Review of Recent Developments in Pyrometallurgy

P.J. Mackey A.D. Church Noranda Mines Limited Inco Metals Company Pointe Claire, Quebec, Canada Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada

1979 ended a decade which saw significant developments increasing operating costs. These actions underline the need in process metallurgy, and when 1980 began it was evident for technology to adjust to changing technological, economic, that the coming decade would bring many changes in this and environmental factors. Several new mines in the U.S. field. This article provides a review of developments in commenced operationsl6 and new copper projects in the nonferrous process metallurgy in the last two years. U.S. were reviewed. 17 Work continued on the following Good metal prices in 1979 helped buoy the hopes of many copper projects during the year: 180,000 tpy flash smelter at that the current recession is temporary and 1981 will be a La Caridad, near Nacozari, Mexico (1982 completion);73 year of surprises in the metal markets. There will be con­ 20,000 tpy electric furnace in the Sohar area, Sultanate of tinued expansion of mineral resources in developing coun­ Oman; 19 revamped Tennant Creek smelter4 -changeover tries, even though some projects viewed with enthusiasm from the top-blown rotary converter to Peirce-Smith con­ earlier have slowed down.I.66 In China,2 the Dexing project verter (late 1980 start-up); the 120,000 tpy flash smelter at (copper) and the Jinchuan mine (copper-nickel, reputed to Pirdop, Bulgaria; the 110,000 tpy flash furnace with hearth be as large as Sudbury, Ontario) have also slowed down. electrodes in the Philippines; the 65,000 tpy Mitsubishi There were no announcements of new copper, nickel, or plant50 for TexasGulf in Timmins, Ontario (mid-1981 lead smelters, and two plants, the St. Joe electrothermic start-up). zinc plant in Monaca, Pennsylvania and the Anaconda cop­ Table I lists some of the major process metallurgical ad­ per smelter/refinery in Montana, closed down in the face of vances made during the 19708. We see this strong develop-

Table I: Milestones In Nonferrous Process Metallurgy in the 19705

Plant or Process Company and Location Year

First large scale pyrometallurgical process Falconbridge Dominicana, 1971 for nickel laterites Dominican Republic

First nickel flash furnace outside Finland Western Mining Corp. Ltd., 1972 Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

First direct converting of nickel sulfide in TBRC Inco Metals Company, 1973 Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada

First pressure nickel carbonyl plant Inco Metals Company, 1973 Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada

World's first commercial continuous smelting and Noranda Mines Limited, 1973 converting process· Noranda, Quebec, Canada

First CONTIROD process for continuous rod production Metallurgie Hoboken-Overpelt, 1973 Olen, Belgium

KIVCET smelting for lead concentrates USSR 1972-74

World's largest electric copper smelting furnace Inspiration Copper Co., 1974 Inspiration, Arizona

Hecla Mining and El Paso 1975·· The first large scale use of Roast-Leach-Electrowin Natural Gas process in North America

First North American Outokumpu flash smelter and Phelps Dodge Corp., 1977 largest flash smelter Hidalgo, New Mexico

World's first primary copper smelter using top-blown Afton Mines Limited, 1978 rotary converter Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

First nickel flash furnace with slag cleaning section Western Mining Corp. Ltd. 1978 after uptake Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

* The second commercial continuous smelting and converting process was commissioned by Mitsubishi in 1974 in Japan. "Closed down in 1977 due to depressed copper prices, recently purchased by Noranda Exploration Inc.

28 JOURNAL OF METALS· April, 1981 ment work continuing into the '80s to make pyrometallurgical lurgical data together with some costs are given in the paper. processes more continuous, to eliminate costly batch opera­ The application of top-blowing lances in copper smelting tions and crane / ladle transfer steps, to increase energy was discussed in another KHD paper by Chaudhuri,46 efficiency, and to improve potential for recovery of harmful while the Boliden TBRC plant treating lead dust was emissions and effluents. Some of these developments and described by Nystedt.47 Operating data for the plant, which changes were discussed by D.A. Temple in the 1979 Insti­ produces a lead bullion and a speiss in an environmentally tution of Mining and Metallurgy presidential address. 72 clean environment, were presented. W.G. Davenport examined innovations and future changes A good paper on the first full year of the Afton smelter in in copper smelting in an excellent paper, "Copper Smelting British Columbia was presented at the 109th AIME Confer­ to the Year 2000."18 Copper smelting and converting facilities ence in Las Vegas last year. 64 The TBRC at Afton is an installed in the last decade were tabulated. Projecting a 80 ton vessel under license from Dravo Corporation and slow long-term growth in copper demand, it was estimated Inco Metals Company. During 1979, the unit averaged 144 that this growth will need one to two new smelters and short tons/ d of concentrate producing 87 tpd blister copper. refineries per year at or near the mine sites until the turn The feed material is a mixture of three parts flotation con­ of the century. Most of these will be oxygen enriched, centrate (56.3% Cu, 4.3% Fe, 5.2% S, 17.2% Si02 ) and one autogenous, continuous, or flash units with Pierce-Smith part metallic concentrate (82.5% Cu, 7.8% Fe, 0.2% S, 3.1% or Hoboken converters as the predominant converting vessel. Si02) with burnt lime as a flux to produce a slag analyzing There will be increased scrap recycle, and small hydro­ 4.3% Cu, 16% Fe, 33% Si02 and 22% CaO. This slag is metallurgical plants on sulfides will be operated. cooled in beds and milled in the gravity circuit, giving a The current status of the new generation of copper smelting copper recovery of only 65%; slag tailings loss represent processes was provided at the "Copper Smelting Technology 0.9% of new copper. Copper is cast into 900 lb cakes. Conference," organized by the British Columbia Government Data for the most recent campaign indicated 80 heats in a in Vancouver, November 5-6, 1980.3 Papers were given on campaign of 50 days. Total concentrate smelted was 7,540 the Noranda, Inco, Outokumpu, and Mitsubishi processes. tons (56% Cu). Brick consumption averaged 55 Ib/ton of KHD's new Con top process was presented and "sprinkle copper while tonnage oxygen and natural gas consumption smelting" testwork by Dravo at Phelps Dodge's Morenci averaged 12,100 and 4,200 SCF /ton of copper respectively. smelter was mentioned. Papers at the conference will be A magnetite coating is applied four to eight times per cam­ published3 and should be referred to for more details. paign by smelting in-situ a high grade magnetite concentrate. A mathematical model for flash smelting copper concen­ Evidently, U.S. smelters are postponing any decisions on 55 smelter retrofits by flash or continuous smelting until the trates has been described by Rvotti. The paper con­ feasibility of sprinkle smelting has been determined. While tains only limited results and a more extensive discussion is awaited. This approach coupled with the interesting work by the reverberatory furnace seemed to be re-emerging like the 56 mythical Phoenix, with oxygen burners, 51 oxygen enrich­ Jorgensen and co-workers at the CSIRO, Melbourne, ment,48 and prospects of a smelting shaft adaptation, 52 Victoria, Australia form a solid basis for optimizing and sprinkle smelting, in which a wide angle flash smelting burn­ improving control in flash smelting units. In the latest of a er is mounted on the furnace roof, 53 may offer the best hope series of studies,56.49 Jorgensen shows that the predominant of capitalizing on the assets of an existing plant. The Amax heat transfer mechanism in suspension smelting is conduc­ "dead" roast-blast furnace smelting process78 has been tion from the' flowing gas. Convection and radiation play developed to the point of commercialization. little part. The temperature of the injected particles is determined by the temperature of the surrounding gas rather Current developments in lead, zinc, and tin metallurgy than the presence of neighboring radiating bodies. It was ,are discussed in the Lead-Zinc-Tin '80 symposium volume suggested that fuel combustion concurrent with smelting now published by TMS-AIME. 6 The volume includes re­ may speed up attainment of ignition temperatures. views by Wright,7 Broadhead,8 Kellogg,9 Davey,1O Floyd,ll A new suspension smelting burner which gives a more 12 I and Willis. Several new processes· are described, including even distribution of concentrate has been patented by 13 14 the QSL Process for lead, a two-step process involving Outokumpu.7o The burner employs a ring of air jets in a oxidizing smelting (electric furnace) and slag cleaning for horizontal plane to spray the feed uniformly over a wider treating complex Pb-Cu-Zn materials at Hoboken, and the angle than previously. Adding the fuel to the flash furnace matte fuming 15 process for metal recovery from sulfide in different ways is also proposed. 71 The addition of coal to materials containing both copper and tin. Another process, the Mitsubishi concentrate smelting lances has been de­ the QS process, has also been proposed for continuous pro­ scribed by Suzuki (paper in reference 3.) The wet coal 67 duction of Bessemer matte from nickel concentrates. (3-4% of concentrate) is mixed with concentrate, dried, The 1979 CIM Conference of Metallurgists in Sudbury, and then fed into the smelting furnace. Apart from replacing Ontario provided delegates an opportunity to visit the large more expensive fuel oil, coal addition reduced refractory metallurgical operations in the area. Process metallurgy wear, increased slag temperature due to the coal burning in papers were presented by authors from Noranda,40 Inco,41 the slag, and reduced copper loss in the slag. Mitsubishi Falconbridge,42-44 Seltrust Engineering,48 KHD,45.46 has also tested high oxygen enrichment in the burners-up and Boliden,47 to name a few. Review papers were also to 60% O2 with no adverse effects. As expected, the concen­ presented,35-38 highlighting different areas of process trate throughput increased. metallurgy design. Gray37 reiterated an earlier appea139 to look at engineering first and metallurgy (normally better understood) second when thinking of new process design. ENERGY REDUCTION AND FUEL SUBSTITUTION The design and operation of the new Falconbridge smelter It is evident that energy reduction and fuel substitution58 was described by McKague et a1. 42.43 P.H. Lindon of will be important in the 1980s, and the return to coal is Falconbridge presented an analysis of electric furnace smelt­ already well underway. Noranda authors40 referred to recent ing that included the effects of fine coal addition to the operation of the Noranda Process with coal which has been charge.44 At Falconbridge, coal or coke dust averaging 1 under study for over a decade. The application of coal metric ton/h (or about 2% of the furnace charge) is added (1-2% of charge) in the Falconbridge electric furnace44 has to the calcine and is beneficial in both acting as an in-situ been noted and the Mitsubishi test work3 with coal addition fuel and helping slag losses. The application of the KIVCET discussed above. process for the 50,000 metric ton/year (concentrate) smelter The application of local low-grade coal to the BCL flash in Bolivia was described by Chaudhuri et a1. 45 The proposed smelting furnace in Botswana was discussed by Young and I{IVCET plant has a zinc fuming zone. Complete metal- Imrie in a paper presented at the AIME Annual Meeting in

