 Ingeniero Jefe de Fundicin, Divisin Ventanas, Codelco Chile

ABSTRACT This system aims to feed reverts during the blowing step of the PSC converting process at the Ventanas Smelter, thus avoiding direct addition through the converter mouth, thereby reducing the emission of gases to the atmosphere. This mechanized system which replaces the normal feeding procedure by tilting the converter and adding reverts through the gas mouth is part of the Investment Plan that Codelco Ventanas Division is developing to improve industrial processes in order to reduce gaseous and particulate matter emissions to the atmosphere.

This system is made up with several auxiliary equipment and control systems, which allows, in addition to reducing emissions to the atmosphere, to adequately control the temperature of the conversion process during the blowing operation, as well as to obtain a more stable flow of gas to the acid plant and not to expose the operator to hazardous work conditions.

This paper shows in some detail how the system is structured describing its mechanical and process control components. It also outlines the way the system works and the results obtained to date.

Pyrometallurgy

PY74

EMISSIONS REDUCTION AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS ACHIEVED WITH THE NEW ANODE FURNACE OFF-GAS SYSTEM AT ASARCO HAYDEN

Alberto Fernandez, Steve Gasser, Kevin McPeak, and Joe Wilhelm ASARCO Hayden Operations, Hayden, Arizona USA Mark Rowsell, Matt Russell, and Paykan Safe GCT, LLC, Irving, Texas USA

ABSTRACT The ASARCO smelter in Hayden, Arizona operates three anode furnaces to firerefine blister copper for casting to anodes. The furnaces use natural gas with steam for reduction and natural gas burners for temperature control. Previously, anode furnace offgas discharged directly to the building with no gas collection, and burner gas consumption was high. ASARCO engaged GCT, LLC to provide preliminary and detail engineering and EPCM services for a new off-gas system to reduce anode furnace emissions. The baghousebased system was installed and successfully started up in February 2012. Following startup of the new off-gas system, ASARCO and GCT worked together to optimize the tuyere and burner practices in order to improve reduction efficiency and processing time, to reduce gas consumption and soot formation, and to optimize the off-gas system operation. The process improvements resulted in significantly reduced natural gas consumption and improved gas capture performance of the new hoods. This paper outlines the challenges faced in designing the new off-gas system and the process improvements and energy savings achieved through the collaborative optimization effort.

Pyrometallurgy

PY75

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS FOR SMELTER OFF-GAS HEAT RECOVERY

Matt Russell and Paykan Safe GCT, LLC, Irving, Texas USA

ABSTRACT Smelter processes generate a significant amount of heat, of which a large percentage is released with the process off-gas. Therefore off-gas heat recovery is critical to minimizing energy consumption and reducing operating costs. Metallurgical process offgas presents major challenges for heat recovery due to high dust loading, corrosive gases, and thermal cycling in batch processes. Waste heat boilers have been used for many years for heat recovery on continuous smelting and converting processes. However, heat recovery technologies have not been widely adopted on batch processes such as Peirce-Smith converting and other lower temperature applications. The design and development of novel heat recovery technologies to smelter processes can provide produce significant reductions in energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and operating cost. This paper outlines the challenges faced in recovering heat in smelter processes and presents recent technology developments for heat recovery for batch processes and lower temperature applications, including a recent successful installation of Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology for heat recovery to power generation on a steel reheat furnace.

Pyrometallurgy

PY76

THE USE OF CHROME-ALUMINA REFRACTORIES IN THE HIGH WEAR AREAS OF ANODE REFINING VESSLS

A.J.Rigby

Harbison-Walker Refractories, Pittsburgh, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT Refractory lining designs based on products containing direct-bonded or rebonded fused grain magnesia-chrome have been the industry-wide standard for anode refining vessels in all primary copper smelters. These linings are usually zoned with the denser rebonded fused grain material at the severe wear areas at the tuyeres, tapholes, skimming ports and charges mouths. This zoning aids to improve the lining performance in these areas but commonly the vessels must be taken out of service every 4-6 months for maintenance. It has been shown in the past that wear mechanisms leading to severe joint penetration at the skimming ports and significant spalling of the brick in the tuyere areas are a result of copper oxide penetration and reaction. Early trials of alumina-chrome monolithics and bricks containing 30% chromic oxide have shown remarkable resistance to copper oxide slags. Chemical analysis and microscopical examination of laboratory test samples and refractory products recovered from the field illustrate that the matrix of the refractory rich in chromic reacts oxide with the penetrating copper oxide slag to form a refractory reaction layer that prevents further ingress of the slag. This paper will summarize the actual results realized in the anode refining vessels and develop an over-arching vision of the potential future benefits generally which could very well accrue additionally in the primary smelting and converting production units

Pyrometallurgy

PY77

IMPURITY BEHAVIOUR DURING THE CONTINUOUS CONVERTING OF COPPER MATTE IN A PACKED BED REACTOR

L. Voisin and J. Diaz AMTC-DIMin, University of Chile Advanced Mining Technology Center-Department of Mining Engineering Av. Tupper 2007-2069, Santiago Chile 837-0451 lvoisin@ing.uchile.cl

ABSTRACT The Chilean mining is facing high and rising levels of arsenic and antimony contents in copper sulphide ores and therefore their smelters have had to treat complex concentrates rich in these impurities under stricter environmental regulations. Concerning the study of the continuous converting of copper matte to Blister in a packed bed reactor, the distribution of detrimental impurities of As, Sb, Pb and Zn were investigated by experimental tests at laboratory scale at 1523K in relation to four variables; matte grade, blast flow rate, oxygen enrichment into the blast and packed bed height. The results indicated that the removal of impurities towards the slag and gas phases is strongly dependent on oxygen enrichment and packed bed height. An increase of the latter, contributes to prolong the residence time of the impurities improving contact with the blast, while higher oxygen enrichment enhanced their oxidation and subsequent slagging and volatilization. Compared to the conventional processes, As and Sb removals were similar, whereas those for Pb and Zn were higher.

The study corresponds to the first reference of impurity behaviour in a packed bed reactor and indicate a concrete and promising use of this novel technology as a replacement to the traditional ones.

Pyrometallurgy

PY78

OXIDATION KINETIC OF COPPER MATTE DURING THE CONTINUOUS CONVERTING PROCESS IN A PACKED BED REACTOR

J. Diaz and L. Voisin AMTC-DIMin, University of Chile Advanced Mining Technology Center-Department of Mining Engineering Av. Tupper 2007-2069, Santiago Chile 837-0451 lvoisin@ing.uchile.cl

ABSTRACT The increasingly stringent environmental requirements against the emission of impurities and fugitive gases and the higher energy costs during the converting of copper matte have encouraged the development of continuous and cheaper processes.

Thus, a new continuous converting process has been developed based on the oxidation of copper matte with a countercurrent oxygen-enriched air blast into a packed bed reactor. In this study, the oxidation kinetic of copper matte was investigated by experimental tests at laboratory scale in relation to four variables; matte grade, blast flow rate, oxygen enrichment into the blast and packed bed height.

