Search Documents

By M. D. Stephens

A new, one-step process for extracting titanium from titaniferrous materials has been demonstrated. In the process, depleted uranium tetrafluoride (DUF 4), a solid, is mixed with ilmenite (FeTi03) and heated to 900°C. Titanium is extracted in the vapor phase as titanium tetrafluoride (TiF4) and the DUF4 is converted to uranium-iron oxide. The process has been found to selectively fluorinate the titanium in ilmenite and is capable of producing high purity TiF 4 with very low iron content. TiF 4 can be collected by condensation or through reaction with a fluoride salt such as NH4F, KF, or NaF. The TiF4 produced from the process can be used to make titanium metal, titanium oxide, or fluorotitanate compounds. Since the fluorination process is highly selective for titanium, it avoids many of the separations and waste issues common to other titanium extraction processes.

Jan 1, 2001

Physical and chemical properties of the salt flux phase play a significant role in the recycling of UBC in Aluminum melting processes. Particularly knowledge of several properties such as salt vapor pressure, melting temperature, loss of aluminum, corrosion of refractories are useful for the process control decisions in order to attain a good quality of aluminum produced. A literature review and analysis of several salt flux systems for the selection of a flux for the Aluminum melter (low temperature natural gas bath melting) process were made. Based on these analysis two salt flux systems are recommended for further studies. These are NaCl?KCl?LiF system and NaF?LiF?KCl system with small amounts of other salt additives. Application of these fluxes to Al industrial processes are discussed.

Jan 1, 1996

By Jagdish C. Agarwal

Although copper ranks very low in the order of abundance of elements in the crust of the earth, it has been one of the first metals utilized by mar, at his emergence from the Stone Age, about 10,000 years ago. Use of copper for weapons, tools, utensils and ornaments dates back to the twilight of history, 6,000-5,000 B.C. Native copper outcrops and the malleability of the metal explain its very early use by the cave-dwellers. The working, melting and extraction of copper from its minerals are among the oldest metallurgical achievements of the human race. The oldest complete smelting installations for the extraction of copper from its minerals, dated about the fourth millenium B.C., were recently discovered in the Timna Valley, Wadi Arabah, Israel. (1) The history of the developments of the extractive metallurgy of copper has been adequately reviewed recently. (2,3) The center of copper production migrated from the Eastern Mediterranean to Northern Europe (Mansfeld, Germany, Swansea, Wales) towards the end of the Middle Ages (1500 A.D.). The production of the metal was boosted tremendously in North America since the end of the nineteenth century (Fig. 1).

Jan 1, 1976

By Simon Lekakh, Von Richards, C. Hank Rawlins, Kent Peaslee

"Batch aqueous leaching and carbonation tests were conducted using industrial steelmaking slags to determine the effect of carbonic anhydrase enzyme as a catalyst. Calcium leaching is a strong function of particle surface area, and the extent can be expressed as a function of time and particle size. Carbonic anhydrase did not affect the calcium-leaching rate, however, it did catalyze calcium carbonate formation to achieve a neutralization time near the theoretical rate. Additionally, carbonic anhydrase modified the precipitate morphology due to accelerated particle nucleation. Time controlled tests in which the pH dropped to ~6 decreased the amount of carbonate produced, and this effect was exaggerated by carbonic anhydrase, while pH controlled tests (>8.5) exhibited the highest rate of carbonation. Because the leaching rate was ~50% faster than the carbonation rate, a further increase in the amount of carbonation may be realized by using carbonic anhydrase however pH must be >10.3.IntroductionSteelmaking slag contains high fractions of alkaline earth oxide based phases (i.e., CaO and MgO) that exothermically form carbonates. Thus, it is being considered as a means of permanent carbon dioxide sequestration. At current U.S. steel production rates, approximately 13-17 million tons/year of slag are generated from basic oxygen furnace (BOF), electric arc furnace (EAF), and ladle metallurgy furnace (LMF) processes [1]. BOF and EAF slag is used as high quality mineral aggregate or cement clinker, while LMF slag, produced at ~15% the rate of BOF and EAF slags, has limited use as blast furnace flux or acid mine neutralization with the majority going to landfill [2]. Based on slag’s chemical nature and immediate availability as a co-product from steel production, the steel industry initiated a project to investigate hydrous carbonate formation in steelmaking slag as a method of sequestering carbon dioxide emitted in steelmaking offgas [3]. The goal of this project is to determine the reactor parameters suitable for the design of an industrial system for treating steelmaking offgas with raw or minimally processed slag."

