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By Richard B. Stein

Bechtel's BEMSIM computer program is a useful tool for solvent extraction-electrowinning plant design optimization. Its power (up to 90 stream components, 240 process streams, 180 process steps) has been applied to investigate floweheet configurations in order to perform basic engineering, sizing of plant equipment and to optimize performance of commercial-size copper plants. Flowsheet variations presented include series, parallel and series-parallel extraction stages, while heat balances simulate operations in summer and extreme winter conditions. The BEMSIM program has also been applied to nickel-cobalt, gold and manganese extraction.

Jan 1, 1993

By Fujio Ishii

The deoxidation of liquid nickel and nickel binary alloys with silicon has been determined at temperatures between 1500°C and 1650°C using quartz crucibles in order to investigate the deoxidation of nickel based alloys. The equilibrium constant of the deoxidation reaction in liquid nickel and the effects of the different alloying elements such as chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, iron, cobalt and coppcr on the activity coefficient of oxygen in liquid nickel have been established.

Jan 1, 1993

By Luis W. Pommier

The developed processes, the subject of this paper, extract the hydrocarbons, halogenated organic compounds and metal contaminants from hazardous soils, rendering them non-hazardous and ready to be placed back on the ground. The processes first segregate a non-contaminated fraction from the contaminated soil. This initial task is performed using available minerals processing technology: sizing, gravity separation, magnetic separation, froth flotation, etc. The remaining contaminated fraction, is submitted to two leaching operations for the removal of organic and metal contaminants, whenever both are present or to a single leaching operation if only one type of contaminant is present. The decontaminated soil fraction is mixed with the non-contaminated fraction and is placed back on the ground. The leaching liquors, used at neutral pH, are non- hazardous. After decontamination the liquids are processed to extract the contaminants, now valuable materials, for commercialization. Organic contaminants are removed by distillation of the solvents. The metal contaminants are precipitated in their oxide form. In both cases the regenerated solvents are recycled. The decontamination processes are economically competitive with transportation and disposal of the soils to permitted facilities for hazardous materials, and most importantly the developed processes remove the liabilities from the Responsible Parties. The law establishes that these liabilities do not disappear with either fixation nor with transportation and disposal since the environmental liabilities are of the ? cradle to grave? type.

Jan 1, 1994

By William Petruk

The mineralogy of the primary and oxidized ores from the Malanjkhand porphyry copper deposit in India was studied to determine ore characteristics that affect metallurgy, and to assess applicable processes for recovering the copper. Three mineral assemblages were found. One occurs in primary ore, another in moderately oxidized ore, and a thir:d in intensely oxidized ore. Chalcopyrite, the main mineral in the primary ore, is relatively coarse-grained, with grain size increasing as the ore grade increases. High chalcopyrite liberations should be achieved at a relatively coarse grind, and good chalcopyrite recoveries should be obtained. The chalcopyrite, however, tarnishes readily and oXidizes to chalcocite in a relatively short time (several months). The presence of both the tarnished chalcopyrite and chalcocite may affect chalcopyrite flotation and reduce copper recoveries, The moderately oxidized ore occurs in an oxidized cap immediately above the primary ore, and stockpiled primary ore alters quickly to a moderately oxidized ore. Chalcocite is a major copper-bearing mineral in moderately OXidized ore. The concentrator processing this ore should be capable of handling a chalcocite-rich ore. The intensely OXidized ore contains a wide variety of acid-soluble copper-bearing minerals. Leaching may be required to recover the copper from them.