Copper matte oxidation, in terms of desulfurization, follows a first order kinetic, where the sulfur content into the Blister copper, [S], depends on the oxygen enrichment, %O2, and the packed bed height [H]:

[S] [S] 0 e ( 2.18Hln(%O2 )10.9H)

Pyrometallurgy

A high oxidation kinetic was observed due to the increasing reaction area produced by the higher dispersion of copper matte within the reactor, reporting a minimum standardized desulfurization rate of 5.67x10-3 [mol/g/min], which corresponds to 4 times of that in the conventional processes, besides, it was determined that the kinetic of the reaction was controlled by the diffusion of the oxygen contained into the blast.

Pyrometallurgy

PY79

KINETIC AND MODELING OF CONTINUOUS COPPER REFINING IN A PACKED BED REACTOR DURING THE REDUCTION STAGE

F. Mansilla and L. Voisin AMTC-DIMin, University of Chile Advanced Mining Technology Center-Department of Mining Engineering Av. Tupper 2007-2069, Santiago Chile 837-0451 lvoisin@ing.uchile.cl

ABSTRACT A novel technology was proposed by the Department of Mining Engineering of University of Chile which consists in two cylindrical packed bed furnaces in cascade for refining molten blister copper. The first furnace, containing a refractory packed bed has the function of removing the sulfur until 25 [ppm] as SO2 using a countercurrent airflow, while the second one, containing a coal or coke packed bed reduces the oxygen to around 1500 [ppm] as CO, CO2 and H2O(g). This technology is characterized by increasing the kinetics of refining, decreasing the amount of fugitive combustion gas emissions and as a result reduces both investment and operating costs compared with the traditional anodic furnace. The purpose of the present work was to model this technology at a laboratory scale during the reduction stage in order to obtain optimum parameters for future industrial furnace designs. The experimental tests were carried out in a laboratory scale electric furnace at 1473 K and the oxygen content in anodic copper was measured with a LECO analyzer. Results allow visualizing the copper flow and oxygen concentration inside the crucible and mainly confirm that is possible to achieve an anodic copper with oxygen values below 1500 [ppm].

Pyrometallurgy

PY80

PHASE RELATIONS AND MINOR ELEMENT DISTRIBUTION IN Cu-Fe-Pb-As SYSTEM SATURATED WITH CARBON AT 1473 K

G. Damm and L. Voisin AMTC-DIMin, University of Chile Advanced Mining Technology Center-Department of Mining Engineering Av. Tupper 2007-2069, Santiago Chile 837-0451 lvoisin@ing.uchile.cl

ABSTRACT In order to develop a new pyrometallurgical process for eliminating detrimental arsenic and recovering precious elements of silver, gold and platinum from arsenic-rich copper-lead scraps the phase relations in the Cu-Fe-Pb-As system saturated with carbon and the distribution of minor elements between the condensed phases generated during the equilibrium at high temperature were studied. The investigation was carried out by performing a series of laboratory scale experiments into an electrical furnace at 1473 K follows by a quenching method on the final stage. The samples obtained from the experiments were analyzed by using Inductively Couple Plasma, ICP and Carbon Infrared Spectrometry, CIS techniques. The results were discussed on the basis of the activity coefficient of arsenic and distribution parameters for precious metals in the miscibility gap where three equilibrated alloy phases of lead-rich, copper-rich and iron-rich coexist. It is expected that by using this phase separation technique it might be feasible both, to recover some precious elements into the copper-rich or lead-rich alloy phases and eliminate iron and arsenic into the iron-rich alloy phase, which can be discarded as a harmless and smaller deposit.

Pyrometallurgy

PY81

PHASE RELATIONS AND MINOR ELEMENT DISTRIBUTION IN Cu-Fe-Pb-Sb SYSTEM SATURATED WITH CARBON AT 1473 K

K. Mhlenbrock and L. Voisin AMTC-DIMin, University of Chile Advanced Mining Technology Center-Department of Mining Engineering Av. Tupper 2007-2069, Santiago Chile 837-0451 lvoisin@ing.uchile.cl

ABSTRACT In order to develop a new pyrometallurgical process for eliminating detrimental antimony and recovering precious elements of silver, gold and platinum from arsenic-rich copper-lead scraps the phase relations in the Cu-Fe-Pb-Sb system saturated with carbon and the distribution of minor elements between the condensed phases generated during the equilibrium at high temperature were studied. The investigation was carried out by performing a series of laboratory scale experiments into an electrical furnace at 1473 K follows by a quenching method on the final stage. The samples obtained from the experiments were analyzed by using Inductively Couple Plasma, ICP and Carbon Infrared Spectrometry, CIS techniques. The results were discussed and compared with those obtained in a previous work related the Cu-Fe-Pb-As-C system on the basis of the activity coefficient of antimony and distribution parameters for precious metals in the miscibility gap where three equilibrated alloy phases of lead-rich, copper-rich and iron-rich coexist. It is expected that by using this phase separation technique it might be feasible both, to recover some precious elements into the copper-rich or lead-rich alloy phases and eliminate iron and antimony into the iron-rich alloy phase, which can be discarded as a harmless and smaller deposit.

Pyrometallurgy

PY82

THERMO-FLUID-DYNAMICS MODELING FOR CONTINUOUS CONVERTING PROCESS OF COPPER MATTE IN PACKED BED REACTOR

E. Marambio and L. Voisin AMTC-DIMin, University of Chile Advanced Mining Technology Center-Department of Mining Engineering Av. Tupper 2007-2069, Santiago Chile 837-0451 lvoisin@ing.uchile.cl

ABSTRACT The conversion of copper matte to Blister, is a traditional and essential stage during the production process of metallic copper from sulfide concentrates, however, higher energy costs and environmental standards are becoming increasingly stringent regarding fugitive gas emissions and impurities disposal, thereby, the development of continuous processes with lower operational costs have been considered. Thus, the pyrometallurgical group of University of Chile, ENAMI and Buildtek S.A. have been investigating and developing a continuous process based on the oxidation of copper matte with a countercurrent oxygen-enriched air blast into a packed bed reactor. This study considered the elaboration of the Computational Thermo Fluid Dynamics, CTFD modeling based on experimental laboratory scale results and the adjustment of transport phenomena equations related to heat, mass and momentum behavior. The modeling considers parameters such as oxygen concentration in copper, packed bed height, diameter of the spherical refractory packed bed, etc., and will be developed and simulated by using the software COMSOL Multiphysics. It is expected that the modeling will be able to describe and predict the behavior at a laboratory scale of the proposed novel technology of continuous converting in packed bed reactor providing the base for the replacement of the traditional Peirce-Smith Converter.