JOURNAL OF METALS· April, 1981 29 Las Vegas.57 Since 1975, smelting energy has been reduced from 7.78 GJ / metric ton to 5.73 GJ / metric ton of concen­ trate, but due to the use of low cost coal, overall costs dropped by a factor of about 3. The Outokumpu flash furnacE !!! 6 at BCL now runs almost completely on coal and is the first Z such unit to be fully coal-fired. Coal-firing is also used in :3 5 ...Q. the spray drier. Another measure adopted at BCL is to use o 4 high carbon ash (20-35% C) produced from the nearby pow­ a:: ILl er plant (which is also fired on low grade coal) as a substi­ ~ 3 tute for coke in the slag cleaning furnaces. Discard slag con­ z::> tains 0.18% Ni, 0.35% Cu, and 0.15% Co. The interesting work at the isolated BCL plant demonstrates the kind of achievements possible when a major effort is made in the face of real need. Hudson et al. 59 described tests on the application of o 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 pelletized wood waste, "woodex," in the zinc fuming plant CONVERTER PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY. EcONV • 01. at Bunker Hill. Although this application was evidently not pursued, we see an increasing trend in this direction for Figure 1. Distribution of converter production efficiency (after smelting applications. An excellent discussion of the opera­ Johnson et al.22). E,·o"(·. = (% Oxygen Utilization). (% Blowing tion of the Zambian reverberatory furnaces fired with several Rate Efficiency). (% Stack Time). coal types as well as current reverberatory practice at Rokana and Luanshya on low grade Maamba coal was presented by Hansen et al. 25 It would appear that there is considerable scope to apply I~~------r------~r------, the benefits of modern metallurgical engineering research T to new smelting processes with coal operation. Because coal I was phased out in North America in the 1960s, there is a I O-BOP (ESTIMATED) 1. considerable dearth of new technical operating data on coal­ .t firing in modern copper smelting processes. It is worth not­ z ing that the 1933 volume of the Transactions of AIME60 a: STEADY JET contains a wealth of good information on the use' of coal in !oJ 103 III smelting and refining; the interested reader is referred to ~ that classic volume, for the time being at least, for conven­ ·z::> tional operations. !oJ 0 ::> CONVERTERS IN NONFERROUS METALLURGY a:0 u.. As discussed in a previous review,5 there is a very large 102 0 spread in the performance of individual converters (copper, !oJ BUBBLING copper-nickel) at different plants. The histogram in Figure 1, ~ taken from the TMS-AIME symposium volume on convert­ 0 ers,21 illustrates the variation in the term "% converter 0 ~ production efficiency" for all plants reviewed in a worldwide MATTE survey on copper and nickel converters.22 The AIME sym­ ICONVERTING posium volume21 on converters contains 21 papers on con­ 10 verter practice at plants around the world. 10-5 The tuyeres are the heart of the converter vessel and repre­ DENSITY RATIO. Po I PI sent a field in which more process research should be carried out. One important parameter in specifying converter tuyeres is the location of the tuyere line and the stack. The Figure 2. Jet behavior diagram for gas injection into liquid Mount Isa smelter in Queensland, Australia has one of the metals (after Hoefele and Brlmacombe28). This diagram deline­ best performance records in the industry. Evidently, Mount ates the approximate boundaries between steady jetting (top Isa has come up with an operating practice and tuyere of diagram) and the bubbling regime (lower part). N' Fro Modi­ fied Froude number = P.u 2/ g(Pl-p.)do , where p is density of design which have almost eliminated the need for regular o gas or liquid, Uo Is bulk velocity of gas In tuyere of diameter punching. For these converters, the Gaspe puncher works at do, and g Is the constant of gravitational acceleration. In matte an angle of 9° upward. The tuyeres on the 35-ft converters converting, steady Jetting occurs above about 50 psig. blow at an average of 28,000 scfm, producing about 25,000 short tons of copper per tuyere line. 23 - 24 A fresh look at bottom-blowing converters for nonferrous metallurgy has been suggested,4.5 thereby offering the expected higher productivity through higher specific blowing by Brimacombe and co-workers at the University of British rates and easier gas collection hoods. Another new approach Columbia.27 The current status of this work is reported in is channel converting, in which molten matte is continuously the papers by Hoefele and Brimacombe,28 and McKelliget converted to blister copper in a channel vessel.2° Converting et al. 99 These recent studies include measurements of matte of increasingly higher grades is an important factor bubbling frequencies in gas-mercury systems (argon, air, in plants using the new generation smelting processes. We helium) as well as in a nickel converter at the Thompson would expect to see more work over the next ten years to smelter. In these tests, tuyere pressures ranged from develop a new converting process. . 15-80 psi. The first significant study26 of converter dynamics in Showing that under-expanded jet conditions are a neces­ recent years was carried out by N.J. Themelis, P. Tarassoff, sary condition for steady jetting and deep bath penetration, and J. Szekely at Noranda Research Centre in the 1960s. Hoefele and Brimacombe28 presented a tentative jet behavior This work elucidated the tuyere trajectories for side-blown diagram (Figure 2). This diagram illustrates the regimes of vessels. This effort has been followed by the excellent studies bubbling and steady jetting using the Froude number and

