THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGICAL

ENGINEERS

Technical Publication No. 69

Class D, Non,ferrous Metallurgy, No. q

The Waelz Process

(Wiilh Discussiot~)

By R. HOFFMANN
CLAUSTHAL, GERMANY

DISCUSSION OF T H I S PAPER IS INVITED. I t should prefer.

ably be presented in person a t the New York Meeting. February.
1928, when a n abstract of the paper will be presented. If this is im-
possible, discussion in writing may Be';sent to the Editor, American
Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, zg West 39th
Street, New York. N. Y . . for presentation by the Secretary or other
representative of the author. U n l e ~ sspecial arrangement is made.
the discussion of this paper will close April I. 1928. Any dikus-
sion offered thereafter should preferably be in the form of a new paper.

29 W E S T 3g'th S T R E E T
N E W YOR w , . N . . Y ..
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Copyright, 1928, by thc American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, Inc.
Issued with Mining and Melallurgy, February, 1928
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 The Waelz Process
* CLAUSTHAL,
BY R. HOFFMANN, GERMANY
(New York Meeting, Bebrunry, 1928)

THE Waelz process produces oxides of volatilizable metals from ores,

metalliferous products and residues. The process was originally used
for recovering zinc and lead, where tailings and residues containing those
metals had accumulated at mines or smelters, but it is applicable for
obtaining tin, arsenic or other volatilizable metals. I t is useful when
other methods of obtaining the metals fromthe ores or residues are too
difficult or expensive or show too low a recovery.

-
FIG. 1.-DAILY CAPACITY OF
T i rn e
WAELZPLANTS RUNNING OR BEING ERECTED.
The Waelz process was developed in 1923 for the treatment of large
calamine dumps in Upper-Silesia, which showed zinc contents of 8 to 10
per cent. and lead contents up to 3 per cent. The rapid development of
the process, from the first trials up to the plants now working or in course
of erection, is shown in Fig. 1. The first industrial Waelz plant was
started in 1925. Within two years the capacity of the .working plants
reached 700 tons material per day of 24 hr. During the year 1928 the
daily capacity of the plants now a t work or in course of erection will rise
* Professor of Metallurgy and Electrometallurgy, Institute for Metallurgy and
Electrometallurgy of the State Mining Academy.
 .Se c f / o n

FIG. 2.-LONGITUDINALSECTION AND CROSS-SECTION O F A WAELZPLANT.

1. Disk feeder -- 7. Pulverizing-coal plant (unit system)
2.'Chilean mill -a - . 8. Flue-dust chamber
3. Bucket elevator 9. Tubular cooler
4. Return of flue dust - 10. Cottrell treater-pipes
5. Rotary kiln 11. Cottrell treater-plates
6. Discharge door ' 12. Oxide bagging room
to about 1900 tons, which means that per annum about 50,000 to 60,000
tons of zinc and 10,000 to 12,000 tons,of lead will be recovered in the
shape of oxides from low-grade ores and residues by means of the
Waelz process.
THEFLOWSHEET
The process usually is carried out as follows (see Fig. 2): The ore
is mixed in hoppers (1) with fuel. The mixed charge passes through a
crusher (2) and a conveyor (3) to the kiln feeder (I), which charges it

FIG.3.-GENERAL VIEW OF A WAELZPLANT.

into a rotary kiln (5) adapted to the special conditions of the Waelz
process. Cheap low-grade fuel such as coke breeze, anthracite duff or
coal waste may be used. The ore (or tailings, residues) can be charged
dry or as slimes.

Fra. 4.-INSIDE OF A WAELZPLANT HAVING TWO KILNS.

I n most cases the ore contains 10 to 15 per cent. moisture, but in some
plants materials showing 30 to 40 per cent. of water are treated. The fuel
consumption does not rise when moist material is being treated and the
working in the kiln may be even better than when a material is too dry.
4 THE WAELZ PROCESS

On the other hand, calcining of the carbonates or roasting of the sulfides

is not necessary.

FIG. &-FEED EXD OF A WAELZPLANT, WITH HOPPERS FOR ORE AND COKE.