Pyrometallurgy

PY83

CHARACTERIZATION AND FROTH FLOTATION OF SMELTING FURNACE COPPER SLAG

L. Voisin, W. Kracht and G. Jeldres AMTC-DIMin, University of Chile Advanced Mining Technology Center-Department of Mining Engineering Av. Tupper 2007-2069, Santiago Chile 837-0451 lvoisin@ing.uchile.cl

ABSTRACT During the first stage of the pyrometallurgical production of molten copper a smelting slag, contains from one to eight percent of both chemical and in trap copper depending mainly on matte grade, is generated. In Chile, the treatment of this phase to recover copper is widely performed in an electric or a fuel fired slag-cleaning furnace, however higher energy costs and environmental problems related to the fugitive gas emissions and the disposal of complex treated slag have increased, thereby, the study of froth flotation for smelting complex copper slag with high content of impurities of arsenic and antimony have been considered. The study considered to stages, the first one related to the characterization of smelting slag, provided by four of the seven copper smelters located in Chile, using optical microscopy, XRD, XRF, XPS and ICP techniques, and the second stage concerning to investigate by experimental test the optimal froth flotation reagents and conditions to maximize the recovery of copper. The results were compared with the traditional treatment methods and will be generate a technical-economic assessment which allows Chilean copper smelters to make the best decision regarding to the treatment of smelting furnace copper slag.

Pyrometallurgy

PY85

MAXIMIZATION OF HEAT RECOVERY BY PRODUCING LOW PRESSURE STEAM

Chang-Buhm Kim, Kyoung-Soo Jung, Hyung-Taek Chung LS-Nikko Copper Inc. 148, Sanam-ro, Onsan-eup, Ulju-gun Ulsan, 689-892, Korea cbkim@lsnikko.com

ABSTRACT All companies are facing global warming issues now. Copper business also cannot be free from CO2 emission. Before taking into new and renewable energy, LS-Nikko is trying to maximize waste heat recovery. By installing HRS system and new Waste Heat Boiler, we have succeeded to reduce CO2 emission about 65,000 tons per year since 2004. From 2011, low pressure steam is generated in flash drum at Sulfuric acid No.1. It heats up combustion air for flash smelting furnace and anode furnaces. At Plant No.2, modified HRS preheater can warm up feed water to the waste heat boilers in both acid plant and smelter. As the result, the CO2 emission has been decreased by 15,000 t/y additionally.

Pyrometallurgy

PY86

COPPER DISSOLUTION IN THE FEOX-SIO2 BASE SLAG OF THE FLASH SMELTING FURNACE AND THE TENIENTE CONVERTER AT THE CHUQUICAMATA SMELTER

J. Font, A. Moyano Codelco Chile, Chuquicamata Smelter & Division Av. Once Norte 1291, Villa Extica Calama, Chile jfont@codelco.cl K. Itagaki Emeritus Professor, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan

ABSTRACT It is well known that at a given matte grade the solubility of copper in the slag is independent of pSO2 in both smelting units of the Chuquicamata smelter, namely the Flash Smelting Furnace (FSF) and the Teniente Converter (TC), and depend mainly on the oxygen potential or matte grade. The metallic forms of copper content in the same slags depend indirectly on the oxygen potential by affecting the slags chemical compositions which influence the slags viscosities. For instance, in the FeOX-SiO2 slag saturated with SiO2 which is the base slag for both smelting units, the Fe3O4 content in the FSF slag has lower values than that of the TC slag, and this difference affects directly the total copper content in the FeOX-SiO2 base slag.

Thus, as an update contribution to the understanding of oxygen-blowing of copper matte smelting, the copper solubility between the FeOX-SiO2 base slag and the Cu2S-FeS matte will be discussed in the Flash Smelting Furnace and the Teniente Converter.

Pyrometallurgy

PY87

IMPROVEMENT TECHNOLOGY OF VANYUKOV SMELTING

Kozhakhmetov S., Kvyatkovskiy S., Abisheva Z., Bekenov M.,KamirdinovG., Semenova A. Center of Earth Sciences, Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan; kvyatkovskiy55@mail.ru

ABSTRACT Today pyrometallurgy is the most widely applied industrial practice of copper recovery in Kazakhstan. More than one half copper in Kasakhstan is produced by Vanyukov smelting. Ores occurred in Kazakhstandiffer for their varied compositions. Moreover, high contents of zinc, lead and arsenic sulfides while low contents of iron sulfide in copper concentrates shall be noted. Reduced concentrations of iron sulfides lead to shifting heat balance of autogenous smelting process that requires increased extent of desulfuration which, in its turn, results in changed slag compositions,altered mechanical propertiesand increased copper losses. One of the ways to solve this problem could be using additional fuel; other way is increasing oxygen content in blowing gas mix. We managed to enhance matte and slag removingthrough supply of additional fuel by special designed burners, oxygen-enriched blowing to 95%, decreasedmagnetite content in slag and so on.

Pyrometallurgy

PY88

CHUQUICAMATA SMELTER: PRESENT AND FUTURE

J. Ahumada, A. Moyano, J.C. Garca, P. Durn, and J. Font Chuquicamata Smelter, CODELCO-Chile Chuquicamata Division Chuquicamata, Chile jfont@codelco.cl

ABSTRACT In the last decade (2003-2013), the Chuquicamata smelter has faced several changes in the anodic copper production processes (startup/shutdown of the tilting slag cleaning furnace, starting up of the slag cleaning electric furnace), and in the programmed smelter plan (environmental law) allowing new operational strategies and major investments. The extraction methodology change of the Chuquicamata mine from open-pit to underground, and the new projects of the Codelco North District (Ministro Hales Division, DMH) have allowed the Chuquicamata smelter to evaluate major investments that will secure the fulfillment of the environmental regulation in the new scenario of smelting concentrates and calcine produced in the District. Instead, during 2012 the Chuquicamata concentrates processing was highly uneven, especially for their copper, sulfur, and iron contents, and their impurities and gangue contents which produced a complex scenario for the even operational continuity of the Chuquicamata smelter. This work presents in a critical way the Chuquicamata smelter last year experience and a projection for the future operational scenario lined up with the new environment regulations when processing unlike concentrates coming from the Chuquicamata mine and DMH calcine.

Pyrometallurgy

PY89

LATEST DEVELOPMENT OF OXYGEN BOTTOM-BLOWING COPPER SMELTING TECHNOLOGY

Yan Jie China ENFI Engineering Corporation NO. 12 Fuxing Avenue, Haidian Disctrict, Beijing, China 100038 yanj@enfi.com.cn

ABSTRACT The Oxygen Bottom-blowing Copper Smelting Technology is a new copper smelting process developed by China ENFI Engineering Corporation. This paper describes the characteristics of this technology, summarizes production of the oxygen bottom-blown smelting furnace, analyzes problems occurring in the production and proposes countermeasures for coping with these problems. The paper also discusses the future development orientation of the oxygen bottom-blowing copper smelting technology. By continuous exploring, development and improvement, advantages and potentiality of the technology will be brought into full play.