Jan 1, 2009

By Heikki K. Jalkanen

Thermodynamic properties of copper-iron mattes and slag-matte distribution of copper and some minor matte constituents (Ni, Co, Mo, As, Sb and Bi) are discussed on? the basis of equilibrium measurements: a change from. oxidic to sulfidic solubility as the predominant form of dissolution of copper takes place as matte grade decreases. Distribution coefficients of minor matte constituents are complex functions of sulfur and/or oxygen potentials?. The distribution behaviour of different? metals can be qualitatively derived from their affinities to copper and stabilities. of their sulfides and oxides. The equilibrium results are compared with commercially observed values. from Outokumpu.Oy flash smelting furnace.

Jan 1, 1983

By Kumar P. Dharmasena, Haydn N. G. Wadley, Bill W. Choi

"Non-contact eddy current sensing methods have been developed and applied to Cd0.955Zn0.045Te crystal growth to obtain a better understanding of the melt, solid nucleation, and the growth process. The application of this sensor approach relies on a large difference in liquid and solid electrical conductivities near the melting point and requires knowledge of the relationships between the electrical conductivity, melt composition, and temperature. Using a multifrequency encircling eddy current sensor, the electrical conductivities of three different Cd1-xZnxTe (x=0.00, 0.045, and 0.08) alloys were measured as a function of temperature in a laboratory-scale vertical Bridgman furnace. The measured solid and liquid electrical conductivities were then used in electromagnetic finite element models to analyze the multifrequency responses of eddy current sensor designs during the simulated growth of a crystal. These eddy current sensors were fabricated and installed in a vertical Bridgman furnace and used to monitor many Cd0.955Zn0.045 Te growth runs. One sensor was placed in the vicinity of the ampoule tip to detect undercooling/spontaneous nucleation and two other sensors (""absolute"" and ""differential"" designs) placed to monitor the movement/curvature of the liquid-solid interface during crystal growth. The sensor data was used to characterize the initial melt state, detect the onset of nucle-ation, determine the growth velocity, and identify the shape of the interface.IntroductionSingle crystal CdTe and its solid solution Cd1-xZnxTe alloys (0.03<x<0.05) are used as infrared transparent substrates for infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) detectors [1-6] and as solid state y- ray detectors [7-9j. Cd1-xZnxTe substrates are normally ""mined"" from large polycrystalline boules grown by the unseeded directional solidification of Cd1-xZnxTe melts using either a vertical or horizontal Bridgman process [10-14]. The vertical Bridgman method is particularly popular for growing CdTe and its related compounds. In this process, a Cd1-xZnxTe ingot is produced by first melting a charge in the hot zone of the furnace and then vertically translating the furnace (with its associated axial temperature profile) relative to the stationary crucible to cause directional solidification. In spite of many experimental efforts to investigate the relationships between material purity, stoichiometry, the controllable growth parameters (furnace temperature profiles, ampoule geometries/materials, furnace translation rates and starting position) and the resulting material characteristics (grain structure, dislocation densities, IR transmission, macro-segregation etc.), the yield of Cd1-xZnxTe of a quality suitable for large area (e.g. 4 cm x 6 cm) substrates remains low (<10%). Since much of this poor yield is directly associated with the crystal growth process (e.g. melt stoichiometry, solidification velocity, interface shape, temperature gradients, cooling rate, etc.) intensive efforts are under way to improve this technology."