The residues leave the kiln a t the lower end (6). As a rule thematerial
takes about 2 hr. to pass through the kiln. The air required for the proc-

FIG. 6.-ORDINARY EQUIPMENT FOR FEEDISG THE KILN-SHAKING FEEDER.

ess enters a t the lower end where the residues leave theIkiln, and flows,
therefore, in the opposite direction t o the charge. ~ h e : ~ a s eleaving
s the
 R. HOFFMANN 5

kiln pass through a dust chamber (8)) then through a pipeline to the
tubular cooler (9) and to the Cottrell treaters (10 and 11). The flue dust
precipitated in the chamber is returned by an apparatus consisting of a

FIG.7.-KILN WITH SERVICE PLATFORM A N D B U R N E R FOR PULVERIZED COAL.

screw conveyor plus an elevator (4) to the hopper (I), to be remixed with
the charge.
Under the Cottrell plant there is a series of hoppers (12) where the
oxides from the cooler and the Cottrell are bagged.

For starting the process and later on for regulating purposes an auxil-
iary heating mechanism (7) consisting of a burner for pulverized coal
is arranged at the discharge end of the kiln. Oil can be used in some
cases instead of the pulverized coal, if found to be more economical.
6 ' THE WAELZ PROCESS

Views of a Waelz plant and of parts of the apparatus are shown in

Figs:S to 10.

FIG. 9.-THE WAELZKILN, DISCHARGE AND FIRING END.

Rotary kilns have seldom been used for metallurgical purposes, but
they are in general use for the manufacture of cement. It goes with-
out saying that the mode of working a cement kiln could not be applied
unchanged to the running of a Waelz kiln, because the chemical conditions
and the results are quite different. 111 the cement kiln, the flame is an
 R. HOFFMANN 7

essential constituent of the process, the hot gases effecting the required
physical and chemical modifications' of the charge; also three different
zones must be considered; the drying zone, the calcining zone and the
sintering zone.
I n the Waelz process, in a similar manner, the material fed into the
kiln is dried and preheated to about 1000" C. a t the upper end of the kiln.
1 The heating is effected partly within-that is, on the surface of the charge
-and partly indirectly, through the contact with the hot lining below
the charge in each revolution.
The material preheated in this manner passes into the zone of volatiliza-
tion where the temperature, of course, depends on the nature of therespec-
tive metal. For zinc, 1100" to 1200" C. is usually required, in order
to attain a good volatilization. As the volatilization ceases when sinter-
ing commences, the recovery of metals from materials of a low melting
point is, of course, much less than from materials with a high melting
point. The melting point of the charge can be increased by adding suit-
able reagents such as limestone, but only if this be found economical.

\ The chemical reactions that take'place during the period of vofatiliza-

tiqn are .carried out in two &ages; viz., a reduction 'of the oxides takes
placeinside of the charge and.the reducing gases and metal vapors escap-
ing' from' the charge burn in t h e oxidizing kiln atmosphere. These two
operations h e described by the following two formulas:
1. Inside the layer of material: ZnO + +
C --+ Zn'(vapor) C O . .
-
2: I n the atmosphere of the ,kiln, 'above t h e material: Zn (vapor) +
- +
CO 0 2 ---+ ZnO +-CO2. . . ' . , :,
When the formulas are added one obtains as-asummary of the several
operations, inside and outside of tliecharge, the simple exothermic oxida-
tion of the carbon dsed.for reduction to CO2. It does notmatter whether
the several intermediate reactions proceed according to the formulas or
whether still other intermediate reactions take place. . '

Those stages can well be ,observed when working. Over the whole
extent of the zone of volatilization one can.bee continuously little green
flames colored by the combustion of zinc; Towards the end of the vola-
tilization zone, the zinc contents become less and in conformity the
development of CO and zinc vapors cease. The flames .become smaller
and show less color, and pass- over into a light yellow flame caused by
direct combustion of the carbon on the surface of the charge. The occur-
rence of this flame is a'good sign of thorough volatilization of the zinc.
The developmenfcpf t h e metalliferous zinc vapors and of the CO on
the surface of the material is of such a uniform extent . that
.
the oxidizing
atmosphere in the kiln cannot touch the charge.
8 THE WAELZ PROCESS

