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By Thomas P. Battle

Ilmenite (iron titanate) is the source of over 90% of all the titanium produced in the world today. At some point during production of titanium dioxide or titanium metal the iron impurity must be removed. Too often it becomes a waste instead of a product. DuPont and MINPRO have developed a solid-state process which separates the iron and titanium components of ilmenite into different high-purity powders, which can be separated using conventional mineral processing techniques. The main reactor in this process is a unique high-temperature ball mill, where the iron segregates from the ilmenite lattice with the assistance of catalytic quantities of He\. The results of lab, pilot plant, theoretical, and scale-up studies are presented and discussed.

Jan 1, 1996

By D. Papazoglou

This work was undertaken to investigate the thermodynamic and kinetic feasibility of using hot sulfur dioxide bearing gases from smelting processes to selectively sulfate the nickel in nickel laterite ores for subsequent extraction in water. The environmental benefits ofthis approach, as opposed to releasing the gas to the atmosphere, and the economic benefit of directly utilizing the S02 rather than converting it to sulfuric acid are strong drivers for such a process. A thermodynamic analysis indicated that selective sulfation of the nickel could be feasible under appropriate conditions and these were explored through a series of laboratory scale experiments. Laterite samples were reacted at temperatures between 500 and 800°C with an equilibrated mixture of sulfur dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen in a fixed bed reactor. Tests were conducted on saprolitic ore from Bulong, Western Australia, limonitic ore from New Caledonia and garnieritic ore from Indonesia. Nickel extractions were highest from the limonite and relatively low from the other ores. The maximum selective extraction of nickel from the limonite in a single stage sulfation was 73%. Sulfation of other elements present in the laterites was also examined. A two-stage process was also identified which involved sulfation using a strong sulfation potential followed by weaker sulfation potential to attempt to convert ferric sulfate formed in the first stage to ferric oxide. This increased the extraction for the limonite ore to around 84% Ni, 95% Co and 2% Fe. Direct sulfation of laterite could be feasible in locations where sulfide smelting or roasting operations are relatively close to laterite deposits.

Jan 1, 2003

By Qing-Yun Huang, Xiao-Yi Zeng, Bing Xie, Hong-Yi Li, Jia-Rong Yan

"In order to utilize vanadium resource in vanadium-titanium magnetite ore efficiently, vanadium distribution ratio between hot metal and slag should be improved during BF process, meanwhile the precipitating of Ti(C,N) in slag must be minimized. Effects of temperature, Ti02 content in the slag and basicity on vanadium distribution between slag and hot metal were investigated by experiment and thermodynamic calculation. The results indicated that high temperature, low Ti02 content and high binary basicity of slag were beneficial to increase the vanadium distribution ratio. The effects of temperature and Ti02 content in slag on vanadium distribution were stronger than that of slag basicity.IntroductionVanadium is an important element that is widely used in industrial fields. Most of vanadium resource is hosted in vanadium bearing titanomagnetite [l]. Vanadium bearing titanomagnetite is thus one of the domainate raw materials to produce the vanadium products. In other words, the comprehensive utilization of vanadium bearing titanomagnetite is beneficial for vanadium resource utilization. Vanadium bearing titanomagnetite sources are abundant in Pan Xi of China [4]."

Jan 1, 2013

By Md. Maniruzzaman

The quenching performance of a liquid quenchant can be controlled by controlling the agitation in the quench tank. Without agitation, a vapor layer or bubbles form at the hot part surface and the natural convention of the quenchant limit the heat extraction rate at the quenched part surface. Resistance to the heat extraction rate can be reduced by breaking the vapor layer or by inducing a turbulent convection at the part surface through agitation (Le. forced circulation of the quenchant). To determine the effects of agitation on the quench performance of a mineral oil based quenchant, the CHTE quench probe system was used with AISI4140 steel probe tip. Quenching performance of the oil is evaluated by computing the effective heat transfer coefficients of the steel probe as a function of surface temperature using Lumped Parameter Analysis. In addition, computational fluid dynamics (CFO) simulation of the quench tank with an impeller type agitator has been done to understand and predict the fluid flow pattern in the tank. CFO simulation also provides insights for determination of optimal location of the impeller and the quench probe tip. Keywords: CHTE Quench Probe, agitation, CFD simulation, liquid quenchant, 4140 steel

Jan 1, 2003

By Zhihe Dou, Yu Fang, Zimu Zhang, Yan Liu, Xiaoli Jiang Dianhua Zhang, Guanting Liu