30 JOURNAL OF METALS 0 April, 1981 the ratio of fluid densities. Also indicated are the approxi­ It appears that one hundred years later the industry is mate range of conditions for Q-BOP steel converting and on a similar path! The new factor now is that with the advent copper/nickel matte converting. In the latter, steady jetting of oxygen smelting, burner enrichment, and more intensive occurs above about 50 psi. The authors make an appeal to processes, the need for improved refractory performance and have a new look at converter tuyeres-including high pres­ shell life has increased and a fresh look is again being given sure injection-and converter vessel design. We concur with to the benefits of forced shell cooling. All major new copper this assessment. smelting processes use some special cooling techniques-be There is a Polish development in tuyere punchers in which it shower cooling of the shell, special water-jackets, or other the external puncher (the ANAT) is mounted directly on approaches. the converter vessel (much like a Gaspe puncher mounted In the face of these developments there have also been on the converter).30 It is only applicable to Hoboken con­ improvements in refractory resistance and construction. verters where tuyeres are not drilled under the mouth, and Furnace and refractory practice incorporating all these it remains to be seen if the ANAT unit significantly boosts developments were discussed at the 1980 AIME Annual the productivity of the Hoboken converter. At Glowgow I, Meeting in Las Vegas.74-76.107-113 The Noranda Pro­ the 3.2 m X 7.6 m Hoboken converters have 44, 38 mm cess65•74 uses a shell cooling system based on shower­ tuyeres and typically blow at 21,500 m3/h. All converters cooling in the area of the vessel opposite the tuyeres; this are equipped with the ANAT puncher. The larger Hoboken has proven effective in extending campaign life. converters at Inspiration, 4.3 m X 11.6 m (14 ft X 38 ft) The Outokumpu flash furnace also makes extensive use typically blow at 30,600 m3/h (18,000 scfm) to produce of cooled sections.75 The reaction shaft is cooled by water about 11,000 short tons of copper per campaign. It is worth sprays. A reaction shaft boiler has been piloted in which no noting that the operation of the Gaspe puncher at the refractory was used and a one inch slag skull was formed with Saganoseki smelter has been automated, with evidently water circulating in boiler tubes which make up the wall. good results; however, no details are available yet; Spray water jackets are also used on the side walls of the A symposium on gas-liquid metals injection technology Mitsubishi furnaces. 76 Erosion of the bottom of the smelt­ was held at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in April ing furnaces due to penetration of lance jets was evidently 1979, organized by the Department of Metallurgy and Engi~ a problem until the factors governing penetration were neering Materials at the University, in co-operation with understood and controlled to eliminate such erosion. As part the IMM and the Metals Society. 95 The presentations are of this work, a series of interesting room temperature ana­ published in a hard to get bound volume (the papers are logue experiments was conducted to relate the depth of listed in this review92 -106) and represent current work on penetration with jet characteristics. 77 This relationship the generally theoretical aspects of gas injection. The pro­ was used to assist in the redesign of the lance to operate at ceedings of the 1978 International Symposium, "Basic Oxy­ 120 metric toni d/ lance with acceptable refractory erosion. gen Steelmaking-A New Technology Emerges," have been The Inco oxygen furnace uses air je~ directly impinging on published. 31 As part of the Sidney Gilchrist Thomas cen­ the cold face. 62 A Russian paper,63 characteristically short tenary celebrations during 1979, the Metals Society organized but unusually noteworthy, refers to both a high conductivity a one-day symposium, "Developments in Metallurgy Con­ powder at the refractory/steel interface near converter trol in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking" in May 1979.32 The key­ tuyeres and the use of cooling coils imbedded in the refrac­ note paper, "100 Years of Basic Steelmaking," was prepared tory. by F.D. Richardson and J.H.E. Jeffes of Imperial College, A furnace shell, when subjected to forced cooling causes London. 33 Also organized by The Metals Society, a 1979 a higher specific heat extraction rate per unit area and gives International Conference34 in Amsterdam, The NetherlaJ;lds . rise to a steeper temperature gradient within the refractory. in September examined "The Steel Industry in the Eighties." Depending on parameters such as heat extraction rate, wall I It is stressed again that the nonferrous metallurgists should thickness, furnace temperature, melt composition, thermal not remain isolated from developments in iron and steel­ conductivity, etc., a solidified slag layer will be frozen at the ; making and the conference volumes just mentioned contain hot face, thus giving a protective layer. We see an increase in • many valuable papers for all extractive metallurgists. the application of cooling techniques in metallurgical furnace design. FURNACE COOLING A trend since at least the early 19708 has been the applica­ NICKEL METALLURGY tion of cooling to furnace shells. This technique is not new, An excellent operating paper'"' on developments at the of course. Reverberatory furnaces at the turn of the century, Kalgoorlie nickel smelter was presented at the 1979 Aus­ before basic refractories, were constructed with "air-cooled tralian IMM Annual Conference by the smelter staff. While bottoms," and copper blast furnaces have used water-cooled initial capacity of the Outokumpu unit was 200,000 metric jackets since the last century. In fact, the water-jacketed tons/year (1972), this was increased in 1974 to 320,000 copper blast furnace was introduced by the early Arizona metric tons/ year with 32% oxygen enrichment, and to smelters when refractory bricks were too expensive to pur­ 350,000 metric tons/year with installation of hearth elec­ chase and ship. It is interesting to recall the introduction of 61 trodes. These electrodes coupled with a lowering of the MgO water-jackets as described by James Douglas : level in the charge helped furnace operation. Following an agreement with Agnew Mining Limited for custom smelting, The Longfellow Copper Mine, in Arizona (near Bisbee), was opened (in the early 18708) when the nearest railroad a new larger flash smelting furnace, of radical design, to terminus was about seven hundred miles distant. As every treat 450,000 metric tons/ year with potential to 750,000 fire brick cost one dollar, their use for smelting a basic ore, metric tons/year when oxygen enrichment is employed, was such as the Longfellow then was, was out of the question. A commissioned in November 1978. The paper gives detailed furnace was built of plates of coarse copper, cast on the spot, operating data often lacking in many papers today. which were sprinkled with water. These, in time, were re­ The new furnace, containing both an oxidizing flash cham­ placed by copper boxes, open at top, through which cold water ber 6 m high and 7 m in diameter and a carbothermic elec­ flowed; it being found possible to make sound, hollow castings tric furnace reducing zone about 15 m long beyond the of the copper, alloyed with iron, which was the product of the uptake, requires a higher oxygen:concentrate ratio to furnace itself. These clumsy sections, out of which an effec­ tive water jacket was built, gave place to boiler-plate fur­ achieve a given nickel matte grade than the previous system naces in 1882. By that time the present type of water-jacket (separate electric slag cleaning furnace). Also, the mattes had come into general use for smelting both copper- and tapped tend to be metallized and have higher iron and lower lead-ores. sulfur contents79 due to the dilution and chemical effect

