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By Y. Prévost

The Noranda Continuous Converting Process was commissioned in November 1997 at the Home smelter in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada. It has completed over 18 months of successful operation. Excellent team work and technical expertise contributed to achieve targeted production levels and environmental goals after only a few months of operation. The operating results have demonstrated the flexibility of the process in producing blister copper from a variety of copper feed materials including a combination of molten and solid copper matte, reverts and fluxes. This paper describes the startup activities and process optimization tasks performed during the first year of operation of the new Noranda Converter.

Jan 1, 1999

By P. H. Scaife

The pyrometallurgy industry faces a series of environmental challenges, based on local, national and global issues. While local impacts continue to be important, national and global concerns with Sustainable Development, Greenhouse emissions, Acid Rain and water resources are key strategic drivers for the industry. The environmental problems of the industry are well known: emissions of sulphur dioxides and carbon dioxide, disposal of arsenic wastes, consumption of fresh water, fate and impact of minor components/trace elements in raw materials (whether conventional or complex, or wastes). Solutions to these problems require the application of Cleaner Production principles (waste minimisation, energy conservation, product design to enable ease of post consumer recycling), new technology and scientific studies to assess impacts of discharges. A number of opportunities, driven by environmental concerns, have also been identified

Jan 1, 1994

By Guray Kaya

Boron minerals are widely employed in various fields such as ceramic, glass, cement, metallurgy, etc. Although boron deposits of the world are limited, the production level of boron-based products is continuously increased. Turkiye possesses approximately 73 % of total world boron resources. Etibor Kirka Borax Company of Turkiye produces tincal concentrates and borax pentahydrates. During such productions considerable amounts of concentration and derivation wastes appear. Having considered the increased rate of production it is quite obvious that the level of relevant wastes will also be raised. With this study it was aimed to utilize these wastes in roof tile and brick bodies and to convert them into a form environmentally and human friendly. Newly produced products were undergone to several standard tests for the determination of their shrinkage, water absorption, strength values and coloring parameters. Additionally, micro structural studies were conducted.

Jan 1, 2006

The increasing need for robust pyrometallurgical furnace construction is driven by two trends in the copper and other base metals smelting industry: ? the desire for increased production within a single furnace line by greatly increasing smelting intensities, which generates high heat fluxes to the crucible. walls, and ? the operational and economic imperatives of maintaining high percentage on- line times and long campaign lives between rebuilds. A key feature of furnaces capable of producing at high rates, while containing intense processes, is a strong, thermally robust wall cooling system. Equally important design aspects include the furnace steel structure, refractories, a cooling water supply and piping arrangment for safety from leaks and disruptions, and instrumentation/controls for monitoring and rapid mitigation of process excursions. Integration of the cooling elements into these furnace systems is essential for optimum performance of the cooling elements, and indeed the entire furnace. This paper discusses the development of a composite copper / refractory water- cooled design, which has been successfully implemented on several copper smelting and converting furnaces, including Kennecott's flash converting furnace, INCO's MK reactor, and Kidd Creek's converting furnace.

Jan 1, 1999

By L. N. Ertzeva

The present work is dedicated to investigation of the sulfidizing process of ore pyrrhotite concentrate with recovery of a sulfide material, enriched with non-ferrous metals, and waste pyrite, with downstream separation by a certain beneficiation method.

Jan 1, 2006

By Shigeo Asai

History of EPM is described and several functions utilized in EPM are reviewed. Main activities of EPM are summarized with the view on mass production and applications of high magnetic field related to nano-technology. Future trends and prospects of EPM are discussed.

Jan 1, 2006

By Stuart M. Jones

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

Jan 1, 1999

By Peter Schwartz

This paper presents GBN's "Global Scenarios" for the first decade of the 21st century. We describe a set of key scenario actors and develop 6 driving forces in demography, technology, climate change, macroeconomic change, globalization, and geopolitics. We argue that a set of majorchallenges to world systems of commerce and politics will coalesce in the next several years. We develop four scenarios which differ according to how these challenges are handled, and which scenario actors play the key roles in managing the transition.

Jan 1, 1999

By J. M. Tourre

Recently, interest in rare earth based oxide powders for electronic applications has risen dramatically. Considerable research has been devoted to the chemical synthesis of these compounds to improve the control of physical and chemical characteristics of the powder. In most cases, a high degree of homogeneity, purity and reproducibility is necessary in order to obtain good application properties. The synthesis parameters can control particle size, surface area, and morphology as well as the degree of homogeneity and application properties. Rhone-Poulenc, a world leader in the production of separated Rare Earth chemicals has developed a flexible process to produce a wide variety of compounds. The different processes for the synthesis of YBa 2Cu 3 O 7 will be discussed and compared to the RP process in term of product quality, cost and flexibility.

