Mineralogical and Textural Characterization of Slags from Flash Reduction of Zinc Calcines

Flash reduction of zinc oxides is an alternative, environmentally safe method to leaching and electrowinning for zinc recovery. Zinc and lead are volatilized in a flash reactor, a non-hazardous residue is generated, and the fuel source is inexpensive coal in the flash reduction process. Results from experimental laboratory tests yielded low zinc recovery for this process. Mineralogical and textural characterization of the residues from the flash reduction tests for different feed materials and temperatures were conducted to determine the cause for the low zinc recovery. Reflected light microscopy, cathodoluminescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction were utilized in this applied mineralogical research. The original zinc calcine is composed primarily of fine-grained, iron-bearing zincite particles, 25-40 um in diameter, in a porous texture. Pellets processed at 1150°C were found to produce reaction rims of franklinite-magnetite-jacobsite solid solution that are 125-200 um thick and surround cores of unreacted iron-bearing zincite in a Zn-Fe-Si-Ca glass matrix. The reaction rims have subsequently oxidized to form an outer 10 ~m thick rim of hematite. Slags from calcines processed at 1275°C are primarily triangular particles with porous centers, cenospheres, and spheres of iron-bearing zincite, in addition to rectangular particles composed of non-porous franklinite-magnetite solid solution cores with iron-bearing zincite rims. Slag particles from calcine processed at 1200°C are predominantly 100-250 ~m triangular-shaped, spheres, and cenospheres containing fine-grained franklinite and franklinite-magnetite solid solution in an iron-bearing zincite matrix. Slag from calcine processed at 1300°C are also predominantly 1 00-250 um triangular-shaped, spheres, and cenospheres but contain coarser-grained iron-bearing zincite. The zincite in the penets and the slags typically contain 10-20% iron. Based upon these mineralogical observations, it is concluded that the significant amounts of iron in the zincite prevent volatilization of the zinc in the flash reduction process.