Jan 1, 1987

By Christopher B. Vierrether

Reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron microprobe analysis have been used to determine the mineralogy, phase percentages, grain sizes, textures, and partitioning of cobalt and nickel in two cobalt-nickel rich mattes. These mattes were prepared by submerged bath smelting from a flotation cobalt-nickel concentrate containing 4.8% cobalt and 5.1% nickel. The concentrate was derived from lead-zinc-copper ores of the Viburnum Trend, southeast Missouri. Eleven discrete phases have been distinguished in the matte samples, three of which contain significant cobalt and nickel. The phases are cobaltpentlandite ((Co,Ni,Fe)9S8), cobalt-bearing marmatite ((Co,Fe,Zn)S), shandite (Ni3Pb2S2), bornite (Cu5FeS4), galena (PbS), magnetite (Fe3O4), pyrrhotite ((Co,Ni,Cu,Fe)1_xS), chalcocite (Cu2S), CuPbS phase, metallic copper, and metallic silver. Cobaltpentlandite and cobalt-bearing marmatite- occur in coarse grains (50 µm) that would separate readily during grinding, but shandite contains small (5 - 10um), abundant inclusions of pyrrhotite and bornite.. Some mineralogical variations between the two matte samples were due to differing degrees of oxidation during smelting,

Jan 1, 1988

By Yuan She, Qihang Liu, Keng Wu, Hailiang Ren

By observing different coal char’s microstructures and microscopic morphologies during the coking process, the characteristics of COREX coal char’s microstructure and properties were analyzed. MCRI and MCSR were used to respectively describe the reactivity and the strength after reaction of coal char, with those of BF’s coke for reference, and then the physical meaning of MCRI and MCSR were given. MCRI and MCSR were determined by the composition of coal char. For the two kinds of COREX coal, the formula to forecast the hot performance of coal char was set up by making a multiple linear regression between the hot performance and microstructure of the coal char at 1100℃, and the predictive values of coal char’s hot performance at 600℃, 800℃ and 1000℃ coincided well with the measured values.

Jan 1, 2015

By Antoine Allanore, Luis A. Ortiz, Donald R. Sadoway

"The steelmaking industry has drastically reduced its energy consumption in the last fifty years, and today’s technologies are considered to operate at their optimal efficiency with respect to energy needs. To cope with new constraints related to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a change of paradigm is necessary. One of the promising technologies that could be deployed to help reach CO2 mitigation targets relies on the intensive use of electricity: molten oxide electrolysis (MOE). This paper presents the key process parameters that need to be tuned to address the practical needs for both high productivity in a steelmaking reactor and for an energy efficient process. Herein we show that contrary to common perception, the electrolysis process for ironmaking requires less energy than today’s chemical reduction route. Furthermore, we prove that most of the energy that must be provided to operate the electrolytic iron production cell is thermal energy which is readily generated by joule heating during electrolysis due to large currents being passed through the electrolyte. The energy consumption of the electrolysis cell is therefore shown to be highly dependent on the cell configuration and the chemistry of the electrolyte. As a consequence, the CO2-impact of the technology strongly depends on both the power production mode and the technological choices for design of the process, including cell configuration. Surprisingly enough, even when the electricity generation is not carbon-free, MOE still appears to be viable from the perspective of reducing GHG emissions providing sound reactor design considerations are made.IntroductionIn the context of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mitigation, the steelmaking industry is considering several techniques that could sustain the efforts and progress achieved by this sector in the last decades [1]. A recent report [2] on potential routes for low-CO2 steelmaking highlighted for all techniques both the strong dependency of CO2 emissions on electric power production mode and the need for a decrease in energy consumption per tonne of steel. Incited to innovate with respect to this last criterion, the steel industry considers electrolysis to be a promising technological solution, and in particular the molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) process. This process conducts electrolysis in a mixture of oxides that dissolve the iron oxide feed, which by the action of electric current is decomposed into liquid iron and oxygen gas. The opportunity for reduction in energy consumption during steelmaking by MOE is commonly attributed to the “direct” pathway from iron oxide to liquid metal offered by the use of a molten oxide melt and operation at a temperature above the melting point of iron, ideally 1600°C, to provide enough superheat for tapping the molten iron product:"

Jan 1, 2011

By Natasa Mitevska

In order to ensure the minimal copper concentration in the reverb furnace slag, the graphical optimization method is used and the optimal slag composition of the reverberatory furnaces No.1 and No.2 in the RTB BOR, Copper Smelter and Refinery (Serbia) is obtained: (Si02) .. 38.0%; (FeO) .. 40.0%; (Fe3O4) = 5.0%; (CaO) = 5.0%; (Al2O3) .. 6.0%. Keywords: Optimization, Reverb Furnace Slag, Graphical Method

