Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation

L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire Et Conseil De Surveillance Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude

Canadian Liquid Air Ltd - Air Liquidecanada Ltee

Universidad De Chile

Empresa Nacional De Mineria Enami

Rhi Non Ferrous Metal Engineering Gmbh

Torstein Utigard

David B George

Philip J Gabb

John F Castle

Alejandro Bustos

Torbjorn Dahl

Luis Gonzalez

Andrzej Warczok

Jose Sanhueza

Daniel Smith

Hermann Schwarze

Andreas Filzwieser

Ariel Balocchi

Gabriel Riveros

Patricio Grau

Tanai Marin

Stefan Wallner

The invention is concerned with an improved process for the desulphurization of blister copper during anode refining, wherein a mixture of an inert gas and an oxygen containing gas is blown into liquid blister copper. The improvement resides in varying the amount of oxygen containing gas in the mixture of nitrogen and oxygen during the desulphurization of blister copper. The process of the invention enables one to increase the recovery of copper, decrease the recycling of highly oxidized slag, decrease the time of desulphurization, decrease refractory wear, decrease subsequent time of reduction and decrease the amounts of reactants used.

Use of gaseous mixture containing an inert gas and an oxygen containing gas in desulphurization of blister copper during anode refining

In a copper converting furnace, the (i) reduction of copper oxide in and the removal of copper metal from the slag, and (ii) conversion of copper sulfide in and the elimination of mineral waste from the blister copper is enhanced by introducing a gas, e.g. nitrogen, into at least one of the blister copper and slag such that the gas increases the turbulence or mixing at the blister copper/slag interface and promotes a lowering of the sulfur dioxide equilibrium pressure within the blister copper and slag phases. In one embodiment, the gas is introduced into both the molten blister copper and slag through a porous-wall injector.

Enhanced phase interaction at the interface of molten slag and blister copper, and an apparatus for promoting same

Copper matte is processed to anode copper without oxidizing blister copper in an anode furnace. Copper matte, in either molten or solid form, is fed to a continuous copper converting furnace in which it is converted to blister copper and slag. The blister copper and slag collect in the settler region of the furnace and separate into two phases, a blister copper phase and a slag phase (the latter floating upon the former). The converting furnace is equipped with means for stirring or agitating the interface of the blister copper and slag phases such that the sulfur content of the blister copper phase and the copper content of the slag phase are reduced.

Process and apparatus for the continuous refining of blister copper

In an electrolysis cell wherein powdered material are added to a bath of molten electrolyte, the anode is provided with a duct through which the powdered material may be fed to the electrolyte. Simultaneously, a gas which is preferably inert, is also fed together with the powdered material through the duct, and both are injected beneath the surface of the electrolyte.

Injection of powdered material into electrolysis cells

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Mississauga, Canada

Torstein Utigard