The Waelz process therefore can be used for the treatment of sulfide
oies, without elimination of the sulfur by previous roasting. Undcr the
roducing conditions inside of the charge of the Waelz kill;, t h o c~ifideof
zinc, for instance, is decomposed by oxides of non-volatilized metals or
earth alkalis, contained in the raw material or added to the charge, the
sulfur remaining in the charge in the form of fireproof sulfides such as
CaS, FeS, Cu2S,etc. ~he'volatilizationof zinc then proceeds as follows:
ZnS + CaO + C --+ Zn (vapor) + CaS + CO.
The exclusion of the oxidizing gases from the charge is so complete
that only insignificant traces of SOz are produced. Small quantities of
sulfur which may be distilled by decomposition, for instance of FeS2 into
FeS + S are neutralized by forming sulfates with the oxides of zinc or
lead. I n all cases only traces under 0.01 per cent. of free SOz have there-
fore been found analytically.
The gases from a coal fire contain as a rule 0.1 per cent. of SOr, there-
fore no notice need be taken of the SO2contents in Waelz plants.

Contrary to the cement process, the quantity of heat used in the Waelz
kiln is not produced by a flame but almost exclusively by the combustion
of the reduction gases and the metalliferous vapors. As the reduction of
the zinc oxides in the charge needs the same quantity of heat as that
liberated by the oxidation of the zinc vapors, the process shows only the
following losses of heat:
1. The heat in the waste gas. The gases leave the zone of volatiliza-
tion at a temperature of 1000" to 1100" C. I n the preliminary heating
zone, however, they give up the greater part of heat, the final waste gases
only showing 300" to 600" C. I n ordinary working the composition of
the waste gas is: 0 to 1 per cent. 02,0 to 2 per cent. CO, 18 to 28 per cent.
COZ,which depends, of course, on the quantity of carbonates in the charge.
As the contents of oxygen are very low, the quantity of gases is likewise
comparatively small, which means that the loss of heat in comparison
with other processes is small.
2. The heat taken up by the charge in the volatilization zone. A
part of this heat is recovered for the purposes of the process by preheating
the air entering the kiln.
3. The quantity of heat radiated through the kiln wall. For a good
working, the heat produced in the entire zone of volatilization should
cover these losses of heat specified under heads 1 to 3. Too great a
development of heat at any place of the volatilization zone should, how-
ever, be avoided, because there is then a risk of accretions being formed.
On the other hand, if too little heat is developed, it should be compensated
 R. HOFFMANN 9

by a small flame. This flame can by no means increase the temperature

in the entire zone of volatilization; it only preheats the air and thereby
reduces the loss of heat. The temperature in the volatilization zone and
the chief development of heat in that zone are regulated by the speed of
the rotation of the kiln and by the amount of material fed.

OF WAELZKILN WITH CEMENTKILN

COMPARISON
1
These essential differences in the working of the cement kilns and
the Waelz kilns are shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The data for the first
diagram dealing with the manufacture of cement are taken from the
article by E . S. and E. Ernst, South Dakota Cement Plant, Rapid City,
40 -
3a -
66 - per cenk 1- in the reed
%
. -
32 -
.y) -
Ld -
a.
34 -
L1-
a, h

------- J,02 m .me k e d

per cen~',nso/
---v-e/--
d -
6 -

a m s & i o & A m a ,

1- Length of-hiln in per cent-

F I G . 11.-CHEMICAL PROCEDURE WHEN BURNING CEMENT.

S. D. 'The second diagram (Fig. 13) resulted from a Waelz test. The
kiln was stopped for a moment during the normal working while the dif-
ferent samples were taken with spoons with long handles, a t both ends
of the kiln. This kind of sampling may give rise to some inaccuracy.
By numerous tests carried out in this way it has, however, been proved
that the figures found are sufficiently exact. During the trial shown in
this diagram a zinc ore high in silica was treated. The kiln charge con-
sisted of ore and coke breeze and contained 15.89 per cent. Zn. '
10 THE WAELZ PROCESS

I n these diagrams, for the sake of better comparison, both kilns are
drawn in such a way that the various lengths are given in percentages of
the total length of the kilns. The diagram of the cement kiln shows that
the preheating of the charge requires 60 per cent. of the total length. At
40 per cent. of this length begins the calcining and nearly a t the same time
the solution of the silica. On the other hand, in the. Waelz process the
heating of the charge only needs 20 per cent. of the total length of thekiln.
By reducing the oxides of iron, eliminating the COs as well as the water of