Jan 1, 2003

By Hong Ouyang

A unified computational model has been developed for the Bridgman growth processes of B-NiAI and CdTe crystals. To handle the geometrical and physical complexities, a two-level approach has been developed. At the gtobatlevel, conjugate heat transfer, phase change dynamics, and variable material properties along with the realistic geometries and thermal boundary conditions are accounted for inside the entire crystal growth system. Refined calculations are then made within the ampoule, with the boundary conditions supplied by the global simulations. This model can optimize the use of computational source, help understand solidification behaviors, and improve designs of crystal growth system.

Jan 1, 1996

By J. P. Hager

The formation of the vapor complex AgFeC14 (g) baa been identified and its thermodynamic properties determined. The vapor pressure of silver chloride can be enhanced by a factor of 15-20 due to the formation of the vapor complex. The vapor pressure of both AgCl (g) and AgFeC14(g) were measured using a double-zone transpiration .technique. Gibbs free energies have been determined for the vapor transport reactions. Laboratory kiln tests were conducted to confirm the enhanced recovery of silver through the formation of the AgFeC14(g) vapor complex and to indicate the opportunities for process development using this new vaporization chemistry.

Jan 1, 1985

By David S. Dolan

To beat capital costs of US$10 per pound of installed capacity has appeared as a major hurdle for the "third generation laterite nickel plants. Forecast costs are escalating. Where can savings come from? Ore beneficiation can reduce the tonnage rate to be processed. High pressure acid leach options include the use of indirect slurry heating and higher operating temperatures to reduce flow rates and residence time. Progress has been reported in atmospheric leaching. High counter current decantation circuit settling rates and high underflow densities reduce CCD costs. Metal recovery options include direct from leach solution to metal production, as used by Bulong and espoused by Goro, and indirect recovery as used by Moa Bay, Murrin Murrin and Cawse. Plant location impacts on the costs of tailings disposal, power and energy costs, supply of consumables and labour costs, among others. Final nickel and cobalt metal production routes are electrowinning, hydrogen reduction or some innovative routes being proposed for Goro. This paper reviews the status in these developments, with particular reference to equipment and processes that offer lower capital costs. Keywords: Laterite, Nickel, Plant, Capital Cost

Jan 1, 2004

By G. Kugler, M. Tercelj

"The 1.2690 high alloyed tool steel is usually applied for cold working and is alloyed with carbide-forming elements Cr, V, W and Mo. It exhibits very poor hot deformability. Since there is no enough available data in literature for elucidation of this problem, hot workability and development of microstructure during hot deformation was studied. Hot compression tests were carried out in temperature range 850-1150 °C and strain rates range 0.001-6 s-1. SEM and OM were used for observation of microstructure. Results revealed very complex precipitation of carbides that depends on deformation temperature as well as on strain rate. It was found that especially at lower temperatures of hot working range the precipitation of carbides strongly depends on strain rate. Three different hot deformation behaviors’ were observed depending on temperature and strain rate range.IntroductionThe hot workability of highly alloyed high speed steels is usually described as relatively poor in comparison to other steels due to their tendency of cracking during hot working especially when inappropriate hot working conditions are applied. Alloying elements such as Cr, W, Mo and V in ledeburitic tool steels form carbides that improve hardenability, strength, hardness, wear resistance, etc., but they decrease hot workability and narrow hot working temperature range in comparison to conventional steels. The size, distribution, type and fraction of carbides, as well as the thermomechanical history of material and hot working parameters have major influence on the hot workability. The microstructure of ledeburitic tool steels during hot deformation can be characterized as a two-phase system consisting of an austenite matrix and a combination of ledeburitic carbides [1-4]. In the soft-annealed condition the total volume fraction of carbides is in the range 19-30% and in the quenched condition in the range 9-25%, depending on the chemical composition. During heating before deformation a large quantity of carbides dissolve, but non-dissolved carbides can have an extremely diverse influence on the hot workability due to variations in their composition, size, distribution, hardness and shape, and their different behavior during the deformation phase [5-7]."