"With the idea of “waste control by waste itself”, we come up with the crafts of using waste calcium carbide to mineralize CO2 in electrolytic aluminum waste gas, design and make out “Venturi gas-liquid-solid three stage reactor”, do experiments under the system of CO2-Ca(OH)2, investigate the influence on gas absorption by pH meter; investigate the influence on diameter distribution , rise velocity of bubble and local gas hold-up by dual conductivity probes; investigated the absorption of CO2 in every stage reactor under different initial proportion of CO2 by intelligent gas measurement system. The results showed that the reactor can fully absorb the CO2 in waste gas, and it has largely shorten the time of absorption and improve the CO2 utilization compared with the single stage reactor.The residual proportion of CO2 in the gas is below 0.08% through the absorption of three stage reactor,which show that absorption is extremely improved.IntroductionCarbide slag is a kind of polluting hydrolysis reaction byproducts in producing carbide in wet reactor, and it is mainly comprised by Ca(OH)2, It's estimated that there are about million tons carbide slag are piled up per year. Carbide slag is a kind of industrial wastes that hard to deal with ,which are treated by land filled in the past. It would not only occupy a lot of land, but also lead to secondary pollution [1].CO2 is the main greenhouse gas by now. In 2010, global CO2 emission has reached 33.5 billion tons, while China has now become the world's second largest emitter of CO2, emissions accounting for about one-seventh of the world [2].As the experts estimates, the greenhouse gas emission of whole nonferrous metal industry may over 0.6 billion tons per year, while CO2 emission of electrolytic aluminum is 0.334 billion tons per year [3]. So it is necessary and pressing to discover the reusing CO2 of electrolytic aluminum. With the idea of “waste control by waste itself”, we came up with the crafts of using carbide slag to mineralize the CO2 in electrolytic aluminum waste gas, which was experimented on the counterflow-three stage-venturi reactor,and studied the local gas holdup, residual concentration of CO2 and the volumetric transfer coefficient in the reactor."

Jan 1, 2014

By Adam Powell

A Cahn-Hilliard phase field model is formulated to describe transport-limited electrochemical reactions coupled with fluid flow in a metal reduction cell. When the reaction is limited by mass transfer of metal ions from the electrolyte to the cathode, the metal-electrolyte interface at the cathode exhibits a Mullins-Sekerka instability, leading to the growth of dendrite-like "streamers" of liquid metal into the electrolyte, which in turn significantly enhance the apparent mass transfer coefficient there. Model results for iron reduction from ferrous oxide in slag show formation of these streamers. Although the double-layer is not included in this model, the related phenomenon of electrocapillarity can be represented by a gradient penalty term which includes the electric potential gradient, such that interfacial energy is a function of the electric field normal to the interface.

Jan 1, 2003

By F. E. Wagner, L. J. Cabri, Y. G. Safonov, N. S. Bortnikov, A. D. Genkin, J. Friedl, G. N. Gamyanin

"A multidisciplinary investigation (including INAA, SIMS, EPMA, and Mossbauer Spectroscopy) was used to characterize gold in four of the largest Siberian mesothermal sulfide gold deposits. These are the Olympiada (""'750 metric tons gold) and Veduga (estimated at 75-100 metric tons gold) deposits in the Enisei Mountain Range and the Nezhdaninskoye (z500 metric tons gold) and Sentachan deposits in the Verchoyansk-Kolyma area. It was found that some of the mineralization is refractory in all four deposits, largely due to the occurrence of ""invisible"" gold in arsenopyrite as well as within pyrite, but with a lesser concentration. The gold concentration and its distribution varies considerably both within and between arsenopyrite grains, with implications for processing options such as heap leaching. The ore most likely to be amenable to heap leaching is the oxidized ore of the #4 orebody of the Olympiada deposit, but further quantitative mineralogical investigations are recommended for this orebody's sulfide ore and for the ores of the Nezhdaninskoye deposit. Following a full mineralogical characterization, it is possible that economic viability will depend on a combination of pre-concentration with or without pre-treatment, followed by heap leaching of some tailings products.Acknowledgements· The Russian authors performed this study under an ""Eco res"" Project which was financially supported by the Ministry of Science and New Technology of the Russian Federation. C.J. Stanley wishes to thank John Spratt and Terry Williams for help with EPMA. F.E. Wagner acknowledges the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for a grant supporting the Mossbauer studies. L.J. Cabri is grateful to the following: M. Beaulne, D. Carson and J.H.G. Laflamme for technical support, K.E. Haque for technical comments, and D.M. Hausen and W. Petruk for editorial suggestions."