Pyrometallurgy

PY90

DEVELOPMENT OF COPPER/GOLD SULFIDE CONCENTRATES PYROMETALLURGICAL PROCESS

Li Feng China ENFI Engineering Corporation NO. 12 Fuxing Avenue, Haidian Disctrict, Beijing, China 100038 lif@enfi.com.cn

ABSTRACT This paper introduces the development orientation of Matte Making for Au/Ag Recovery technology, with the reference to the status-quo of technologies adopted in gold smelters. It focuses on the characteristics of the different processes for copper smelting and converting which involves Matte makting for Au/Ag Recovery, describes in particular the development of Continuous Bottom-blowing Cu Smelting Technology, coming to the conclusion that copper continuous smelting technology has become the trend for Greenfield or Brownfield copper/gold smelters.

Pyrometallurgy

PY91

INDUSTRIAL TEST DEVELOPMENT OF CONTINUOUS BOTTOM BLOWN OXYGEN COPPER SMELTING PROCESS

Zhixiang Cui, Zhi Wang, Juntao Zheng, Ruimin Li Dongying Fangyuan Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd, No 99 of Liuyanghe Road, Economic Developments Zone, Dongying City, Shandong Province, China wangzhi7612126@sohu.com

ABSTRACT The paper describes the continuous bottom blown oxygen Copper smelting process. Based on this process, tests were carried out processing both cool and steamed high grade matte with different processes to research the effects of different devices, slag type, blowing intensity, oxygen level and blowing smelting end to the indexes of converting blister; also the lances arrangement and life and the refractory lining validity was researched. The series of tests empowered us to develop the continuous Copper smelting process and devices and finally realized producing anode Copper directly with continuous converting reactor.

Pyrometallurgy

PY92

NEW DEVELOPMENT OF BOTTOM BLOWN OXYGEN SMELTING TECHNOLOGY IN DONGYING FANGYUAN NONFERROUS METALS CO. LTD

Zhixiang Cui, Zhi Wang, Ruimin Li Dongying Fangyuan Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd, No 99 of Liuyanghe Road, Economic Developments Zone, Dongying City, Shandong Province, China wangzhi7612126@sohu.com

ABSTRACT Bottom blown oxygen smelting process was successfully industrialized in Dongying Fangyuan Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. in 2008. By continuous technical innovation and process upgrade during the last 4 years, new breakthroughs have been achieved one after another and the energy consumption has been lower and lower. Even though, we can guarantee sound smelting effect, i.e. the matte concentration is over 73% while the copper content in slag is 2-3%. Meanwhile we have developed a series of new technologies respecting to it including processing high impurity anode plate, processing the fume dust in heavy metals smelting, waste acid processing technology and comprehensive recovery technology of the value elements. Environmental copper smelting and low-carbon production have been finally realized.

Pyrometallurgy

PY93

COPPER SMELTING FLUE DUST CHARACTERIZATION AS A KEY ISSUE IN THEIR TREATMENT

Eduardo Balladares Departamento Ingeniera Metalrgica Universidad de Concepcin

ABSTRACT This presentation discusses the importance of a proper characterization of the copper smelting flue dust produced in a copper smelter in view of the best process definition or process design in the treatment of these materials, both for efficient removal of contaminants and economic recovery of valuable elements.

To illustrate the problem, some cases of application together with the analytical tools employed are shown. Similarly, the need to implement methodological tools that systematize the flue dust characterization from nonferrous industry is discussed. Relevant cases are those related to the characterization of synthetic phases, which shows, by one side, very particular chemical-mineralogical properties and, secondly, significantly different metallurgical behaviour of natural phases of the same chemical composition.

Pyrometallurgy

PY95

DESIGN OF A HEAT RECOVERY COOLING CHAMBER SYSTEM FOR COPPER SMELTERS

L.A. Campos, D.E. Wimmer and F.J. Gonzlez Coprim Ingeniera S.A., Chile

ABSTRACT According to growing need to reduce operating costs and minimize the use of limited resources as water, Coprim has designed a heat recovery cooling chamber, which seeks reuse or replace the existing radiative or evaporative cooling chambers and transform them into equipment that is capable of capturing and transferring the absorbed heat, without altering the foot-print of these. The design is based on the modification of existing cooling chambers inserting into them a heat exchanger composed internally by cooled panels with thermal oil which operates in a closed circuit. It is pumped from a storage tank to a power generating plant. The chamber considers a refrigerated pre-chamber, located with the purpose of decrease the dust burden incoming into the heat transfer zone (panels). Panels are located parallel to each other inside the chamber, where the flow of metallurgical gas is cooled. The thermal oil flows counter-flow with the gas flow, increasing the heat transfer efficiency. The design allows an easy maintenance and replacement of panels. The metallurgical gas has thermal energy which can be transformed into electric power with at least 15% of efficiency. This design minimize the investment level and implementation time.

Pyrometallurgy

PY96

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PYROMETALLURGICAL METHODS FOR PROCESSING OF SULFIDE COPPER CONCENTRATION FROM UDOCAN DEPOSIT

L.B. Tsymbulov, A.B. Portov, I.V. Tereshchenko and L.Sh. Tsemekhman LLC Gipronickel Institute, OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel 11 Grazhdansky Prospect, Saint-Petersburg, 195220, Russia Lbcym@nickel.spb.ru D.A. Lapshin LLC Baikalskaya Mining Company 28 Rublevskoe Highway, Moscow, 121609, Russia

ABSTARCT In the nearest future development of Udokan deposit on of the world largest deposits of complex oxide-sulfide copper ores, located in the Chita oblast of Russia - will be started. The characteristic feature of copper sulfide concentrates, produced after ore concentration, has low Fe content in the concentrate (3-4 wt.%) with high grade of silicon oxide (35-45 wt.%). In this work two methods of pyrometallurgical processing are studied: - smelting with blister copper production in a two-zone Vaniukovs furnace; - concentrate roasting in a fluidized bed furnace followed by cinder reduction smelting in a direct current furnace. There are presented results of laboratory scale and enhanced laboratory investigations. Comparative analysis of the proposed technological flow-sheets are performed, their merits and demerits are discussed.

Pyrometallurgy

PY97

OPTIMAL SLAG COMPOSITION FOR PROCESSING OF COPPER NICKEL MATTES AND CONCENTRATES IN A VANIUKOV TWO-ZONE CONVERTER THAT PRODUCES BLISTER COPPER

L.B. Tsymbulov and S.P. Pigarev LLC Gipronickel Institute, OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel 11 Grazhdansky Prospect, Saint-Petersburg, 195220, Russia Lbcym@nickel.spb.ru F. Kongoli, I. McBow FLOGEN Technologies Inc. 1255 Laird Blvd., Ste.388 Mont-Royal, Quebec Canada H3P 2T1 E.N. Selivanov, V.M. Chumarev Institute of Metallurgy UrO RAN 101 Amundsena Street, Ekaterinburg, 620016, Russia

ABSTARCT The Gipronickel Institute in cooperation with the Canadian company Flogen Technologies Inc. and the Ural Institute of Metallurgy has developed a new technology for processing of copper nickel mattes and concentrates in a Vaniukov two-zone converter that produces blister copper. The slags formed in this process lies within a multi-component Cu2O-NiO-FeOx-SiO2-CaO-Al2O3 system. One of the most important technological tasks in a new pyrometallurgical process development is the optimal slag composition choice. The work presents the optimal slag composition for this process based on the study of their structure and characteristic features.