Jan 1, 2011

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

By Lichao Ding, Jingbiao Fan, Yunnen Chen

"With the development of industrial production, more and more wastewater containing high concentration ammonia nitrogen was discharge into the environmemt, which caused serious harm to the environmemt. Treating the wastewater has great significance to protect water resources. Using air-stripping combined with oxidation to uptake high concentration of ammonia nitrogen wastewater. The influence of operating parameters was investigated. Experimental results revealed that pH of solution, aeration time and aeration strength showed heavy influence on ammonia nitrogen removal. Air-stripping combined with oxidation can be considered as an alternative approach for the removal of high concentration of ammonia nitrogen from practical metallurgical wastewater. When pH was 11, aeration time 20 min, aeration strength 1040 Lh-1, and oxidation with 10 % NaClO solution 10 min, the initial ammonia nitrogen 2130 mgr1 could reduce to 12 mgr1. Other items could also be removed to meet the ""Integrated wastewater discharge standard (GB8978-88)"".1. IntroductionThe rapid development of human activities has caused a worldwide increase of nitrogen in rivers, lakes and coastal waters. It leads to considerable eutrophication and an increase in the frequency of toxic algae blooms [1,2]. The concentrations of nitrogen in the water of China are pervading high [3]. The discharge of wastewater containing high concentration of ammonia nitrogen is one of the most important factors. Great efforts have been devoted to the removal of ammonia nitrogen from wastewater. Traditional methods include biological denitrication [ 4 ], chemical precipitation with magnesium ammonium phosphate [5], electrochemical conversion [6], air-stripping [7] and so on. Biological denitrication is the most common process in the treatment of ammonia nitrogen wastewater. But the process is only suitable for the removal of relatively low ammonia concentration due to the requirement of appropriate C/N ratio [8]. Chemical precipitation needs additional reagents, which may introduce new pollutants to water body. Electrochemical method often uses expensive metal or metal oxide as electrodes, and also consumes large quantity of energy [6].Although air-stripping makes use of stripping tower and consumes energy, it is very suitable for the removal of relatively high ammonia concentration. Different air-stripping conditions would appear different removal efficiency. And only air-stripping the effluent can not be attained the ""Integrated wastewater discharge standard (GB8978-88)"". In this study, we use air-stripping and oxidation to removal high concentration of ammonia nitrogen from simulated and real ammonia nitrogen wastewater."

Jan 1, 2011

By A. Buzaianu, P. Motoiu, G. Popescu, C. A. Popescu, I. Rusu, A. F. Olteanu

"In recent years, the recycling magnesium metallurgy has developed new types of alloys, some of which exhibiting special electrochemical characteristics. Their application has found a fertile field in the energy conversion technologies. The paper introduces some technologic data on the recycling of aeronautical parts and scrap materials generated from the disassembling of magnesium alloy components, attempting to also solve the recycling of magnesium painted parts. The approach is meant to establish a superior quality method for recycling discarded parts or the excess of re-melting material in order to reduce environmental impact and costs. Magnesium-base alloys used as anodic materials are characterized by a high uniformity of the structural properties as well as by superior electrochemical performances, as compared to the ""classically"" used materials: Zn, Pb, etc. In nonconventional applications of magnesium alloys used as sacrificial anodes working in seawater, special alloying elements contribute to improving anodic processes. The influence of these alloying elements on magnesium sacrificial anodes was studied. It was found that the use of recycled materials in anode manufacture could reduce the Mg alloy cost by as much as up to 75% of the cost for virgin material, including the costs for the entire sequence of collection and transportation from a molding factory to a refinery, re-melting and composition adjustment.1. IntroductionMagnesium alloys are valuable materials because they exhibit low density, good forming and machining qualities, particular electrochemical properties and have a high recycling potential. There exists a false idea about the high costs of the use of magnesium alloys, partly justified by the lack of secondary materials suppliers and the insufficient knowhow in the diverse user industries to provide for an efficient substitution of conventional magnesium alloys for multipurpose applications. These circumstances have lately spurred the magnesium industry to develop new alloys and coatings and to improve processing techniques [1]. As a result, magnesium supply has greatly expanded and so have the research and development efforts to achieve complete recycling of Mg alloys.In consumer markets, magnesium is frequently selected because it helps reduce enery consumption. For example, an equal volume part made of magnesium is 23% the weight of a steel part and 64% the weight of an aluminium part."