Jan 1, 1997

By Moto Goto

Onahama Smelter of Onahama Smelting & Refining Co., Ltd. has two green- charge reverberatory furnaces; the old furnace was constructed in 1965 and the new one in 1973. This paper discusses the use of oxygen-oil burners in a green-charge reverberatory furnace and also compares the copper loss in slag between the two furnaces at Onahama Smelter. During the past ten years of operation, no shutdowns of the old furnace were necessary and the smelting capacity was increased by 25% by the use of two oxygen-oil burners. These burners are suitable for a green-charge reverberatory furnace to in- crease the smelting capacity without causing an increase of the exhaust gas volume and refractory erosion. After two years of operation of the old furnace, a bottom build-up in the charging zone of approximately 50 centimeters was experienced, and this build-up has stayed at this level since then. In 1973, a new additional reverberatory furnace was put into operation. Copper content in slag of the new furnace was lower by approximately 0.15% than that of the old one during the first several months after the start-up. Investigations were then made on the effect of the bottom conditions in the charging zone on the copper content in slag.

Jan 1, 1976

By Patrik Fredriksson

Thermodynamic data concerning FeO-containing slags is of importance in ladle refining of steel. With a view to generate a set of reliable and self-consistent thermodynamic data for these slags, experimental determination of the activities of FeO in binary and ternary slags was carried out using the gas equilibration method involving CO-C02-Ar gas mixtures at steelmaking temperatures. The slag samples in Pt crucibles were quenched after the equilibration and subjected to chemical analysis. The thermodynamic activities of "FeO" in the slags were calculated from the experimental data. The results are incorporated into a thermodynamic description of silicate melts in the present laboratory. The model is based on a Temkin-Lumsden approach and is able to compute the thermodynamics of higher order systems from the lower order ones.

Jan 1, 2003

By Katja Reinharter

Arsenic can be found in different sulfidic copper concentrates and residues, which for several years have commonly been used in copper metallurgy, as the “arsenic-free” resources are getting rare. Due to the high toxicity the removal of arsenic in the copper smelting process is a very important topic. The typical chemical slag and sulfur attack on the refractory material is getting enhanced by the presence of arsenic. This work deals with post-mortem investigations of a magnesia-chromite brick and castable used in copper smelting furnaces showing an additional and increased chemical attack by arsenic. The knowledge on the wear behaviour is not only based on a detailed chemical and mineralogical characterization, but also on thermochemical FactSageTM calculations, which are carried out on provided post-mortem samples. Post-mortem investigations on used refractory materials represent an important prerequisite for the product development, as well as for special engineered lining concepts to support our customers.

By Jr. Langhans, J. S. McPartland

"The presence of zinc in cyanide solutions is generally thought to not have an adverse effect on precious metal recovery or recovery rate by heap leach processing. However, analytical interferences of zinc in solution can cause problems in accurately determining and controlling cyanide concentration in the leach solution, leading to increased cyanide consumption. Analytical methods and the chemistry of cyanide in the presence of zinc are reviewed. The effects of solution pH and zinc concentration on the free cyanide determination were evaluated in detail. Use of the standard silver nitrate titration and a modified titration method for controlling cyanide concentration during heap leaching were investigated experimentally. The practical implications of cyanide heap leaching in the presence of cyanide soluble zinc minerals are discussed.IntroductionThe presence of zinc in precious metal cyanidation circuits is not uncommon. Zinc can be introduced into cyanide leach solutions through dissolution of various zinc minerals1>, or through the use of a Merrill Crowe (zinc precipitation) circuit. Zinc minerals typically occur infrequently and in low concentration in gold ores, but are more abundant in silver ores. Merrill Crowe systems are most commonly employed for recovery of precious metals from solution for relatively high silver ores. It is desirable to control the amount of dissolved zinc in a cyanidation circuit for several reasons. Excessive zinc build-up in cyanide leach solution can, under certain circumstances, inhibit precious metal dissolution and adversely affect solution recovery systems. Additionally, high zinc concentrations can lead to excessive in-process cyanide inventories and potentially, to higher cyanide consumption"

