Ferro-silico-manganese production from manganese ore and copper smelting slag

Abstract

Utilization of smelter by-products, such as metal scrap, slag, flue-dust, and other residues, is necessary if the goal of zero waste in metal production is to be achieved. One of the possible utilizations of the by-products is by using them as raw materials for the production of commercial metals or alloys. Laboratory experiments of the production of ferro-silico-manganese alloy using manganese ore and copper smelting slag as raw materials were carried out in the present study. Manganese ore and different amounts of copper smelting slag were reduced by bituminous coal at final holding temperatures of 1450, 1500 and 1550 °C. The equilibrium compositions and phases were predicted by FactSage thermodynamic software and were used to assist the analysis of the present experimental results. The influences of temperature and the addition of copper smelting slag on the metal product size, total metal recovery, metal composition, and recoveries of elements in the metal product were determined. The final slag obtained from the reduction process were also characterized. The present study demonstrates the possibility of producing ferro-silico-manganese by utilizing manganese ore and copper smelting slag as raw materials.