Jan 1, 2008

By D. W. Collins

The uptake of gold from halide solutions by activated carbon has been investigated using various techniques. Halide systems typically exhibit combined adsorption-reduction type behavior. In an attempt to gain more information about the nature of these processes, samples of synthetic highly-oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) were contacted with aqueous solutions of gold-iodide. HOPG represents a model structure for activated carbon comprising of basal- plane sites, edge sites, and various defect sites. Two basic instrumental methods were used to examine the uptake of gold by HOPG. The first was standard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The other involved several scanning probe techniques. XPS clearly indicated a preferred uptake of gold at edge sites. However, iodine appeared to be distributed on both basal-plane and edge sites. At low iodine additions, tapping mode AFM showed that clusters were concentrated along steps and surface defects. At high iodine concentrations, the HOPG surface was uniformly covered by iodine.

Jan 1, 1998

By Terry Gerritsen

Electrode control systems regulate power by physically positioning electrodes. Due to the size and weight of the electrodes, this is a slow process where power fluctuations of less than a few seconds are not fully corrected. Nickel laterite AC furnaces operating in high voltage, shielded arc mode typically incur frequent power variations of approximately +I- 20% around the power set point. To provide enhanced power control, Hatch has recently supplied, at commercial scale, a thyristor-switched reactance system called an SPLC. The SPLC incorporates predictive control software to operate furnaces at the maximum transformer rating by reducing the large power swings experienced without the SPLC. The resulting higher average power enables higher production, without increasing transformer or power plant capacity. A 60 MW production version of the SPLC has been commissioned on Falconbridge Dominicans's laterite nickel furnace, yielding excellent results with a 3 to I reduction in power fluctuations. Keywords: SPLC, AC Power Supply, Electric Furnace

Jan 1, 2004

By Sheng Dai, Yuan Lee, Haiming Xiao, J. P. Young

"There are numerous analytical applications of scatter-emission and/or absorption spectroscopy applied to liquids and solids in the temperature range of 0 to 350°C. In this paper an all-silica fiberoptic probe is described which is useful for spectral analyses from 0 to 1600 K and can be used in harsh chemical environments. The probe has been used for Raman spectral analyses of many molten salt and solid material systems to 1000°C. It has applications for such studies at higher temperature ranges. The instrumentation required along with the demonstrated and proposed applications of the all-silica probe are presented and discussed.IntroductionThere are many kinds of scatter-emission spectroscopies that are of value for analytical measurements. Fluorescence, reflectance, arc or spark emission are descriptors for some of these. Raman scatter spectroscopy is also quite a useful technique for analytical measurements.In Figure 1, we give a simplified explanation of the Raman effect. If one shines monochromatic light into a sample, light may be absorbed, exciting the sample to some virtual state. We know from experience that almost all of the light is re-emitted in the same wavelength range. This is called Rayleigh or Mei scattering and is designated in the figure by the arrows in both examples that point up and down from the same lower energy state. A very small percentage (the order of 10-4%) of the monochromatic light is re-emitted leaving the sample at a vibrationally-excited state. Thus, this light is at a distinctly lower energy compared to the exciting radiation. This is called a Stokes shift and is represented in the left-hand example by an arrow descending to a more energetic vibrational state. If the sample is not at a temperature of absolute zero, some of this vibrationally excited state will be thermally populated. That portion of the sample still absorbs and re-emits exciting radiation as Rayleigh scattered light, but a small percentage of the exciting light is re-emitted as the sample relaxes to the lower vibrational state. The energy of this light is of higher energy and is called an anti-Stokes shift, depicted in the example to the right. Notice that the energy separation of the Stokes or anti-Stokes shifted emission from that of the exciting radiation is the same, and expressed in ~cm-I. The intensity of either shifted emission is a function of the population of the vibrational energy states; therefore, the ratio of the intensity of Stokes to anti-Stokes signal varies with absolute temperature. We will come back to this point later."