Jan 1, 1999

By R. Hammen

Processes are needed to rapidly and cost-effectively produce highly pure lithium salts for the rechargeable battery sector. Lithium purification is a chemical engineering challenge, due to the low concentration of lithium compared to sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and transition metal ions commonly occurring in lithium brine resources. We describe a Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) process that rejects sodium and potassium, while binding lithium and other higher valent ions. Lithium is then harvested by selective displacement from the SPE column. The rapid equilibration kinetics of SPE composites enables these ion separations to occur in a small SPE column and in one column stage. The chemical parameters of the process are described.

By Xuan Cheng

The electrochemistry of sulfide mineral flotation is reviewed with particular emphasis on galvanic interaction among minerals and grinding media, and its relevance to flotation of complex sulfide ores is discussed. Surface alteration due to galvanic interactions among chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite and mild steel is analyzed in terms of voltammetric and chronoamperometric studies on individual minerals and through galvanic current measurements in 2- and 3- electrode combinations. The results are related to laboratory flotation behaviors of chalcopyrite-pyrrhotite mixtures simulating copper-nickel bearing Duluth gabbro.

Jan 1, 1993

By Shadia Ikhmayies

Thermo-Calc software was used to investigate the phase diagram of the calcium silicon (Ca–Si) system for the range of Si mass percent 0–100, and temperature range T = 200–1800 K. The melting points of Ca and Si deduced from the phase diagram are very close to the values obtained experimentally. Three stable intermediate solid phases were found, which are Ca2Si, CaSi, and CaSi2, where the first one appeared in the Ca rich side of the phase diagram, and the third one in the Si rich side. In addition, three eutectic points were found at Si mass percents of 3.95, 33.00, 62, and temperatures T = 1048.7, 1519.14, 1308.5 K respectively. Atomic Si (Diamond structure) is found mixed with CaSi2 intermediate phase for temperatures less than 1305 K, and mixed with a liquid CaSi for higher temperatures. These results are important for thermodynamic and metallurgic studies of these intermediate phases.

Mar 1, 2018

By Satu Strömberg

A single-particle laminar-flow technique was used to study oxidation of two nickel concentrates and a granulated nickel matte (43 wt% of Ni). Experimental conditions were: reaction gas from N2 to N2 + 75 vol% O2; gas preheating temperatures ranging from 500 to 1100°C. The major nickel-bearing minerals in the two concentrates were pentlandite and violarite, respectively. Chemical analysis of the particles was used to determine the oxidation degree of the materials, and optical and scanning electron microscopy were used to detect their morphology and mineralogy. Total desulfurization of the nickel concentrates was achieved under the most oxidizing conditions, while the sulfur removal from the nickel matte was not as efficient, especially with the coarse size fraction. Pentlandite-based concentrate was found to be less reactive than the violarite-based.

Jan 1, 1995

By S. Seetharaman

A mathematical model has been developed to evaluate the viscosities of melts at high temperatures. The viscous flow in liquid is described by the equation, {n = Aexp(AG*/RT)} based on the absolute reaction rate theory. The Gibbs energy of activation,{ AG* } is considered to be a function of the temperature as well as the composition of the melt. The model has been applied successfully to various metallic and slag systems from unary to quaternary. On the basis of this model, a relationship has been suggested to relate the Gibbs activation energy of viscosity to the Gibbs energy of mixing in binary metallic melts. The viscosities predicted from available thermodynamic data in the case of a number of binary metallic systems using this correlation show satisfactory agreement with the reported experimental values.