JOURNAL OF METALS· April, 1981 31 caused by the electric furnace slag cleaning. As expected, the overriding variable on slag losses (for -46 ±2% Ni 502 matte grade) was the magnetite content of the final slag. Distribution The discard slag averages 2-3% Fea0 4 , compared with 8-12% Fea0 4 in the slag entering the cleaning hearth. Fur­ ~~~~~~~~~40% nace slag losses are 0.36% Ni, 0.09% Cu, and 0.1 % Co com­ Roasters pared with 1.0-1.2% Ni, 0.12% Cu, and 0.12% Co in the previous furnace (before cleaning) and 0.25% Ni, 0.08% Cu, and 0.12% Co in the previous discard slag. Inco Metals' Indonesian operations are currently operat­ ing at slightly over 50% of capacity,117 start-up difficulties , , , having been overcome. Nickel production at Exmibal, Air Air Air Guatemala will be curtailed during 1981 because of low nickel prices and significantly higher oil prices. At Exmibal, ,.-__.. __ ~+ 10% which is totally dependent on fuel oil, operating costs in­ Oil Air-r.._____ .=t_ ... crease by about 5 cents per pound per $1 rise in the price of a barrel of oiL117 Reverberatory Furnace The cobalt price remained strong throughout 1979 but Bessemer .. dropped during 1980. 54•86 A higher cobalt recovery was Converters the aim of producers, including nickel smelters. Copper­ nickel converter operation can influence cobalt recovery to Bessemer matte. The effects of converter finishing practice ~------+'+10% on cobalt recovery at the Falconbridge Smelter were studied in matte and it was found that smelter cobalt recovery improved from 45 to 55% by better converter controL8! Similar improve­ Figure 3. SO, distribution, existing Copper Cliff smelting ments have been achieved by Inco Metals Company80 at process. its Copper Cliff and Thompson smelters.82 Inco operated a pilot electric furnace at its Copper Cliff smelter in which the recovery of cobalt from converter slags by carbothermic reduction was studied.82 Hydrometallurgical processes for the production of cobalt 502 Sulphuric were reviewed at the CIM Metallurgical Society Hydrometal­ Nickel Concentrate t Dist. ,.-Acid"!­ lurgy Section's Conference, "Cobalt 80."54 Currently at 10% 502 r-~~--~~~~+ 80% NCCM in Zambia, concentrator and cobalt plant modifica­ L.P~~ tions are being carried out and a new cobalt plant is under Markets construction. Plans are also being made to pyrometallurgi­ Fluid Bed to be found cally treat smelter slags by reduction to a matte (or alloy) Roasters to recover contained cobalt.1l4 , , It was announced1l6 that Inco Metals· Company was to Air Air carry out a pilot program at its Thompson, Manitoba smelter to test the applicability of an almost "dead" roasting and COkemr1hnn 2o/c SO reduction smelting process to sulfur dioxide containment at its Sudbury, Ontario operations. In essence, the nickel­ UUUU ~-5 % copper sulfide concentrate is fluid-bed roasted to give a Electric Furnacd sulfur-deficient, highly oxidized calcine. This calcine, mixed ..~ ___1_% ..... S..;;0;..; 2... 1 _ 5% with coke, is to be back-reduced and smelted in an electric Bessemer furnace. The furnace matte, also sulfur-deficient, will be Converter blown in traditional Peirce-Smith converters to a conven­ 10% tional composition, nickel-copper, iron-free Bessemer matte. 9 in Essentially all the sulfur elimination takes place in the '+ matte fluid bed roasters as a concentrated continuous S02 gas • Test Facility Construction 1980/ 81 stream suitable for fixation, while the smelting and con­ • Testwork and Evaluation 1981 / 82 verting operations are almost free of S02 emissions (Figures 3 and 4). While an energy penalty appears inevitable by this route, ease of capture of the S02 and decreased slag Figure 4. SO, distribution, process under commercial scale test at Thompson, Manitoba. losses in the electric furnace are expected to offset this deficit.

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A description of pilot slag cleaning tests on Falconbridge nickel converter slags using the Kennecott stirred electric In general, there seems to be increasing emphasis on slag furnace is given by Ammann et aL84 Copper, nickel, and cleaning of nickel- and other metal-bearing slags. Two papers cobalt cleaning is discussed. The following final matte/ slag are included in this review. A comparison of electric furnace distribution coefficients are given: slag cleaning with milling was given by Barnett of Rustenberg 83 Platinum Mines. He concludes that although recovery by Metal Ammann et aL 84 Previous Studies* milling is 7% greater than by electric furnace, and operating costs are similar ($US 5.3/ annual metric ton of slag), Ni 140 ± 39 60-110 capital costs for the electric furnace are half ($US 13.1 vs Co 4 - 30 12-16 $US 27.2/ annual metric ton of slag). Both economics and Cu 20 - 50 50 physiochemical mechanisms of slag cleaning are discussed in the paper. *Mostly Russian work

32 JOURNAL OF METALS· April, 1981 Lounder :3

Converter

~I I I I Granulation I I -50.------_T--~----_T--7_----~------~;{ H--r1'3rd I :2nd i_kim 1st ,skim: skim -60 Figure 5. Schematic diagram of oxygen potential for slags In former Western Mining nickel flash smelting circuit (after Floyd et al.68).