Jan 1, 1992

By T. W. Gonzales

The refractory performance of Peirce-Smith converters is considered to be mainly determined by effects of process control and refractory installation design. BHP Copper has shown that, over the last four years, considerable improvements in tuyere line life can be affected .by maintaining a uniform temperature in the operating converter and by ensuring sufficient and specific placement of expansion allowance in the construction of the refractory brickwork. A combination of optimized crane availability, rapid matte transfer, converter operating practices, new refractory installation techniques and applications has minimized out-of stack time. In addition, larger diameter tuyere pipes and hard piping have increased blowing rates and lowered cycle times, which has resulted in a tuyere line performance in excess of 62,500 tonnes of blister copper before maintenance is required. This paper discusses the refractory installation design changes that were made to increase tuyere line life.

Jan 1, 1999

By J. Y. Aubut

The modernization of the CCR Refinery to permanent cathode technology is presently underway. The 360,000 mt/y refinery is being retrofitted to accept the Kidd process. Part of this modernization includes the installation of Kidd stripping machines, and the total replacement of the materials handling equipment. It also involves the reinforcement of building structures to accept the new equipment and the ability to operate in different modes. The future equipment will interface with some existing apparatus, which is being retained for future operations. The whole operation will be automated and will allow product traceability for quality purposes. This retrofit poses important challenges given the size and scope of the modernization project and because it is being undertaken concurrently with normal plant operations.

Jan 1, 1999

By D. C. Cupertino

Oxime based solvent extraction provides the user with a selective concentration process for copper prior to electrowinning. The selectivity required is largely for copper(II) over iron(III) and this is achieved by the preferential formation of the square planar copper-oxime complex in the organic phase. The copper/iron selectivity of oximes can however, be altered by modifiers or other types of oximes and may be enhanced in the presence of certain esters. Whilst the oxime based SX processes is important for operations leaching copper from laterite ores, the high selectivity will also be significant in processing streams arising from other leaching regimes which are currently under development, for example leaching of sulfide mineral ores. This paper presents some initial results using Molecular Modelling techniques to further our understanding of the nature of the copper/iron-oxime complexation processes together with some plant studies undertaken at a number of different mine sites investigating selectivity, and other properties, for some modified reagents. Some studies of the interfacial properties of the these systems are reported to explain in part the practical observations.

Jan 1, 1999

By Xiyun Yang

Magnetite was prepared by hydrogen reduction method. For a conversion to cobalt-modified magnetite, magnetite particles were suspended into a solution containing Co2+ and Fe2+ to precipitate a cobalt ferrite layer on the surface. pH value influences the particle composition directly, the desirable CoFe2O4 is obtained when pH value is 12. The coercivity increases with the increase of cobalt content, cobalt efficiency reaches a maximum value at cobalt content of 2.71wt%. With cobalt modification, magnetite particles have similar lattice constant and squareness ratio to that without cobalt modification. TEM and XPS analyses indicate that acicular morphology is retained during the coating process, the epitaxial growth layer consists of CoFe2O4and 0.3Co2O3CoFe2O4 at cobalt content of 2.71wt% and 5.03wt%, respectively.

Jan 1, 2006

By Heikki Jalkanen

Oxygen converting of hot metal (LD/BOF) is contemplated as an object of simulation. Oxygen converting is a highly complex thermo-chemical process comprising a series of matter and energy transformation and transportation steps that makes the simulation very challenging. The basic principles of CONSIM 5 oxygen converter simulator are presented. Simulator is a comprehensive combination of a physical model with several empirical submodels describing all properties and processes that affect the final result of a converter blow, final mass and composition of steel, slag, dust and converter gas as well as the end temperature of steel. CONSIM simulator is used for simulation of series of high and low carbon steel blows. Simulated steel temperatures, oxygen consumption, blow time and iron oxide content of slag are compared with measured values. Problems of simulation and requirements for quantitative simulation of oxygen converter process are discussed.

Jan 1, 2006

By R. Upadhyaya

Aluminium alloy matrix cast composites have been synthesised by incorporating fine graphite powders (0.5 - 20 µm size) and chopped carbon fibres (6.5 pm P). 3-6 mm length) by liquid metallurgy technique. Incorporation of these second phase materials exceeding 6-8 wt% invariably resulted in agglomeration of the dispersoids and sometimes leading to even total rejection. It was found that small additions of mischmetal (1-3 wt%) during dispersion resulted in better incorporation without much agglomeration of the dispersoid as evident from the macro and micro structures of the composites. Further, the additions of mischmetal increased the volume of the effective incorporation of the dispersoid even to the extent 50- 60%. The mischmetal addition results in a significant increase in the power factor of the stirrer motor indicating an apparent increase in the viscosity of the system. The higher viscosity of the melt increase the shear transmission conditions within the melt during stirring thereby breaking the agglomerates of the dispersoids. The increased viscosity of the melt seems to be due to the formation rare earth - aluminium inter metallics precipitation, as observed in the metallographic studies, thereby making the process a "pseudorheocasting? technique. A provisional patent has been filed based on this work.

