The University of Birmingham

501 National Research Development Corp.

Noel A Warner

Synthetic rutile production

Oxygen smelting of copper or nickel sulfides

Zinc is recovered from zinc sulphide material by introducing such material at a feed station into a molten copper sulphide matte which is circulated in a closed loop path through said feed station, a zinc recovery station and an oxidizing station. The matte is heated electrically directly by resistive heating. Oxygen in the absence of other gases is introduced at the oxidizing station. Sulphur dioxide is removed in a sulphuric acid plant. The method is operated to keep the activity of copper in the total matte at less than unit activity. Virtually zero gas emission is possible.

Method of recovering zinc

Smelting reduction of metallic oxide material, e.g. pelletized iron oxide ore or iron oxide ore fines is effected by contacting such material with a circulating molten carrier material, e.g. molten iron in the case of iron oxide smelting, in a furnace, and by introducing a carbonaceous reductant e.g. coal into the carrier material. The reductant converts the metal oxide to metal in a smelting reduction zone. Carbon monoxide thereby produced is combusted in a heating zone through which the carrier material passes to effect heat recovery. Slag is removed from the carrier material surface before entering the heating zone. A protective layer of molten material, e.g. lead, which is substantially stationary is maintained below the circulating carrier material to inhibit erosion of the furnace hearth. In other processes, deepsea manganese nodules are conjointly smelted with chalcopyrite in a circulating molten Cu-Ni-Co matte carrier while maintaining a protective layer of Cu-Ni-Co alloy below the matte; and high silica nickel laterite and limonitic ores are conjointly metallized and sulphided while being supported by a circulating molten nickel matte carrier, with controlled addition of carbon to cause a protective layer of ferronickel alloy containing carbon to be maintained below the matte carrier.

Smelting reduction

A method of recovering non-ferrous metals from their ores comprises introducing the ore into a molten sulphide carrier that is forcibly circulated through an extraction circuit, contacting the molten carrier containing the dissolved or melted ore with oxygen to oxidize at least part of the ore or carrier, recovering heat thereby generated by the molten carrier, and transmitting the heat by means of the carrier to endothermic sites in the circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Birmingham, United Kingdom

Noel A Warner