0; ~ -70

The effect of metal content in the matte phase on distribu­ It was concluded that the combustion of fossil fuels was the ,tion coefficients, particularly for Cu and Co was also indi­ major contributor of the S02 and NO x responsible for cated. Reduction times are given as 60~ 100 minutes with a acidification. However, nonferrous smelters were among the final magnetite content of 6-8% FeaO •. larger point sources and it must be anticipated that the A laboratory study of the distribution of cobalt between pressure for total S02 abatement for smelters will grow liquid copper and copper silicate slags was reported by accordingly. Towards this end, one large smelter, that ofInco Reddy and Healy.85 The melt oxygen potential is of great Metals Company in Sudbury, Canada announced80 an inno­ importance in determining slag losses in metallurgical sys­ vation in the mineral dressing operation that will reject some tems. In a highly significant paper,68 J.M. Floyd of the of the pyrrhotite presently being smelted to the tailings, thus CSIRO in Australia has described the first direct measure­ restricting S02 production. This same smelter reports three ment of the melt oxygen potential throughout a smelter studies88.89.!16 in which fugitive S02 emissions and particu­ circuit69 (Figure 5). Leeds and Northrup "Temp-O-Tips," lates from the smelter, converter, and furnace building were as used in the steel industry, were used to obtain the P02 measured. values at various points in the former smelter circuit at Proceedings of a U.S. EPA sponsored symposium on con­ Kalgoorlie. Correlations of oxygen potential with ferric:fer­ trol of particulate emissions in the primary nonferrous indus­ rous oxide ratio and nickel content were in accord with try have been published. 90 The symposium covered a broad equilibrium data in the literature, supporting the contention field and was well represented by many sectors of both the that the probes may be used both as a plant investigation regulatory and metal industries. ' tool and a means of obtaining thermodynamic data. The significant changes in /lo2 in Figure 5 show for the first time the actual variation in oxygen partial pressure as slag moves AND FOR THE FUTURE? through a smelter. As mentioned earlier, it seems clear that pyrometallurgical There were two conferences during 1980 of interest to processes will have to react at an increasing rate to the twin workers in slag chemistry. The July 1980 Joint AusIMM­ constraints of energy and environmental efficiency. At the MMIJ Symposium29 in Sydney, Australia featured several same time, especially in developed areas of the world, pro­ papers related to slags (in addition to smelting and pro­ ductivity increases will have to be made if producers are to cess papers, including the SIROSMELT process. 118) Al­ remain economically competitive. The last decade or so has though the proceedings have now been published,29 they seen increasing emphasis on development of continuous arrived too late to be included in detail in this review. The smelting-converting techniques. The ultimate goal is a August 1980 CIM Conference of Metallurgists in Halifax single vessel. included the International Symposium on Metallurgical One major problem, as we judge, has been the "plumbing." Slags. This symposium featured 61 papers encompassing Because of the high temperatures encountered in most non­ topics on thermodynamics of slags, slag-refractory inter­ ferrous pyrometallurgy, the materials of construction are actions, physical chemistry of nonferrous slags, transport limited and vessels and transfer systems are crude. The phenomena, and recovery of values from spent slags. The techniques of pumping and controlled flows, long enjoyed symposium papers will be published in the Canadian Metal­ by hydrometallurgists, are not readily available. Unfortun­ lurgical Quarterly; the first volume containing invited ately, use of oxygen as the reagent of choice in nonferrous papers is expected early in 1981. pyrometallurgical operations necessitates high temperatures to produce fluid products and reactants. It also dictates the formation of gaseous S02 from sulfide concentrates, whose ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL disposal is clearly a problem of increasing complexity. The new, major upswing in environmental control affect­ Maybe it is time for a serious study of alternative tech­ ing pyrometallurgical operations, especially sulfide smelters, nology, not bound by the oxygen-carbon type traditions. It is was partly provided by the emergence of the acid rain suggested that somewhere in the area of fused salt! halogen­ phenomenon 'as an international issue. A comprehensive electrochemistry and fuel cell technology may lie systems article in Scientific American87 drew public awareness to low enough in temperature to allow for hydrometallurgical the serious build-up of acidity of rain and to the correspond­ engineering approaches,but hot enough to support competi­ ing decreases in pH in lake water on unbuffered watersheds. tive kinetics, and concentrated enough to produce compact