Jan 1, 1997

By C. S. Ek

Tests have been performed to recover silver and lead from residues produced after a super-hot leaching in a zinc hydrometallurgical plant operating with jarosite precipitation. When this residue is leached in ammoniaammonium sulfate or in diethylenetriamine solutions, lead dissolution is not complete and its recovery from the aqueous solutions is either difficult, due to the operating conditions, either expensive due to the amount of added reagents. In both cases, silver is partly dissolved, partly left in a new residue still containing lead and baryum sulfates. The best treatment seems to include a selective flotation producing first a silver concentrate assaying about I % Ag, then a 50 % lead concentrate collecting the baryum salts, and a final quartz-gypsum tailing. Metal recoveries can reach 50 % and 80 %, respectively.

Jan 1, 1989

In accordance with the new concept described in the paper presented at the TMS annual meeting in 1989, 1 a new zinc cellhouse was constructed and successfully operated. The new concept was proposed in order to reduce energy requirements and to mechanize the electrode handling in the cellhouse. Major modifications involved the use of an electrode unit consistfog of assembled anodes and cathodes with frame bodies between each cathode and anode. The space between a cathode and an anode could be halved by this unit structure. In this paper actual operation data are summarized and discussed in comparison with the calculated figures.

Jan 1, 1990

By E. J. Peterson

Oil shale retorting induces mineral and chemical reactions to occur on the macroscopic and microscopic levels in the kerogen-bearing marlstone. The nature and extent of the reactions is dependent upon process variables such as maximum temperature, time at temperature, atmosphere, and raw shale composition. This report describes the investigation of the mineral, chemical, and trace element release properties of spent shales retrieved from an experimental in situ retort at Occidental Oil Shale, Inc. 's Logan Wash site in Garfield County, Colorado. Correlation between mineralogy of the spent materials and the mobility of major, minor, and trace elements are indicated, and relationships with important process parameters are discussed. The progress .of carbonate decomposition reactions and silicat ion reactions is indicative of the processing conditions experienced by the shale materials and influences the mobility of major, minor, and trace elements when the solids are contacted by water. Shale minerals that are exposed to the extreme conditions reached in underground retorting form high temperature product phases including akermanite-gehlenite and diopside-augite solid solutions, kalsilite, monticellite, and forsterite. The persistence of relatively thermally stable phases, such as quartz, orthoclase, and albite provide insight into the extremes of processing conditions experienced by the spent shales. Leachate compositions suggest that several trace elements, including vanadium, boron, fluoride, and arsenic are not rendered immobile by the formation of the high-temperature silicate produce phase akermanite-gehlenite.

Jan 1, 1981

By Truan-Sheng Lui, Li-Hui Chen, Fei-Yi Hung, Cheng-Yi Chen

"This research used the austempering heat treatment on the SCM435 thin specimen with a type of double loop and obtained the Cr-Mo bainite structure, and then we could further investigate the mechanical properties of SCM435 bainite structure. Experimental data showed the stability of the mechanical properties of specimen with austempering temperature 830°C for 25 minutes was better than that of 15 minutes. The size of austenite grain affected the strength of thin specimen. After austempering at 830°C-25minutes and salt bath at 290°C, the stability of UTS was better than that of salt bath at 310°C and 330°C. The average hardness of all specimens was about more than HRA70. The specimen with austempering at 830°C-25minutes and salt bath at 290°C-30minutes had bigger grain size of austenite and retained y, it also had higher hardness and strength toughness. So, its stability was improved for tensile strength comparing with traditional tempered martensite process.IntroductionSCM435 is a Cr-Mo steel with high strength and high hardness properties, and it has been widely used in machine parts, shafts, gears and strength screw products [1-3]. However, this system often has lower reliability due to the brittleness of high-temperature tempering and quenching inequality. Considering the austempering heat treatment can obtain the uniform bainite structure to improve the temper brittleness, and the austempering heat treatment is a continuous process that it also has efficiency and uniformity. For the thin plate specimens, the mechanical properties of the bainite structure are better than traditional martempering structures."

Jan 1, 2013

By James A. Voigt

The efficient separation of metal species from aqueous streams by precipitation techniques requires 'a fundamental understanding of the various processes that occur during precipitation. These processes include particle nucleation, particle growth by solute deposition, agglomerate formation, and agglomerate break-up. The application of the population balance approach has been used to develop a kinetic model that accounts for these competing kinetic processes. The usefulness of the model is illustrated through its application to the precipitation of yttrium hydroxynitrate, YHN. The kinetic parameters calculated from the model equations and system-specific solution chemistry are used to describe several aspects of the effect of pH on the precipitation of the YHN. Implications with respect to the simultaneous precipitation of more than one cation type are also discussed through use of example systems: The effects of solution chemistry, precipitator design, and solvent choice are considered.