LO-
m-
6-
44.
V-
Q-

a.
6-

I-. Length of kiln in per c e n t

' FIQ. 18.-VOLATILIZATION

OF ZINC IN THE WAELZPROCESS.
the hydrates, the zinc contents on the point marked "80 per cent.",
of the kiln length are higher than in the ~ r i ~ i n a l ' c h a r g e The
. material
in this zone reaches the temperature required for reducing the zinc. The
volatilization of zinc then takes place over the whole length of 82 to 6 per
cent.; vis., in about 75 per cent. of the kiln length. The curve shows that
the volatilization during all this time proceeds almost uniformly. The
speed of this volatilization and the length of the reaction zone are deter-
mined by the speed of the kiln and the quantity of material charged, as
already shown above.

Development in industrial plants during the last two years has

brought the following results:
The dimensions of the kilns have been gradually increased.
 R. HOFFMANN

The trial plant a t Fried. Krupp Grusonwerk A. G. of Magdeburg

has been equipped with a kiln of a daily capacity of 10 to 15 tons.
The first industrial plant had a daily capacity of 40 to 50 tons, and
the [kilns installed later on of 80 to 120 tons. Some of the plants now
being put up contain kilns of a daily capacity of 200 tons. One may
assume that a t the present stage of technology with kilns of 350 to 400
tons the maximum capacity will be reached.

The cost of working Waelz kilns depends, of course, on local conditions

with regard to expenses for fuel, wages and power. The consumption of
waste fuel such as breeze, anthracite duff, etc. amounts to about 25 to 30
per cent. of the ore and the power needed to 20 to 30 kw-hr. per ton,
including transport to the plant.
Very little labor is required for Waelz plants, as charging and dis-
charging can be arranged mechanically.
The working costs depend also on the size of the kiln, because fuel
and power needed1 per ton of material decrease with larger kilns and the
number of hands remain about the same as needed for small kilns. I t
may be presumed that under advantageous local conditions a material
containing 4 to 5 per cent. of zinc may still be treated profitably, if the
material comes from a dump or an existing plant, and if the commercial
value of its zinc contents may be looked upon as being near zero.
This low economical limit shows the progress made by introducing the
Waelz process for the treatment of materials not capable of being handled
by the methods known hitherto. I n one big plant an ore containing
exclusively lead in the form of galena and cerussite is being treated.
The ore is dressed wet mechanically, concentrated up to 13 per cent. P b
and then subjected to the Waelz process. The residues contain less than
0.5 per cent. Pb and the oxides from the Cottrell collector about 78 per
cent. P b containing a mixture of lead oxide and lead sulfate.

"^*Tosome degree the volatilization of metals depends, as already

stated, on the melting point of the charge. I n cases of a low melting
point the volatilization may drop to 85 per cent., while in general it
amounts to 90 per cent. and more.
The purity of the zinc oxides depends principally on the speed of the
gas leaving the kiln in the flue-dust chamber. I n one plant treating
'calamine of 10 per cent. Zn + P b an oxide containing 68 to 75 per cent.
+
of Zn P b is obtained. The flue dust, which returns automatically to the
charge, amounts to 2 to 3 per cent. of the ore and contains 30 to 45 per
cent. Zn + Pb. .
 12 THE WAELZ PROCESS