JOURNAL OF METALS· April, 1981 33 reactor systems. From such systems may ensue novel chem­ 47. Per Lennart Nystedt, "Operation of a TBRC Plant for the Treatment of Lead-Bearing Dust," CIM Conference. see ref. 35. istry so that the traditional wasted iron and sulfur together 48. M.G. Burcher, M.A.T. Cocquerel. and J.G. Eacott. "A Study of Copper Smelting with conventional products and by-products can be recovered Reverberatory Furnace Desigo and Methods Available for Increasing Throughput," CIM Conference, see ref. 35. in a fully economic and environmentally acceptable manner. 49. F.R.A. Jorgensen. "Combustion of Chalcopyrite. Pyrite. Galena. and Sphalerite Under Simulated Suspension Smelting Conditions, 't ref. 29, p. 42-52. 50. V.R. Dunham and R.M. Chalasani. "Copper Refinery Tankhouse, Northern Canada: References Desigo and Construction Features," The Structural Engineer, 57 A (8) (August 1979) p. 1. W.E. Mike.ell. New Patterns of World Mineral Deuelopment. British-American Com­ 247-253. mittee. I Gough Square. London, EC4; reviewed in Mining Journal 293 (7524) (November 51. J. Achurra. R. Espinosa. and L. Torres. "Improvements in the Full Use of Oxygen in 2. 1979) p. 373-375. Reverb Furnaces at Caletones Smelter," TMS-AIME Paper Selection No. A77-91. 1977. 2. The Editors. World Mining 32 (ll) (October 1979); G.O. Argall. "Dexing will be Huge 52. I.C. Herbert. "Extractive Metallurgy, Mining Annual Review, 1977." Mining Journal, Copper Mining Operation." op. cit.• p. 98-99. London, June 1977. 3. British Columbia Copper Smelting and Refining Technologies Seminar. Organized by 53. P.E. Queneau and R. Schuhmanmn. Jr., "Metamorphosis of the Copper Reverberatory the British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Petroleum Resources, November 5-6, Furnace: Oxygen Sprinkle Smelting." J. Metal. 31 (12) (1979) p. 12-15. 1980, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 54. Cobalt '80, papers presented at the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 10th 4. P.J. Mackey and G.C. Balfour. "Pyrometallurgy." J. Metals 30 (4) (1978) p. 36-43. Annual Hydrometallurgical Meeting. compiled by I.M. Masters. Edmonton. October 26-28. 5. P.J. Mackey and G.C. Balfour. "Process Developments in Pyrometallurgy." J. Metals 1980. 31 (5) (1979) p. 12-13 and 36-41. 55. S. Rvotti. "The Description of a Mathematical Model for the Flash Smelting of Copper 6. Lead-Zinc-Tin 'BO. ed. by J.M. Cigan. T.S. Mackey. and T.J. O'Keefe, Proceedings of a Concentrates," Combustion and Flame 34 (1979) p. I-II. World Symposium on Metallurgy and Environment Control .ponsored by the TMS-AIME 56. F.R.A. Jorgensen, "Heat Transfer Mechanism in Ignition of Nickel Sulfide Concen­ Lead, Zinc. and Tin Committee at the 1000h AIME Annual Meeting. February 24-28. 1980, trate under Simulated Flash Smelting Conditions," Proceedings Austral•• Institute of La. Vega •• Nevada. The Metallurgical Society of AIME. N.V .• 1979. Mining and Metallurgy, (271) (September 1979) p. 21-25. 7. J.A. Wright. "Lead Industries into the 1980· .... reference 6. p. 3-12. 57. T.M. Voung and W.P. Imrie. "Energy Development in Nickel-Copper Smelting for 8. J.L. Broadhead. "Zinc in the 1980·s." reference 6. p. 13-27. Minimum Dependence on Oil Fuel," TMS-AIME paper selection ASO-43. 1980. 9. H.H. Kellogg. "Energy Use in Zinc Extraction.... reference 6. p. 28-47. 58. R. Nadkarni. K. Paraneswaran. and T.D. Chatwin. "Potential for the Use of Coal in Copper Smelting," paper presented at the 1000h AIME Annual Meeting, February 24-28, 10. T.R.A. Davey. "Advances in Lead. Zinc. and Tin Metallurgy-Projections for the 1980'.,' reference 6. p. 48-65; Ibid, "The Phy.ical Chemistry of Lead Refining," p. 477-507. 1980. Las Vegas. Nevada. 59. K. Hudson, R.N.T. Gilges. and D. Franklin. "The Use of Biomass Fuel in a Metallur­ ll. J.M. Floyd. "The Phy.ical Chemistry of Tin Smelting." reference 6, p. 508-531. gical Operation," paper presented at the 1000h AIME Annual Meeting. February 24-28, 12. G.M. Willi •• "The Phy.ical Chemi.try of Lead Extraction," reference 6. p. 457-476. 1980. Las Vegas, Nevada. 13. W. Schwartz. P. Fi.cher. P. Queneau. and R. Schuhmann. Jr .• "QSL-A Continuous SO. "Copper Metallurgy," Trani. AIME 106 (1933). a volume on copper metallurgy dedi­ Process for Environmentally Clean Lead Production," reference 6, p. 394-406. cated to James Douglas, containing 42 papers on smelting. refining, and leaching. 14. L. Fontaina. and R. Maes. "A Two-Step Process for Smelting Complex Pb-Cu-Zn 6!. James Douglas, "Summary of American Improvements and Inventions in Ore.Crushing Materials," reference 6. p. 375-393. and Concentration, and in the Metallurgy of Copper, Lead, Gold, Silver, Nickel, Aluminum, 15. K. Foo and J .M. Floyd. "Development of the Matte Fuming Process for Tin Recovery Zinc. Mercury, Antimony and Tin," Trani. AIME XXII (1893) p. 321-344. from Sulfide Materials," reference 6. p. 786-800. 62. T.N. Antonioni, Flash Smelting Furnace, U.S. Patent 4.143.865. March 13. 1979. 16. Canadian Mining Journal. "Carr Fork Project," June 1979, p. 44-45. 63. I.P. T.ibin. E.P. Taigil'dina, A.S. Telegin, L.I. Kuz'min. and R.A. Panfilov, "Thermo­ 17. Copper Studie., March 30. 1979. physical Characteristics of Packed Masses for the Cooling System of the Lining in Copper­ 18. W.G. Davenport. "Copper Smelting to the Vear 2000," Bull. Can. Inst. Min. Metall. Smelting Converters," Soviet Nonferrous Metals Research Transl. of Ezv. Vuz. Tsvet· 73 (813) (January 1980) p. 152-158. naya Metallurgia 4 (6) (1976), 19. Mining Journal, 293 (7512) (Augu.t 10. 1979) p. 103. 64. W.P.T. Nickel. P. Siewert, and G.W. Thornton, "Commissioning the Afton Copper 20. P.J. Mackey. Unpubli.hed Research. Laurentian University. Sudbury Ontario. 1979. Smelter," TMS-AIME paper selection A80-55. 1980. 21. Copper and Nickel Conuerters ed. by R.E. Johnson, Proceeding. of a Sympo.ium on 65. S. Dayton, "Utah Copper and the $280 Million Investment in Clean Air." EMJ ISO Converter Operating Practice•• ponsored by the TMS-AIME Pyrometallurgy Committee at (4) (April 1979) p. 72-63. the 108th AIME Annual Meeting. New Orlean •• Loui.iana, February 19-21, 1979, The 66. "CIPEC's Big Four," EMJ ISO (November 1979) p. 86-206. Metallurgical Sodety of AIME. N.V .• 1979. 67. P.E. Queneau and H.J. Roorda. "Nickel," Chapter 17 in Ullmann's Encyklopadie der 22. R.E. John.on. N.J. Themeli•• and G.A. Eltringham, "A Survey of Worldwide Copper Technischen Chemie, Verlag Chemie GmbH. Weinheim. 1979, p. 239·266. Converter Practices," reference 21, p. 1-32. 68. J.M. Floyd. D.S. Conachie, and N.C. Grave. "Measurement of Oxygen Potential in 23. G.E. Ca.ley, J. Middlin. and D. White. "Recent Development. in Reverberatory Fur­ Slags in a Nickel Smelter using Disposable-Tip EMF Cells," Proceedings Australas. nace and Converter Practice at the Mount Isa Mines Copper Smelter," Extractive Metal­ Institute or Mining and Metallurgy (270) (June 1979) p. 15-23. lurgy of Copper - Pyrometallurgy and Electrolytic Refining, ed. by J.C. Vannopoulos and 69. The Staff. "Recent Developments at Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter," paper presented at J.C. Agarwal, The Metallurgical Society of AIME. New Vork, N.Y .• 1976. p. 117-138. the Symposium, Recent Dev~lopments in Extractive Metallurgy, AU8. I.M.M. Annual 24. G.E. Casley, C. Naumann. and L. Derrick. "An Analysis of Detailed Activities of Con­ Conference. Kalgoorlie. W.A., August 19. 1979. verter Operations for Improved Productivity," reference 21, p. 56-SO 70. L.L. Lilja and J. Mikatalo. Procedure for Producing a Suspension of a Powdery Sub­ 25. P.J. Hansen, M.J. Morgan, and L.J. Hanschar, "Reverberatory Furnace Firing and stance and a Reaction Gas, U.S. Patent 4.147.535. April 3. 1979. Operating Practices on the Zambian Copperbelt," paper presented at the 1000h AIME An­ 71. S.A.I. Makipirtti and J.J. Kayhko, Process and Device for Suspension Smelting of nual Meeting, February 24-28, 1980, Las Vegas, Nevada. Finely Divided Oxide and/ or Sulfide Ores and Concentrates. Especially Copper and Nickel 26. N.J. Thell)elis. P. Tarassoff, and J. Szekely, "Gas-Liquid Momentum Transfer in a Concentrates Rich in Iron, U.S. Patent 4.139,371. February 13. 1979. Copper Converter," Tran•. TMS-AIME 245 (1969) p. 2425-2433. 72. D.A. Temple, "Extractive Metallurgy-A Glimpse of Things to Come." Presidential Ad­ 27. G.N. Oryall and J.K. Brimacombe. "The Physical Behavior of a Gas Jet Injected Hori­ dress to the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, May 17. 1979; The IMM. Lon­ zontally into Liquid Metal," Met. Trans. B 7B (1976) p. 391-403. don, 1979. 28. E.O. Haefele and J.K. Brimacombe, "Flow Regimes in Submerged Gas Injection," 73. R. Si.selman. "La Caridad Copper~ The World's Newest Greenfielda Copper Comple. Met. Trans. B lOB (1979) p. 631-648. Gives Mexico Something to Cheer About," EMJ ISO (10) (October 1979) p. 72-88. 29. Proceedings of the Australian/Japan Extractive Metallurgy Symposium, held in 74. J.B.W. Bailey and G.C. Balfour. "Refractory Practice for the Noranda Process," TMS­ Sydney, July 16-18. 1980, The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Melbourne, AIME paper selection No. A80-57, 1980. 1980. 75. B. Andersson. Y. Anjala, and T. Mantymaki, "Development Trends in Outokumpu 30 .. L. Demidowicz and W. Kozminski, "Copper Tuyere Punching Practice at Lubin Copper Flash Smelting Technology with Particular Reference to the Requirements on Furnace Re­ Minin'g and Merallurgical Copper Smelters," reference 21. p. 234-238. action Shaft Cooling Techniques and Refractories," TMS-AIME paper selection No. A80- 31. Ba ....dc Oxygen Steelmaking-A New Technology Emerges?, Proceedings of an Interna­ 26, 1980. tional Conference organized by The Metals Society. London. May 4-5. 1978. 76. M. Goto and T. Echigoya. "Refractory Practice and Application of Water Jackets in 32. Development.'i in Metallurgical Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking, Proceedings of Mitsubishi Process," TMS-AIME paper selection No. A80-19. 1980. a conference held as part- of the Sidney Gilchrist Thomas Centenary Celebrations, May 77. E. Kimura, "Lancing Mechanism in Mitsubishi Continuous Smeltin.g Furnace," paper 15, 1979; The Metals Society. London, 1979. presented at the symposium of the 140th Committee (Physico-Chemical Properties of Sub­ 33. F.D. Richardson and J.H.E. Jeffes, "100 Vears of Basic Steelmaking," paper presented stances at Metallurgical Temperatures), JapaneRe Society for Promotion of Science, October at conference in ref. 32. 31. 1979, Tokyo (in Japanese). 34. The Steel Industry in the Eighties, 'Proceedings of an International Conference organ­ 78. W.R. Opie, H.P. Rejcevic. and E.R. Querijero. "Dead Roasting and Blast Furnace ized by The Metals Society, Amsterdam, Netherlands. September 11-14, 1979; The Metals Smelting of Chalcopyrite Concentrate," TMS-AIME paper selection No. A79-11. 1979. Society, London. 1979. 79. M.L. Page. "A Minerological Study of Nickel Mattes from the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smel­ 35. W.G. Davenport. "Copper Metallurgy~A Look Toward the Future," paper presented ter, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia," paper presented at the 1000h AIME Annual Meeting, to the 18th Annual ConJerence of Metallurgists, sponsored by CIM, Sudbury, Ontario, February 24·28. 1980. Las Vega •• Nevada. August 19-23, 1979. 80. Inco Metals Company. Annual Report 1979. 36. J.S. Jacobi, "Optimization of Tankhouse Design," elM Conference. see ref. 35. 81. The Falcon, Canadian Nickel Division of Falconbridge Nickel Mines Ltd .• 13 (3) 37. P.M.J. Gray, "Investing in Technology for the Nonferrous lndustry." CIM Conference, (April 1979). see ref. 35. . 82. J.S. Diakow. V.F. Mak. and R.G. Orr. "Metallurgy of the Converting Process in the 38. M.C.· Bell, '.'Ba.ic Pyrometallurgical Research at Inco and its Application to Pro­ Thompson Smelter," paper presented at the 14th Annual Conference of Metallurgists, cessing." elM Conference, see ref. 35. CIM. Edmonton. Alberta. August 1975. 39. P.M .. I. Gray, "A Cost Basis for Development of Primary Copper Production Processes," 83. S.C.C. Barnett. "The Methods and Economics of Slag Cleaning." Min. Mag. 140 (5) Advances in Extractive Metallurgy 1977, ed. by M.J. Jones. The Institution of Mining and (1979) p. 408-417. Metallurgy, London, 1977, p. 147-151. 64. P.R. Ammann. J.J. Kim, and T.A. Loose. "The Kennecott Process for Nickel Slag 40 ..I.B.W. Bailey and A.G. Storey, "The Noranda Process after Six Vears' Operation." Cleaning," J. Metals 31 (2) (1979) p. 20-25. CIM Conference. see ref. 35. 85. R.G. Reddy and G.W. Healy. "Distribution of Cobalt between Liquid Copper and Cop­ 41. T.N. Antonioni, A.D. Church, C. Landolt, and E. Partelpoeg. "Operation of the Inco per Silicates." TMS-AIME paper selection A80-85, 1980. Flash Smelting Furnace with Recycle of Converter Slags," CIM Conference, se~ ref. 35. 86. R.J.M. Wyllie. "Cobalt," World Mining 32 (5) (May 1979) p. 40-43. 42. A.L. McKague, G.E. Norman, a~d J.F. Jackson. "Falconbridge Nickel Mines' New 87. G.E. Likens, R.F. Wright. J.N. Galloway. and T.J. Butler. "Acid Rain," Sci. American Smelting Process. Part 1: Concentrate Roasting." CIM Conference, see ref. 35. 241 (4) (October 1979) p. 43-51. 43. A.L. McKague. G.E. Norman. and J.F. Jackson, "Falconbridge Nickel Mines' New 88. A.D. Church. C. Landolt. and F. Boniakowski. "Measurement of Fugitive Particulate Smelting Process. Part II: Electric Furnace Smelting," CIM Conference, see ref. 35. and Sulfur Dioxide Emissions at Inco's Copper Cliff Smelter." paper presented at the 100th 44. P.H. Lindon, "Smelting and Slag Cleaning Processes in Electric Furnace Smelting of AIME Annual Meeting. New Orleans. Louisiana. February 18-22. 1979. Partially Roasted Nickel-Copper Sulfide Concentrates." CIM Conference, see ref. 35. 89. A.D. Church. C. Landolt. and F. Boniakowski. "Measurement of Sulphur Dioxide and 45. K.B. Chaudhuri. M. Koch. and J. Lema Patino. "The Technical·Scale Realization of Particulate Fugitive Emissions from the Nickel and Copper Converter Operations at Inco's the Kivcet Process for Lead," elM Conference, see ref. 35. Copper Cliff Smelter," CIM Conference. see ref. 35. 46. K.B'. Chaudhuri, "The Application of Top-Blowing Lances in CoppeiSmeltiflg." CIM 90. Control of Particulate Emissions in the Primary Nonferrous Metals Industries, Sym· Conference. see ref. 35. posium Proceedings. Del Monte Hyatt House. Monterey. California, March 18-21. 1979;