Pyrometallurgy

PY98

ARSENIC REMOVAL FROM BLISTER COPPER USING MOLTEN SODIUM AND CALCIUM SULPHATES

P.Coursol and N.Stubina Barrick Gold Corporation 161 Bay Street suite 3700 Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5J 2S1 pcoursol@barrick.com P.J.Mackey Mackey Technology Inc., Kirkland, QC, Canada, H9J 1P7 M. Zamalloa Koniambo Nickel SA, New Caledonia

ABSTRACT New mineral deposits found nowadays are generally of lower grade and of increasing complexity compared to those seen in earlier times. In the case of copper, arsenic is one important impurity element often associated with the newer, complex copper ores. Some 10 years ago, the present authors were involved in the development of a novel technology using molten calcium/sodium sulfate salts for the removal of arsenic from blister copper. Using appropriate flux proportions, more than 90% arsenic elimination could be obtained while both minimizing slag production and the copper level in the refining slag. In light of renewed interest in the treatment of copper concentrates containing arsenic, this paper re-examines this process. Advanced thermodynamic models are used to generate process maps showing the impact of slag composition and oxygen content in copper on the equilibrium level of arsenic in the fire-refined copper. The modeling results are also compared with available published data showing that the process operates under conditions having extremely rapid reaction kinetics. Finally, limitations for utilizing this type of salt in modern smelters including the refining furnace heat balance, reagent cost and availability are discussed. With increasing arsenic content in copper concentrates and with stricter environmental regulations in the copper industry, this process is considered to be superior to conventional fire refining practices using soda for arsenic removal.

Pyrometallurgy

PY99

ON THE POSSIBILITY OF USING HIGH OXYGEN ENRICHMENT IN TENIENTE CONVERTERS

M. Rosales-Vera, O. Saavedra, H. Jara, R. Fuentes Instituto De Innovacion En Mineria Y Metalurgia- Im2 A. Moyano, J. Font, R. Mackay Codelco Chile

ABSTRACT The increasing competitivity and specific capacity of the Teniente Converter Reactor is a strategic issue for the future competitivity of the Codelco-Chile smelters. Due to this, several conceptual studies were developed to phenomenologically establish the factors governing and limitating the reactor smelting capacity. The use of high levels of oxygen enrichment in the air flow through tuyeres in the Teniente Converter, historically was associated with refactary wear in the tuyeres line. In this paper we analyze theoretically, the possibility of using air blast with high levels of oxygen enrichment. The paper shows that high levels of oxygen enrichment not necessarily implies damage to the refractory and tuyeres line and with a good control of the bath temperature in the reactor, the oxygen enrichment can be increased over the usual levels.

Pyrometallurgy

PY101

COPPER LOSSES CONTROL IN FLASH SMELTING SLAG AT CHUQUICAMATA SMELTER

G. Wastavino, C. Pizarro instituto de innovacion en mineria y metalurgia- im2 A.Moyano, J. Font codelco norte

ABSTRACT In order to accomplish the concentrate composition changes which are being feeding to the smelting unit, specially the Flash furnace, the Chuquicamata Smelter has during 2010 carried out a campaign of industrial tests to process this eventually new concentrates, which are featured by its low calorific value (low pyrite content) and high level of gangue material. The aim of the industrial test was to evaluate the use of a fayalite-type slag shifting slightly to the olivine-type slag. The traditional use of the fayalite-type slag to treat this type of concentrates normally generates a sharp increase in the slag viscosity which increases the copper losses, allow foaming phenomena and other kinds of operational nature problems. The slight addition of limestone flux along the silica flux increases the CaO content in the slag in the range of 2.5 to 5%, changing the physical properties of the slag and allows the efficiently smelting of this kind of concentrates, which is featured mainly by its low pyrite content of 18% against the traditional levels of 27% (FeS2) and by its high gangue material content of 14% against the standard value of 9%. Thus, the industrial tests results shows an average copper content in the slag of less than 1.5% for a CaO content of 2.5%. Additionally, for a CaO content of about 3%, the slag showed a significant decrement in the distribution of the arsenic toward the matte phase, and also lower copper losses at the matte grade of 62% Cu. Therefore, for treating concentrates with low pyrite content and high gangue levels, the use of this olivine type of slag has been evaluated to be an interesting operational option.

Pyrometallurgy

PY103

CONTROLLING SO3 FORMATION IN THE OFF-GASES PROCESS FROM THE ISASMELTTM FURNACE AT SOUTHERN PERU ILO SMELTER

Enrique Herrera and Leopoldo Mariscal southern peru Fundicin Ilo, Punta Tablones S/N Ilo, Peru eherrera@southernperu.com.pe / lmariscal@southernperu.com.pe

ABSTRACT The Ilo Copper Smelter operates from 2007 mainly with an ISASMELT TM furnace as a single smelting unit (1,200,000 tpy of copper concentrates), four PS converters (two blowing), and two acid plants. Excessive sulfur trioxide (SO3) concentration in the off-gas process of the smelting furnace generates corrosion problems in the subsequent gas line and affects the weak acid treatment of the acid plants. This paper describes the modifications and improvements carried out at the controlling SO3 formation.

Pyrometallurgy

PY104

SERVICE LIVE INCREASE OF TSL LANCES, USING IONIC LIQUID COOLING TECHNOLOGY

Stefan Konetschnik, Andreas Filzwieser and Iris Filzwieser METTOP GmbH, Peter-Tunner-Strasse 4, 8700 Leoben, Austria

ABSTRACT TSL reactors are state-of-the-art vessels for the primary and secondary nonferrous industry. Although the efficiency of smelting and metallurgical reactions is excellent in these furnaces, the uptime is rather low due to the necessity of replacing the consumed lance tip regularly. Basic of the presented approach is a modified and cooled lance tip. The cooling intensity is set in order to form a so called freeze lining, much more distinctive than in the case of conventional lances. However, a water cooled lance would result in an insurmountable safety risk as a leakage and breakthrough cannot be completely excluded. A combination with METTOPs Ionic Liquid Cooling Technology (ILTEC) leads to a revolutionary solution for the metallurgical industry: The possibility of cooling TSL lance tips without the risk of introducing water below bath level. The cooling medium will not react with liquid metal or slag it decomposes above a certain temperature under formation of gaseous components.