Jan 1, 1989

By Walter E. McCulloch

Recent laboratory bench scale and pilot plant metallurgical tests at Mountain States R and D International have demonstrated that some copper ores because of relatively coarse copper sulfide mineralization can be preconcentrated by heavy media separation (HMS). In tests with a copper ore from the AMT Copper Creek project near San Manuel, Arizona, HMS preconcentration rejected about 75 to 80 percent of the feed as a minus 13 mm gravel. The HMS concentrates copper recoveries were about 93 to 95 percent. With the incorporation of HMS preconcentration, significant capital and operating costs savings have been projected for the proposed AMT Copper Creek concentrator. An overview of the HMS preconcentration step development for the AMT Copper Creek project is presented. Also presented are other potential applications of HMS preconcentration for copper ore processing.

Jan 1, 1999

By O. A. Bascur

Applying the latest information technologies in mining and metallurgical complexes has become a serious challenge to management and technical teams. Emerging component design is changing the way the user relates to the desktop. Connectivity between mining and metallurgical process operations and their business systems has become a reality. Expanded use of plant information on the desktop is a standard tool for revenue improvement, cost reduction and adherence to production constraints. The industrial component desktop support access to information for continuous improvement and innovation by staff personnel and engineers. Collaboration between groups enables the implementation of an overall process effectiveness index based on losses due to equipment availability, production recovery and quality rate. The integration of information from mining, mineral processing and metallurgical performance monitoring increases production efficiency, even when many elements cannot be measured directly. Three case studies of large mining/metallurgical complexes are highlighted.

Jan 1, 1999

By Jonathan M. Berkoe

Design engineers and metallurgists have long recognized the need for better methods to calculate a wide range of fluid dynamic effects in smelters and hydro- metallurgical facilities. Examples can range from the capture of fume in the secondary hoods of a copper converter, to controlling the thermal effects of heat transfer resulting from metal and slag flows within a furnace. With the advent of relatively low-cost, high- speed computers and user-friendly, commercially available computerized fluid dynamic (CFD) programs, these calculations can now be made. Use of CFD increased the understanding of both hot gas and molten flows in smelter facilities and has already led to design improvements in converter fume control hoods as well as improved management of heat transfer in electric furnaces. This paper will present two representative CFD applications to metals industry facilities. To date, Bechtel has implemented CFD results on four continents.

Jan 1, 1999

Iron, chloride and manganese are the three major impurities transferred to copper electrowinning tankhouses via chemical and/or physical entrainment. The control of these impurities via bleeding of tankhouse electrolyte is costly. Recently, Eichrom Industries have developed an improved iron control process and tested this process in a pilot study at the Girilambone Copper Company (GCC). The patented process utilizes a fixed bed ion exchange reactor filled with Eichrom's Diphonix® resin. Iron is loaded on the resin and subsequently eluted by a cuprous sulfate eluant. The control of chloride and manganese has been studied using different chemical techniques. The removal of chloride from electrowinning electrolytes was tested using precipitation of chloride as cuprous chloride. Copper wire cuttings are used to produce cuprous ions. Chloride levels are reduced to around 30 ppm in electrolyte at 40°C. The removal of manganese using a precipitation process practiced in zinc electrowinning purification has been tested for implementation. The process involves reacting manganous ions in solution with permanganate ions. The reaction produces an insoluble manganese dioxide reaction product. The bench scale and pilot plant results from testing of these purification processes are reported.

Jan 1, 1999

By A. Filzwieser

The highest current density suitable for the electrowinning process is between 50 to 60 % of its limiting current density. One of the most important influences on the limiting current density is the thickness of the hydrodynamic boundary layer near the electrode surface. Therefore, the fluid flow in a copper electrowinning cell is calculated. The numerical simulation - using the CFD-software package FIRE® - considers all three different types of the fluid flow, namely, the natural convection, the forced convection by electrolyte circulation and the forced convection by electrochemically induced gas stirring. The simulation of natural convection is based on the different density values in the boundary layer at the electrode surface given by a density/concentration correlation. The copper concentration - linked with the current density by Faraday law - is solved by an additional transport equation. The simulation of the forced convection by the electrochemically-induced gas stirring is done by using a real two-phase calculation. That means that all differential equations are solved again for the second phase. The numerical solution of the fluid flow field is compared with the results of LDA- measurements, which were done in a special cell. The software for the LDA enabled a calculation of the void fraction possible and therefore a rough estimate of the mass transfer coefficient through the prevailing gas bubble induced convection can be made by assuming the influence of relative bubble volume.

Jan 1, 1999