34 JOURNAL OF METALS· April, 1981 EPA-600/2-79-211. December 1979. ed. by R.L. Meek. Industrial Environmental Re ..arch Copper Section. Drilled with Water P ....ge. for Furnace and Heir.. hoff Roa.ter Applica­ Laboratory ProJection Agency. Cincinnati. Ohio. 1979. tion .... TMS-AIME paper selection A80-16. 1980. 91. Gas Injection into Liquid Metals. Proceedings of a One Day Meeting at University of 114. M.A.T. Cocquerel. "Development of a Plan to Increa.e Cobalt Production at Nchanga Newcastle upon Tyne. April 19. 1979. ed. by A.E. Wraith. The Institution of Mining and Consolidated Copper Mine. Limited." TMS-AIME paper selection A80-7. 1980. Metallurgy and The Metal. Society. 1979. 115. A.D. Church, C. Landolt, and F. Boniakowski. "Measurement of Fugitive Emissions 92. A. Felski. S.N. Waldron. and C. Moore. "Atmospheric Gases in Liquid Metal Pro­ from Inco's Copper Cliff Smelter," symposium on fugitive emissions sponsored by U.S. cesses," paper in ref. 91. EPA. New Orlean•• Louisiana. May 28-30. 1980. 93. M. Nilmani and D.G.C. Robertson. "Model Studi.. of Gas Injection at High Flow Rates 116. R. Orchard. "Emi•• ions Control Tackled by Inco." Canadian Mineral Processing. using Water and Mercury," paper in ref. 9l. 64 (7) (October 15. 1980) p. 43-46. 94. G .A. Irons and R.J.L. Guthrie. "Bubbling Behaviour in Molten Metal•• " paper in ref. 91. 117. C.F. Baird. "Remarks to European Financial Communiti..... Oct. 27-Nov. 5. 1980. 95. M.E. Chalkley and A.E. Wraith. "Gas Dispersion at an Annular Tuyere." paper in and to Metals and Mining Financial Analysts. Toronto and New York. December 16 and ref. 91. 17. 1980; Inco Metals Company. Toronto. 1980. 96. T.A. Engh. K. Larsen. and K. Vena •• "Penetration of Particle/ Gas Jet. into Liquids." 118. J.M. Floyd. N.C. Grave. and B.W. Lightfoot. "Small Pilot Plant Trial. of SIRO­ paper in ref. 91. SMELT Copper Smelting." ref.29. p. 63-74. 97. K. Mori, Y. Ozawa, and M. Sano, "Characterization of Jet Behaviour at a Submerged Orifice in Liquid Metal," paper in ref. 91. 98. G. Denier. J.C. Grosjean. and H. Zanetta. "Heat Transfer in Tuyeres for Oxygen Bot­ tom Blowing Converters," paper in ref. 91. 99. J .W. McKelliget. M. Cross. R.D. Gibson. and J.K. Brimacombe. "On the Modelling ABOUT THE AUTHORS of Submerged Ga. Jetes." paper in ref. 91. 100. T. Robertson and A.K. Sabharwal. "A Physical Modelling-Based Approach to Some Problem. Associated with Submerged Gas Injection into Liquid Metal Melts." paper in P.J. Mackey is program manager. Noranda ref. 91. Process. with Noranda Mines Limited. He re­ 101. D.S. Conochie and D.G.C. Robertson. "The Behaviour of the Third Phase Produced in ceived his BSc and PhD in metallurgical engi­ Gas Bubble-Liquid Reactions." paper in ref. 91. 102. D.S. Conochie and D.G.C. Robertson. "A Ternary Interfacial Energy Diagram." neering from the University of New South paper in ref. 91. Wales. Sydney. Australia. He joined Noranda 103. F.M. Aimone and K.A. Fern. "Mechanical Tuyere Punching of Copper Converters." Research Centre in 1969. He was smelter paper in ref. 91. technical superintendent at Noranda Mines 104. D.J. Hallett. P.R. Hendra. and R.J . Tait. "The Cupellation of Lead:Copper-Silver Bullion by the Bottom Injection of Oxygen." paper in ref. 91. Limited. Noranda. Quebec from 1974-1979. 105. N .A. McPherson. "Effects of Injecting Argon into the Mould of a Continuous Slab and was responsible for technical policy for Caster." paper in ref. 91. both operations and development at the large Noranda Smelter. 106. P. Ritakallio. "Nitrogen Alloying of Low Alloy Steel in the Ladle by Injection of Cal- . During 1979-1980. he was professor of metallurgy at Laurentian ciumcyanamide (CaeN,) Powder with Nitrogen (Nf ) 'as 8 Carrier Gas," paper in ref. 9l. 107. K. Potocnik. "Wall Design for Metallurgical Furnaces." TMS-AIME paper selection University. ABO·5. 1980. lOS. E.L. Bedell. "Ba. ic Fused Refractori .. -Their Application to Nonferrou. Processes." paper preaented at the 1000h AIME Annual Meeting. February 24-28. 19BO. Las Vegas. A.D. Church is superintendent of Technical Nevada. Services. Process Technology. in the Copper 109. R.I. Robertson and A.J. Morgan. "Refractory Development for the Nonferrous Indu.· Cliff Complex of INCO Metals Ltd. Sudbury, tries-Are We at a Crossroads?" paper preaented at the 1000h AIME Annual Meeting. February 24-28. 1980. Las Vegas. Nevada. Ontario. He was previously superintendent of 110. C.P. Carswell. M. Peatfield. and R.F. Spencer. "Laboratory Evaluation and Service Process Technology at the Copper Cliff Performance of Basic Refractory Materials in Severe Wear Areas of Nonferrous Furnaces," Smelter. and responsible for development of paper presented at the 1000h AIME Annual Meeting. February 24-28. 1980. La. Vega$. Nevada. metallurgical improvements and process and 111. M. Shima and Y. Itoh. "Flash Furnace Refractories in Japan." TMS-AIME paper environmental control. Prior to joining the selection ABO-34. 1980. smelter in 1976. he helo pOSitions in the Port 112. H. Parthel and E. Kaltner. "Stresse. and Wear ofChrome-Magne.ite Refractories in Col borne Research Stations and the J. Roy Gordon Research Copper Smelting Furnaces." paper presented at the 1000h AIME Annual Meeting. Feb· ruary 24-28. 1980. La. Vega •• Nevada. Lab of INCO Metals. He received his BSc from Brunei University. 1\3. T.C. Hunter and J .G. Reid. "The Development and Use of High Conductivity ETP London. England.