Jan 1, 1997

By M. Tokumasu, T. Mutoh, Y. Sugawara

"In October 1986, a process computer was introduced in order to achieve an optimum combustion of pulverized coal at the reverberatory furnaces. The secondary combustion air volume is controlled based on the nitrogen oxide concentration of the off-gas from the reverberatory furnaces. The carbon monoxide concentration has strong relation with the concentration of nitrogen oxide under the situation of using alternative fuels, such as chipped tires and p,ulverized coal. Using this computer aided combustion control system, both nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide concentrations were stabilized and conventional monitoring and controlling apparatuses were absorbed into this computer system. Due to this easily operated system, labor cost was reduced and the operation of the reverberatory furnaces and the off-gas treatment plant became stable.IntroductionOnahama Smelter and Refinery started its operation in April 1965 as a large scale copper smelter and refinery in Japan. The green charged reverberatory furnaces were introduced and bunker C oil was chosen as the fuel for the reverberatory furnaces. After the oil crises, Onahama was forced to use cheaper fuels such as coal and waste tires, i.e., alternative fuels instead of the expensive oil. As the amount of the alternative fuels fed to the reverberatory furnaces increased, the concentrations of nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide in the off-gas became unstable. Consequently, the fluctuation of the combustion condition became not to be negligible in view point of a combustion efficiency and pollution regulations. A process computer has been introduced to overcome these off-gas troubles and to reduce the operating cost of the smelter.Outline of Operation HistoryInitially, the operation started by one reverberatory furnace and then the capacity was expanded almost twice by additional furnace in December 1972. As shown in Figure I, the smelting throughput was depressed after oil crises in 1973 and 1978. From 1983 to 1985, some copper mines stopped their operations because of low price of copper metal. During this period, Onahama suffered from the shortage of concentrate production levels were depressed."

Jan 1, 1989

By N. B. Gray, I. F. Taylor

"Gas injection to promote chemical reactions or mixing is a feature of many metallurgical processes. Often the aim of gas injection is to bring about a chemical reaction between the gas and liquid but most of the past physical and mathematical modelling work has ignored the influence of such reactions. In the work reported here, cold model studies have been conducted in which gas reacts with the liquid into which it was injected. The rate of liquid mixing has been measured as an indication of the mechanical energy transfer. It has been found that gas generated chemically within the liquid is significantly less effective at promoting mixing than the equivalent volume of inert gas. The relative ineffectiveness of chemically produced gas is thought to be due to smaller bubble sizes in comparison to the inert gas case. Small bubbles characteristic of chemically generated gas move with low slip velocities relative to the liquid and lead to different turbulence generation mechanisms.IntroductionIn processes such as steelmaking, copper conversion, bath smelting and ladle steel finishing gas is injected into liquid metal where it reacts chemically or simply serves as a source of agitation. An understanding of fluid flow phenomena in such situations is an essential pre-requisite to the calculation of process intensity and the optimisation of vessel productivity. Traditional physical cold modelling approaches to prediction of liquid flow in such situations are now often augmented by the techniques of computational fluid dynamics. Even with the availability of numerical modelling techniques cold physical models continue to have an important role for validation because it is generally difficult to obtain quantitative data from high temperature processes.Almost all previous cold modelling work has been based on the injection of an inert gas into water or some other non-reactive liquid. Such models do not include the significant increase in gas volume inherent in some processes. For example the oxidation of carbon in steelmaking leads to a twofold increase in molar gas flux through the reaction:"

Jan 1, 1996