The inclination of the charge to form accretions varies considerably

with the different raw materials. I t happens most frequently with
charges having components with widely different melting points. These
accretions are caused in all cases by local excess of heat attributable to
lack of uniform charging. If the working of the plant is well regulated,
no difficulties from accretions should be expected.
Sometimes by adding reagents such as common salt to materials
containing sulfur, various reactions of an accessory nature were created,
in order to increase the formation of volatile compounds of metals.
Finally it has been shown that in many cases the metals contained in
the material can be recovered in several products. For instance, zinc
and lead may be recovered separately by volatilizing the lead in the first
stage of working and following this ope~ationby a process for volatilizing
the zinc. If the lead contents of the ore are low, it will be more eco-
nomical to volatilize P b +
Zn together. The recovered oxides, contain-
ing perhaps 5 to 10 per cent. Pb, can then be retreated in order to recover
a lead product. The zinc oxide is then not volatilized, but discharged in
a sintered state from the kiln. This agglomerated zinc oxide is consider-
ably better than the non-agglomerated oxide for the manufacture of
. spelter in muffles.
'.
DISCUSSION
A. L. Q U E N E A ~.New York, N. Y. (written discussion).-The Waelz process is
,essentially a fire method ohoncentration. This is well shown in the case cited in the
\
paper of a plant in Silesia where the treatment of old tailings (zinc plus lead 8 t o 13
per cent.) gave a fume with 65 t o 75'per cent. zinc plus lead. In my own experience,
I
also in Silesia, from a zinc furnace residue assaying 4.73,per cent. zinc and 2.14 per cent.
I
lead, I have obtained a mixed fume carrying 54.8 per cent. zinc and 18.8 per cent. lead.
The Waelz process allows, further, the'separation of the various metals contained in
any given ore, according to the order of'yolatility of their compounds. Thus lead,
zinc, arsenic,.cadmium, etc. may be separated from iron, manganese, copper, nickel,
etc. Silver goes in part with the fume, thy balance remaining in the kiln residues;
gold will usually stay in the residues, especially if copper is present.
,.'
The process is carried out in a rotary h l n of the same general type as t h a t used in
the Portland cement industry. The similarity between the cement process and the
Waelz process may be emphasized. I n both processes it is essential that sintering
and not fusion should occur, and the mass under treatment should remain a t all times
in a practically ."dry" state. The volatilization of zinc and lead is hindered when a
pasty condition is reached, the operation of the kiln becomes difficult with the semi-
fusion or fusion of the charge, and wall accretions in the form of rings will then
take place.
In the Waelz process, the required fuel for heating and for reduction is usually
added to and mixed with the charge. This is in contradistinction t o cement practice,
where firing takes place a t the discharge end of the kiln, the fuel being pulverized
coal, natural gas or oil.
The charge in a Waelz kiln usually forms a long,, continuous cylinder, called a
"sausage" in Germany. In the zone of volatilization the conditions within the
"sausage" are very like those prevailing within an ordinary zinc retort. There is
 DISCUSSION . . 13

present a large excess of glowing carbon, fmely disseminated and in intimate contact
with the particles of zinc and lead compounds. Reduction takes place with the
formation of metallic zinc in the form of vapor and carbon nionoxide, according to the
chemical reaction
ZnO + C -+ CO + Zn - 57,000 calories.
The liberated gases find their way t o the surface of the cylinder, where in contact
with a n oxidizing atmosphere, air being admitted a t the discharge.end of the kiln,
they are reoxidized according t o the reaction
Zn + CO + O2 + 4N2 -+ ZnO + COI + 4Nz + 57,000 calories.
There is thus a balance between the endothermic and the exothermic reactions.
Beyond the fixed carbon required for the above reaction, fuel is also needed t o maintain
the kiln a t the reacting temperature. Heat losses occur as follows:
1. Radiation.
2. Calories carried away by the products of combustion with their fume burden.
3. Dehydration and calcination of the charge.
4. Calories carried away by the final residues.
From the above, i t would appear t h a t the fuel requirements beyond those neces-
sary for reduction, for a given tonnage, should follow closely those of the cement
industry, 18 per cent of fuel or less, varying,with the size of the kilns, process, etc.,
reckoned on the clinker production. The fuel requirements in the Waelz process
usually vary between 25 and 30 per cent. of the weight of the kiln feed.
Again, as in the cement industry, the MTaelzkiln requires a close chemical control
of the charge, care being taken that the final residues are of such composition that
they are infusible a t the temperature of the discharge zone. As in zinc retorting
practice, the presence of an excess of carbon in the final residues will be of material
assistance in preventing the coalescing of fused particles.
As pointed out by Professor Hoffmann, uniformity of operating conditions, .such
a s rate of feed, physical and chemical character of the charge, temperature, etc.,
makes for ease of operation and freedom from wall accretions and rings. Prevention
is better than cure; it is easier t o avoid rings than t o remove them.
The zinc and lead fume of the same fineness as that of zinc oxide manufacture is
carried away from the kiln in the products of combustion and is collqcted either in
bag rooms or in appropriate Cottrell electric precipitators, tube or plate type, or a
combination of both.
The draft requirements are met by exhaust fans placed either a t the tail end of the
system in the case of the Cottrell, or ahead of the bag room.
The paper presented by Professor Hoffmann is timely, as it gives us a picture'of
the present-day status of the Waelz process.