(Cont'd. from page 23) Contact Dr. R.P. Frankenthal, Bell Tele­ St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103; tele­ phone Labs., Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974; phone (215) 299-5504. telephone (201) 582-4032; or Dr. Florian Mansfeld, Rockwell International Science May 6-8, 1981: Third International Sym­ Center, 1049 Camino Dos Rios, P.O. Box May 12-14, 1981: International Symposium posium on Agglomeration; Nuremburg, 1085, Thousand Oaks, California 91360; tele­ . on Rolling Contact Fatigue Testing of West Germany; Exhibition Centre Nurem­ phone (805) 498-4545. Bearing Steels; Phoenix, Arizona; Hyatt berg. Regency. Contact NMA-Messezentrum, D-8500 Contact Harold M. Cobb, ASTM Stand­ Nuremberg 50; in the U.S. or Canada ards Development Division, 1916 Race St., contact Dr. M.O. Holowaty, Inland Steel May 11-14, 1981: Tenth International Die Casting Conference; Madrid, Spain; Hotel Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103; telephone Research Dept., 3001 E. Columbus Dr., (215) 299-5521. East Chicago; Indiana 46312. Melia -Castilla. Contact Zinc Development Association, 34 Berkeley Square, London WIX 6AJ, United Kingdom; telephone 01 499 6636; May 12-13. 1981: Sixth Conference on May 10-13, 1981: 38th Annual World Con­ telex 261286. Composite Materials: Testing and Design; ference on Magnesium; Houston, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona. Stouffer's Greenway Plaza Hotel. Contact Chairman I.M. Daniel, lIT Re­ Contact Betty Whaley, Secretariat, Inter­ search Institute, 10 W. 35th Street, Chi­ national Magnesium Association, 1406 Third May 12. 1981: Symposium on Industrial cago, Illinois 60616; telephone (312) 567-4402. National Building, Dayton, Ohio 45402; Methods for Testing in High-Temperature telephone (513) 223-0419. Environments; Phoenix, Arizona; Hyatt Regency. Contact James C. Hosier, Technical Dept., May 19-20, 1981: Fourth Metal Matrix Huntington Alloys, Inc., Huntington, West Composites .Technology Conference; Ar­ May 10-15, 1981: National Meeting of the lington. Virginia; Institute for Defense Electrochemical Society; Minneapolis, Virginia 25720; or Tom O'Toole, ASTM Minnesota. Standards Development Division, 1916 Race (Cont'd. on page 47)

JOURNAL OF METALS· April, 1981 35