Pyrometallurgy

PY105

AN UPDATE ON KENNECOTT UTAH COPPERS USE OF PRAXAIRS COHERENT JET TECHNOLOGY IN ANODE REFINING DEVELOPMENTS SINCE 2010

Arsenio (Jun) Enriquez, Colin Nexhip, David Krippner, Kyle Wright, Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copper LLC 12000 West 2100 South Magna, UT, USA Adrian Deneys, Yi Ma, Steve Manley Praxair, Inc. 2430 Camino Ramon San Ramon, CA, USA

ABSTRACT Rio Tinto through its subsidiary Kennecott Utah Copper (KUC) installed Praxairs Coherent Jet (CoJet) system in 2007 to increase scrap melting in one Anode Furnace. Based on positive results, the CoJet system was further integrated in both Anode Furnaces early 2013 with the installation of a diverter valve system. A temperature measurement system is under development to provide better copper temperature control to maintain furnace integrity. Two additional developments on lance and jet performance were also investigated. Further research and development initiatives using the CoJet technology in the Flash Smelting process for cleaning slag are also underway. This paper discusses the attributes of the CoJet system in the Anode Furnace process and other future developments.

Pyrometallurgy

PY106

AUTOMATIC SCHEDULING OF ALTONORTE OPERATIONS USING GREEDY ALGORITHMS

Alessandro Navarra Universidad Catlica del Norte 0610 Angamos, Antofagasta, Chile anavarra@ucn.cl

Oscar Mendoza Altonorte Smelter, Xstrata Copper Panamericana Norte Km 1348, Antofagasta, Chile omendoza@xstratacopper.com

ABSTRACT Algorithms have been implemented at the Altonorte Smelter (Northern Chile), to automatically schedule daily production. The resulting schedules respect all of the operational constraints, including maintenance plans and furnace productivity, as well as the availability of converters, offgas treatment, fire refining and casting. The algorithms are classified formally as greedy, following the terminology from computer science. Schedule automation is the first step toward advanced optimization techniques.

Pyrometallurgy

PY134

A NOVEL METHOD FOR QUANTIFYING SMELTER SO2 FUGITIVE EMISSIONS USING AN OPEN PATH FOURIER TRANSFORMS INFRARED (FTIR) ANALYSER

Gert Erasmus, Arne Weissenberger Hatch (Pty) Limited Johannesburg, South Africa

ABSTRACT Hatch developed a novel in-situ sampling method for measuring SO2 fugitive emissions from uncontrolled buoyant plumes of varying sizes, concentrations and flowrates. The test procedure uses an Open Path Fourier Transforms Infrared (FTIR) analyser which is able to count SO2 molecules along its reflected beam path, which therefore allows calculation of average SO2 concentration across the emission plumes. Continuous plume videography was used in conjunction to record gas volumetric flow with time. The data was correlated to develop actual continuous SO2 fugitive emission mass flowrates for specific smelter events and operations. As a result, quantitative emission factors were developed for furnace and converter operations which Hatch now applies to predict fugitive emissions generated at similar smelting facilities.

Copper 2013 Novel Methodology for Quantifying Fugitive SO2 Emissions

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Pyrometallurgy

PY135

OBSERVATIONS ON THE REDUCTIVE PYRO DE-ARSENIFICATION OF ENARGITE.

Thomas Zabev Process Research ORTECH Gus Van Weert Oretome Limited Pascal Coursol Barrick Gold

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the removal of sulphur and arsenic directly from enargite bearing concentrates by pyro-decomposition in a variety of gaseous atmospheres, including vacuum, to yield a low volume of disposable arsenic/ sulphur mixture. Experimental results are presented for various process routes. Treatment in a N2 gas flushed reactor of a 4:1 enargite/ metallic iron charge at 700 0 C consistently transformed enargite into bornite and chalcopyrite with less than 0.1% As in the product.

Pyrometallurgy

PY136

FORTY YEARS OF OPERATION OF THE NORANDA REACTOR PROCESS

Y. Prvost, C. Levac Xstrata Copper, Horne Smelter, Rouyn-Noranda, Qubec, Canada prevosty@xstratacopper.ca

ABSTRACT The Noranda Continuous Smelting Process at Xstratas Horne Smelter was commissioned in March 1973. Since then, it has evolved to follow the trends of feed complexity, material recycling and international competition. Process control was improved, new auxiliary equipments were tested, and blowing enrichment was increased. This paper presents an overview of the main Noranda Reactor improvements that have occurred since its commissioning and the effect they had on the capacity and control of the vessel.

Pyrometallurgy

PY137

PHENOMENOLOGY OF COPPER MATTE CONTINUOUS CONVERTING IN A PACKED BED

A.Warczok, G. Riveros and L. Voisin Universidad De Chile Departamento Ingenieria de Minas Av. Tupper 2069 Santiago, Chile awarczok@bell.net

ABSTRACT The new technology of continuous copper converting, developed by Universidad de Chile with ENAMI, generates a series of questions about the mechanisms of a liquid copper matte oxidation, formation of the slag, affecting the rate and efficiency of converting process. The CFD, mass and heat transfer modeling together with detailed analysis of phenomena taking place at the copper matte/gas , matte/slag , slag/gas and blister copper/gas interfaces allowed for determination of key factors affecting the rate of oxidation. The process requires specific self-melting fluxes being able to infiltrate the porosity of ceramic, packed bed and dissolve iron oxides as the product of oxidation, forming the slag, which properties permit for the flow inside the bed, separation from blister copper and continuous tapping out. It was found that the rate of sulphides oxidation is controlled by mass transfer and formation of iron oxide film separating sulphides and oxygen containing gas phase. Therefore, slag formation affects the rate of iron sulphide oxidation

Pyrometallurgy

PY138

A MASS TRANSFER MODEL FOR MOLTEN COPPER DEOXIDATION

L. Daz, F. Reyes and A. Ingalls Depto. de Ingeniera Qumica Metalrgica Facultad de Qumica, Edificio D, UNAM Circuito de la Investigacin Cientfica s/n Mxico,04510 D.F., Mxico A. Almaraz and G. Plascencia CIITEC IPN Cerrada Cecati s/n Mxico, 02250 D.F.,Mxico g.plascencia@utoronto.ca

ABSTRACT The final refining step in copper making is fire refining. Fire refining consists of several stages, but the most important are oxidation and reduction. These operations results from the interaction between an injected gas and the melt. In this paper, we present a mass transfer model that represents the reduction stage. It has been found that two mechanisms control the deoxidation of copper: i) Transport of the reducing gas from the gas bubbles towards the melt/bubble interface and ii) Transport of dissolved oxygen from the melt towards the melt/bubble interface. The former occurs in the early stages of deoxidation, while the latter controls towards the end of the reduction of copper. Fluid flow of the gases in the refining furnace has a strong effect on the dissolved oxygen transport.

