Depletion of converter slags to waste in the Vanyukov furnace during pyrometallurgical copper production at JSC Almalyk MMC

Abstract

The article shows the possibility of involving man-made formations in the pyrometallurgical production of copper in the form of slag and clinker-zinc production for the purpose of comprehensive extraction of non-ferrous and precious metals from them at Almalyk MMC JSC. Clinker, a technogenic waste from zinc production, contains a significant amount of reducing elements in the form of metallic iron and carbon, as well as gold in the amount of 2.3 g/t and silver 250 g/t. In research, clinker works as a reducer of magnetite contained in the converter slag during its depletion and in the process of depletion (reduction) of the converter slag, noble metals are extracted into matte, and then into blister copper up to 95-98%. Converter slags from copper production of Almalyk MMC JSC contain 2.0-3.5% copper, and they, as a circulating product, are depleted in a reverberatory furnace with copper extraction of 75%. To increase the yield of copper from converter slag in Vanyukov furnaces, it is necessary to first deplete the converter slag in reduction processes and then transfer it for processing. It was found that using clinker, a technogenic waste from zinc production with a particle size of +5 - -10 mm, the recovery of converter slag in a converter from magnetite to wustite using the developed technology in 10-15 minutes exceeded more than 50.0% (the amount of magnetite decreased from 21.9 % to 9.8%). As a result of processing recovered converter slags in the Vanyukov furnace, it was possible to reduce the copper content in converter slags of copper production from 2.2-3.5% to 0.58-0.72% in waste slag. To increase the yield of copper from converter slag in the reverberatory and Vanyukov furnaces, it is necessary to first deplete the converter slag in reduction processes and then transfer it for processing.