Jan 1, 1996

By Shu Xinqian, Zhou Weining, Shan Zhiqiang, Feng Jifu

"Modified calcination conditions on the extraction of rubidium resources from muscovite (KAlz[AlSi301o](OH)2) ore are systematically studied. The impact of various factors on the rubidium leaching rate is also analyzed, including the agent types, roasting time, the mass ratio, roasting temperature, etc. The results indicate that the best agent is a combination of sodium chloride and calcium chloride, its mass ratio ofmuscovite/NaCl/CaClz is 1:0.25:0.25. Calcined at 8500 for 30 minutes, the rubidium leaching rate is up to 90%. The reaction of muscovite ore with the chlorinating agent CaC12 has been studied by TG/DSC, the calcined intermediates are identified by XRD, and the surface morphology before and after leaching is characterized by SEM. Rubidium chloride products can be obtained with a purity of 92% by using t-BAMBP extraction, hydrochloric acid reextraction and purification.IntroductionRubidium is one ofrare alkali metals, which is found in 1981 by German R.W. Bunsen and G.R. Kirchhof. Rubidium includes the following features: atomic number is 37, each atom weight 85, the body-centred cubic lattice, each unit cell has two metal atoms, and the density is 1.532g/cm3. The properties of low melting point (312.46 K) and malleability make rubidium have a strong chemical activity and photoemission. Rubidium provides a main material for manufacturing phototube with a wide range oflight waves, which possess high sensitivity and stability. Efforts are being made to carry out research on rubidium ion gngine, magnetic flux generators and thermoelectric transudcer, etc. Rubidium exists in muscovite ore(KA12[AlSh01o](OH)2 (monoclinic system and hexagonal layered structure) as isomorphism and replace the large radius of the potassium atoms, as well as part of rubidium locate between structure layers. The complex components bring great difficulty in comprehensive recycling."

Jan 1, 2013

A new technology for the treatment of copper nickel-containing concentrate after high-grade matte flotation to blister copper with the production of liquid silicate slags in a vertical autogenous unit with upper oxygen blow has been considered. The copper and nickel behavior in the process of sulphide copper concentrate interaction with silicate melt containing oxide copper has been studied. The general mechanisms of such interaction are found.

Jan 1, 2003

By Sebastião Ribeiro, Leonardo Carneiro Sardinha, Alline Sardinha Cordeiro Morais, Carlos Maurício Fontes Vieira, Sergio Neves Monteiro

The glass tube of spent fluorescent lamps is contaminated with mercury, which might be a serious hazard in the case of conventional recycling by melting with other glasses. A possible solution could be its incorporation into a clay body to fabricate common fired ceramics such as bricks and tiles. The objective of this work is to characterize a type of fluorescent lamp glass waste to be incorporated into a clayey ceramic. The characterization was performed in terms of wettability tests to evaluate the interaction between the surface of the clayey ceramic and glass waste as a function of the firing temperature. The results showed that the contact angle decreased with increasing temperature, reaching a value of 79°, at a temperature of 1100°C, but not sufficient to completely wet the ceramic. However, compatible chemical composition and reduction of porosity by the flow of soft glass waste between the clay particles favor the consolidation of the ceramics structure above 900°C.

Jan 1, 2015

By Kenneth P. Michalek, James E. Kelly, Jonathan A. Dantzig

"Many investigations have been reported regarding the simulation of continuous casting with emphasis on in-mold heat transfer. These analyses have been limited, however, because they require either estimation or measurement of the characteristic heat transfer between the ingot and the mold. In this paper, a self-consistent model 'is presented for calculating the heat transfer between a solidifying continuous casting and the mold, in the context of the continuous casting of steel. Using both thermal and stress analyses, the air gap formed during continuous casting is calculated and used to compute the heat transfer coefficients. Iteration between the thermal and stress analyses is used to determine a self-consistent solution. IntroductionThe continuous casting process for steel is illustrated schematically in Fig. 1. Molten steel is tapped into a tundish from which it flows at a controlled rate into the continuous casting mold. The initial shell of the casting forms in the mold by transfer of heat from the metal through the mold wall to the cooling water. The remainder of the casting is solidified by application of water sprays, and/or radiation cooling below the mold.Heat transfer in the mold portion of the process is important because it controls the formation of various defects which are deleterious to subsequent processing. Examples of defects formed in this region are surface irregularities, such as cold folding and oscillation marks, and more serious defects, such as longitudinal or transverse cracks. A more catastrophic problem which may occur is a breakout, in which the shell ruptures and molten steel is discharged in an uncontrolled way."