Pyrometallurgy

PY139

DUST EXPLOSIONS AT THE CHAGRES SMELTER DUE TO SPONTANEOUS SELF-HEATING OF DRIED COPPER CONCENTRATES

M. Gous, B. Martinich and P.A. Reyes ANGLO AMERICAN SUR Chagres Smelter Av. Pedro de Valdivia 291 Santiago, Chile CP 7500524 mia.gous@angloamerican.com R.A. Parra Metallurgical Department University of Concepcin Edmundo Larenas 285 Concepcin, Chile

ABSTRACT During the latter part of 2012 and the early months of 2013, the Chagres Copper Smelter has experienced several incidents, varying in intensity, of self-heating of the dried concentrate feed in the flash furnace feed bin. These events lead to small fires in the feed transport, air circulation and concentrate storage systems and in the worst cases, dust explosion incidents within the dry concentrate feed bin. Self-heating is a term that defines spontaneous heating of sulphide concentrates under certain moisture and oxygen conditions. No external heat source is required. These types of events are not uncommon to copper smelters, although it was the first series of events of this magnitude experienced at Chagres in more than 50 years of operation. An investigation was launched to identify which of the concentrate characteristics had substantially changed to activate the self-heating reaction and special conditions that can promote explosions. This investigation has allowed the identification of the required remedial actions to ensure safe, continued high performance operation of the smelter.

Pyrometallurgy

PY140

APPLICATION OF MPE MODEL TO DIRECT-TO-BLISTER FLASH SMELTING AND DEPORTMENT OF MINOR ELEMENTS

Chunlin Chen, Ling Zhang CSIRO Process Science & Engineering Sharif Jahanshahi CSIRO Minerals Down Under Flagship Box 312, Clayton South, Victoria, 3169, Australia Chunlin.Chen@csiro.au

ABSTRACT Copper losses in slag vary from process to process during pyrometallurgical production of copper, depending on the slag chemistry and operating conditions. Minimize copper losses is one of major focuses in considering the optimal operating condition for copper smelting/converting processes. At the same time, the deportment of minor elements between various phases during copper smelting is of great interest by the smelters. This interest is driven by the gradual depletion of high-grade ore with low levels of minor elements such as arsenic, the requirements to manage the emission of toxic elements to the biosphere, and a growing need to produce high-purity saleable products. The Multi-Phase Equilibrium (MPE) is a thermodynamic package developed by CSIRO for simulating reactions between phases in multi-component and multi-phase systems. Over the years the capability of the MPE model has been extended to cover the behavior of a large number of elements in high temperature system. The sulphide smelting module of the MPE, which covers the minor elements such as As, Bi, Sb, Pb, Se, Te, Sn, Co and Zn, is capable of modeling the deportment of major and minor elements between various phases during the smelting of complex ores/concentrates. In the present paper validation of the MPE model and databases against published experimental data on multi-component and multiphase systems are presented. Results obtained from application of the model in predicting the copper losses in slag, direct recovery of copper to blister in direct-to-blister smelting process, as well as the arsenic deportment between matte, slag and gas phases of various commercial copper smelting processes will be presented. These results should allow process metallurgists in developing practices for improved management of copper losses and minor elements during smelting of feed materials.

Pyrometallurgy

PY141

CHARACTERIZATION METHODOLOGY FOR CU-DROPLET LOSSES IN SLAGS

Evelien De Wilde, Stephanie Vervynckt, Mieke Campforts, Kim Vanmeensel, Nele Moelans, Kim Verbeken

ABSTRACT In order to have an efficient Cu-smelting process, metal losses in the slag need to be minimized. A major cause of metal losses is the entrainment of metal droplets in the slag. One important factor for mechanically entrained metal droplets in slags is their attachment to solid spinel particles, which are also present in the slag phase. Consequently, these particles hinder the settling of the metal droplets. In order to improve phase separation it is important to identify the fundamental mechanisms governing this attachment. Two complementary methodologies have been developed to study the tendency of metal droplets to attach to solid particles. In one methodology, the interaction between Cualloys and spinel particles is studied by high temperature contact angle measurements. In the other, the entrainment is studied using a simplified synthetic PbO based slag (PbOCaO-SiO2-Cu2O-FeO-ZnO) containing solid spinel particles.

Pyrometallurgy

PY142

COPPER LOSSES CONTROL IN FLASH SMELTING SLAG AT CHUQUICAMATA SMELTER

G. Wastavino, C. Pizarro Instituto De Innovacion En Mineria Y Metalurgia- Im2 A. Moyano, J. Font Codelco Norte

ABSTRACT In order to accomplish the concentrate composition changes which are being feeding to the smelting unit, specially the Flash furnace, the Chuquicamata Smelter has during 2010 carried out a campaign of industrial tests to process this eventually new concentrates, which are featured by its low calorific value (low pyrite content) and high level of gangue material. The aim of the industrial test was to evaluate the use of a fayalitetype slag shifting slightly to the olivine-type slag. The traditional use of the fayalite-type slag to treat this type of concentrates normally generates a sharp increase in the slag viscosity which increases the copper losses, allow foaming phenomena and other kinds of operational nature problems. The slight addition of limestone flux along the silica flux increases the CaO content in the slag in the range of 2.5 to 5%, changing the physical properties of the slag and allows the efficiently smelting of this kind of concentrates, which is featured mainly by its low pyrite content of 18% against the traditional levels of 27% (FeS2) and by its high gangue material content of 14% against the standard value of 9%. Thus, the industrial tests results shows an average copper content in the slag of less than 1.5% for a CaO content of 2.5%. Additionally, for a CaO content of about 3%, the slag showed a significant decrement in the distribution of the arsenic toward the matte phase, and also lower copper losses at the matte grade of 62% Cu. Therefore, for treating concentrates with low pyrite content and high gangue levels, the use of this olivine type of slag has been evaluated to be an interesting operational option.

Pyrometallurgy

PY143

CONTROL STRATEGY FOR REDUCING COPPER LOSS FROM MITSUBISHI PROCESS

Bhavin Desai and Biswajit Basu Aditya Birla Science & Technology Company Ltd. Plot No. 1 & 1-A/1, MIDC Taloja, Taluka Panvel, Dist. Raigad 410208 Maharashtra, India bhavin.desai@adityabirla.com Dilip Gaur, Kaushik Vakil and Anil Singh Hindalco Birla Copper Po: Dahej, District Bharuch 392130 Gujarat, India.

ABSTRACT The Mitsubishi process at Hindalco Birla Copper has been in operation now for more than 5 years and this mature process has attained a high level of performance. Owing to the degradation in concentrate grade, the copper loss from the discarded slag was above the upper specification limit. From an industry perspective there is an ongoing need to adequately describe the phase chemistry of slag systems in order to optimize process performance and thus minimize copper loss. The selection of the optimum process conditions in this work has been greatly assisted by the use of a chemical thermodynamic model of the system. A new control strategy with respect to the determination of optimum slag chemistry and temperature has been developed to minimize the copper loss to below the upper specification limit consistently. The strategy is based on thermodynamic modeling using phase diagram concept and concentrate mineralogy. A new control strategy comprises determining the slag liquidus and slag viscosity from the known operating parameters such as slag chemistry, temperature and oxygen potential, and providing a safe operating window with respect to the slag chemistry and the temperature. The new strategy along with improved plant practice has resulted in copper loss in slag to below upper specification limit.

