Freeze Linings In Zinc Fuming Processes

Hydrometallurgical zinc leach residue, EAF dust and other Zn-bearing by-products pose potentially serious environmental problems that threaten the sustainability of the operations. A pyrometallurgical process designed for treatment of such residues is the high-temperature submerged plasma Zn-fuming process. The successful operation of this process requires high Zn fuming rates whilst retaining vessel integrity through stable freeze-lining. A Zn-fuming model has been developed and used to systematically investigate a range of operating scenarios and to identify potential fluxing parameters such as CaO/SiO2, Fe/SiO2, MgO/feed-ratios in the input and fluxing additions of dolomite for maximum fuming rates and stable freeze-lining.