Jan 1, 1986

By Rodney J. Ishak

The reduction of Mn3O4 to MnO has been investigated in a thermobalance apparatus, The charge was composed of manganese ore (decomposed by heating/calcination or pre-reduction to mainly Mn3O4) and coke. The material was charged to a crucible, which was suspended in the balance. CO-gas was distributed through a grid in the bottom of the crucible. Two sizes of ores were used; 2.4-4.8 mm and 6,7-9.5 mm. Coke particles were in the size range 4.8-6.7 mm. Experiments were conducted in the 900-1100°C temperature range. The composition of the product gas was monitored continuously. External mass transport between bulk gas and particle surface does not seem to limit the rate of reduction. Assuming that both diffusion through product layer and chemical reaction at the interface between MnO and Mn)04 are rate controlling, the data was tried both in a shrinking core model and in a grain model using regression. The grain model gives the best physical description of the process, because the reactant is in fact a porous medium. With this model the effective diffusivity was calculated to be in the 1.5-6.10.5 m2/s range. The pore size was mainly between 0.1 and 10 um,

Jan 1, 2003

By A. Van den Steen

In the early fifties Professor Breckpot of the Louvain University in Belgium in collaboration with the Research Laboratory of Metallurgie Hoboken, discovered the possibility to separate nickel from cobalt sulfate solutions by a nickel sulfide depolarized cementation. This reaction, completed later with a zinc precipitation, was developed into purification processes for the Shituru and Luilu Gécamines cobalt plants in Zaíre. Due to increasing demand for higher quality products and the necessity of lowering the production costs, more laboratory and pilot plant investigations concerning the key parameters for the nickel and zinc sulfides precipitation were under- taken. Especially the relative stabilities of cobalt, nickel and zinc sulfides, precipitated with elemental sulfur or sodium hydrosulfide, were examined in relatlon with the pH and with the redox potential. These investigations have led to better plant practice and new development possibilities. The valorisation of the precipitated sulfides has also been considered.

Jan 1, 1988

By E. A. van Dijk

Dusts from steel-making processes contain substantial amounts of zinc. Such dusts are also a hazardous waste and dumping them becomes unacceptable from environmental point of view. Therefore processes that can recover zinc and possibly other metals from steel-making dusts are being investigated. The aim of this paper is a contribution to the more fundamental kinetic aspects of zinc reduction from silica free calcium ferrite slags. The effects of alumina, lime and magnesium oxide contents of the slag, the COICO, ratio and the effect of initial Fe2O3/CaO ratio were studied experimentally at 1400°C The results indicated that the reduction of zinc from molten slag was possibly a first order reaction. As expected higher COICO, ratios increased both the extent and the rate of reduction. It was also observed that a higher iron content of slag improved the reduction of zinc from calcium ferrite slags. This fact seems to support the proposed mechanism that zinc is partly reduced by ferrous iron to zinc vapour and that ferric iron is reduced by carbon monoxide. The reduction rate of zinc in these slags was decreased by increasing alumina content of the slag. Alumina decreased the calculated optical basicity of the slag showing the fact that reduction of zinc oxide was more favorable in more basic slags. Probably the formation of complex ions by alumina and zinc oxide such as ZnAl2O32+ lowers the activity of Zn2+ ions in the slag and hence render them more difficult to reduce.

Jan 1, 1999

By Hector Henao

To provide thermodynamic data for converting the nickel matte to liquid nickel, an experimental study was conducted in the phase equilibrium between the Ni-S alloy and the CaO-Ah03 based slag melted in a MgO crucible at 1873 K under controlled Pso2 of 10.1 kPa and pO;, in a range between 2.5x,IO,2 and 10.1 Pa by using CO-C02-S0Z gas mixtures. The content of nickel in the slag at POz of 10.1 Pa, above which solid NiO is expected to precipitate in the equilibrium state, was found to be 4.1 mass% and the contents of sulfur and oxygen in the nickel melt were 0.4 and 0.2 mass%, respectively. It was clarified that increase in the temperature reduces the solubility of nickel in the slag and the contents of sulfur and oxygen in the alloy. The distribution of minor elements such as gold, silver, copper, cobalt, iron, arsenic and antimony between the Ni-S alloy and the CaO-AI20) based slag was also studied. The distribution ratios of iron and cobalt, defined by (%X in slag)/[%X in alloy] where X is the minor element, are larger values than that of nickel, while those of copper, silver and antimony are similar to that of nickel. The distribution ratios of arsenic and gold are lower than that of nickel in the higher range of oxygen partial' pressure.

Jan 1, 2003