Pyrometallurgy

PY144

IN PURSUIT OF IMPROVED FLASH-SMELTING BURNER PERFORMANCE M. U. Jastrzebski, A. Lamoureux, T. Gonzales, R. Veenstra Hatch 2800 Speakman Dr. Mississauga, Canada L5K 2R7 mjastrzebski@hatch.ca

ABSTRACT Inefficient combustion has been shown to be the principal cause of a number of operational problems in Outokumpu flash smelting. A considerable volume of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and physical study results have been published on particular problems; however, more general investigations of the behavior of the flash smelting process have been rare. A review of a number of modeling studies and plantdriven practical burner improvement studies published to date has identified important parameters that affect performance. These have been further investigated using a burner geometry independent CFD model of the flash-smelting process taking place in a hypothetical reaction shaft. The study confirms that high oxygen enrichment and velocity control are strong levers in controlling dust rates and combustion efficiency, while burner diameter and combustion gas / feed injection angle are aspects of design with a strong impact on performance.

Pyrometallurgy

PY145

APPLICATION OF ROTATION-SUSPENSION SMELTING PROCESS AND PULSE CYCLONE BURNER IN XIANGGUANG COPPER

Songlin Zhou Vice President Xiangguang Copper Co., Ltd No.1 Xiangguang Road Shifo Town, Yanggu County, 252327, China

ABSTRACT This paper introduces the principle of rotation-suspension copper smelting process, feature of pulse cyclone burner and their production application. Professor Songlin Zhou of Xiangguang Copper puts forward a reaction mechanism of particle collision for smelting intensification and develops rotation-suspension copper smelting process and pulse cyclone burner on the basis of this mechanism, and has successfully applied to smelting and converting furnaces in Xiangguang Copper. Four years practice indicates: pulse cyclone burner has some advantages-big production capacity, complete reaction, stable furnace running, high availability, low flue dust, high thermal load, less wear of reaction shaft wall and etc. Thanks to these advantages, maximum feed volume is 400t/h, availability rate is 98%, flue dust rate is 4% and thermal load is 3000 MJ/m3.h.

Pyrometallurgy

PY146

APPLICATION OF SPECIALIZED NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING (NDT) FOR OPERATING COPPER PROCESS VESSELS

Afshin Sadri, Wai Lai Ying and Pawel Gebski

ABSTRACT Monitoring refractory condition in process vessels allows plant owners and operators to proactively identify problem areas in the linings. Short and long term maintenance planning can then be implemented to prolong vessel campaign life and minimize the possibility of catastrophic failures such as molten metal run-outs. The refractory lining of copper process vessels such as flash and slag cleaning furnaces, reactors, converters, and absorption acid towers is known to ultimately fail, resulting in a shorter campaign life. Refractory wear, refractory hydration, refractory lining failure, and hearth lifting are well known failure mechanisms of process vessels. In this paper specialized Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) techniques available for monitoring operating copper process vessels will be discussed. We will demonstrate how the application of such techniques has been used to identify deterioration, ultimately allowing plant owners and operators to prolong the service life of process vessels through proactive maintenance planning and action.

Pyrometallurgy

PY147

DEVELOPMENT PLAN CALETONES SMELTER

G. Richter P. General Manager - Codelco-Chile C. Carrasco O. Smelter Engineering Superintendent - Codelco-Chile

ABSTRACT With the aim of improving the environmental standards and competitiveness of Caletones Smelters, been conceptualized in a development plan that considers increase melting concentrate capacity from 1,4 Mt to 1,75 Mt, and increase sulfur and arsenic capture. This Plan includes three phases; The 1er Optimization to 1,45 Mt/y, 2do Increase sulfur and arsenic capture, and 3er Increase melting concentrate capacity to 1,75 Mt/y. Major projects to be implemented are:

New casting wheel Twin M-16 Increase conversion white metal Replacement slag cleaning process for flotation plant Reduction emission actual acid plant New smelting reactor New hood reactors and handling gas modification New acid plant

The main results are projected:

Pyrometallurgy

Caletones Smelter Indicators Smelter Capacities Sulfur / Arsenic Capture Metallurgical Recovery Operation Cost Productivities Units Kta % % US$c/lb t/h-y Base 1.400 94 / 91 97,6 27,0 612

Scenarios Optimization Development 1.450 96,5 / 96 98,1 26,0 612 1.750 96,5 / 96 98,1 22,9 754

This paper summarizes the projects to be undertaken, constructive and interference.

Pyrometallurgy

PY148

THE SAVARD-LEE SHROUDED INJECTOR: A REVIEW OF ITS ADOPTION AND ADAPTATION FROM FERROUS TO NON-FERROUS PYROMETALLURGY

J.P. Kapusta BBA Inc. 630, Ren-Lvesque Blvd. West, Suite 1900 Montral, Qubec, Canada H3B 4V5 Joel.Kapusta@bba.ca Robert G.H. Lee Air Liquide Canada (Retired) Calgary, Alberta, Canada

ABSTRACT Pyrometallurgical processes for iron and base metals present major similarities since they occur at high temperatures and in molten state. Pyrometallurgists, therefore, have long believed that some technologies from ferrous metallurgy could be beneficially adapted (and transferred) to non-ferrous metallurgy, and vice versa. The Savard-Lee shrouded injector is one such technology. Developed for steelmaking, the concept has inspired non-ferrous pyrometallurgists for decades and is now receiving renewed interest in light of recent commercial successes in high intensity smelting, particularly in Asia. This paper provides a review of key non-ferrous pyrometallurgical processes that have innovatively adapted and implemented the shrouded injector concept. Such processes include bath smelting of lead and copper (QSL, SKS), bath converting of copper and nickel (Hoboken and SMC with ALSI Technology, SKS), copper pyro-refining (O2/N2/H2 injectors) and lead-silver cupellation (BBOC). The authors highlight how the injector was adapted from its original steel refining design for oxygen bottom metallurgy (OBM) into new designs for nonferrous applications. The authors also offer their views on the future of bath smelting and converting with high oxygen submerged injection, especially at times when energy conservation and efficiency, lower quality concentrate, and environmental footprint awareness are at the forefront of the industry preoccupations.

Pyrometallurgy

PY149

DEBOTTLENECKING AND OPTIMISATION OF COPPER SMELTERS LEVERAGING SIMULATION

A P Campbell WorleyParsons PO Box 7637 Cloisters Square Perth WA 6850 Australia andrew.campbell@worleyparsons.com M Reed WorleyParsons Level 12 115 Grenfell Street Adelaide SA 5000 Australia michael.meed@WorleyParsons.com A E M Warner WorleyParsons 2645 Skymark Avenue Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 4H2 Canada tony.warner@WorleyParsons.com

ABSTRACT WorleyParsons has used Discrete Event Simulation (DES) methods in conjunction with more traditional process models to assess the performance of copper smelting operations. The DES model allows for a more complete and realistic picture of an operation to be developed based on the plant capacities and accounting for breakdowns and shutdowns. This paper outlines methods used to identify the opportunities to de-constrain existing operations and demonstrate that other constraints will not impact the overall improvement to the production. Examples of aisle and typical smelting operations are covered.