Jan 1, 1994

By V. P. Keran

The lead and copper smelting processes employed by Mount Isa Mines Limited, Mount Isa, Australia, are used to illustrate an operating viewpoint of some problems and solutions encountered in existing commercial sulphide smelters. The smelting processes discussed; include updraught sintering, blast furnace and reverberatory smelting, and converting. Selected examples are given of methods implemented, and options available, to improve the productivity and efficiency of conventional smelting processes.

Jan 1, 1983

By Xun An

Slag from an electric slag cleaning furnace was injected with methane and air mixtures to facilitate the recovery of copper and cobalt. The effects of methane-to-air ratio, gas flow rate and temperature on the reduction and metal separation were investigated. The results showed that over 90 percent copper and up to 60 percent cobalt could be recovered from the slag with a gas utilisation of around 70 percent, as calculated by thermodynamic simulation. Methane-to- air ratio was a major factor affecting the rate of reduction under the present experimental conditions. Further, injection of gaseous reductants greatly enhanced the coalescence and settling of entrained metal droplets. A reduction mechanism is proposed and the factors influencing the coalescence of copper droplets are discussed.

Jan 1, 1998

By James C. Barker

Recent investigations of a 55-km long trend of intrusive complexes on southern Prince of Wales Island have identified significant resources of Nb, Y, REE. U, Zr, and a host of potential by-product metals. The northwesterly trend comprises multi-phased sodic alkaline and peralkaline diorite, monzonite, syenite, and riebeckite granite. There are at least three significant deposit types recognized, two of which, 1) pegmatite dikes/vein-dikes that zone laterally from the intrusions and 2) concentrically zoned pegmatites, contain most of the lithophile metals. A third, epigenetic replacement-type mineralization, contains much of the U resource. Other deposit types with minor or unknown resource potential include diatremes, carbonatite, and placers. This report summarizes the deposit evaluations, characterizes the mineralization, and estimates the resources. To date a total of 40.7 million tons of mineralized material is estimated as indicated or inferred. Most of the Y203 plus REO is at a grade exceeding 0.5% and half of the Nb20S exceeds 0.125%. Tonnage estimates would likely be substantially lncreased with additional exploration. Mineralogy is generally fine-grained and complex, and consists of more than a dozen principal REE-Y-Nb-U-Th-Zr phases, the sum of which may compose up to half of the rock. Approximately half of the REE-Y content comprises the heavy yttrium subgroup which is uncommon compared to deposits elsewhere. Although the Alaskan deposits are likely subeconomic at today&apos;s metal prices and consumption levels. recent technological advances suggest future demand may increase.

Jan 1, 1988

By S. N. Monteiro, E. B. Zanelato, J. Alexandre, M. T. Marvila, A. R. G. Azevedo, G. C. Xavier

The incorporation of industrial waste into ceramic tiles is a major trend in the search for alternative raw materials, and also in the search for environmentally correct disposal of waste. In order to evaluate the effect of the incorporation of residues from the ornamental stone industries, in the properties of ceramic tiles, incorporations of up to 40% by weight of the residue in ceramic mass were studied. It is noteworthy that this residue is constituted basically by limestone and its characterization was performed by grain size analysis, Atterberg boundaries, grain density and chemical analysis by X-ray fluorescence. The specimens were burned at 800 °C and the following properties were evaluated: linear retraction, water absorption and bending rupture stress. The results indicated that the residue of ornamental rocks is a material with potential to be used as a component in the mass of red ceramic tiles.

Mar 1, 2018

By Z. R. Llanos

This paper presents a review of industrial and experimental processes for the recovery of molybdenum, vanadium, nickel, cobalt and aluminum from spent hydrotreating or hydrodesulfurization catalysts. Numerous processes have been developed in a laboratory and pilot scale. However, worldwide, there are only four well established commercial facilities currently in operation. The installed capacity of these facilities exceeds the availability of spent catalysts and may be sufficient to assimilate future increases of spent catalysts. Despite liability risks; significant quantities of spent catalysts are still being landfilled. Changing regulations that may affect the future handling and disposal of spent catalysts are also reviewed.

Jan 1, 1995