Resource utilization of slag from desulphurization and slag skimming: A comprehensive recycling process of all components

Abstract

In order to make the slag from desulphurization and slag skimming (SDSS) to be comprehensively recycled and utilized, a combined process of beneficiation and building materials preparation was proposed to recover iron from SDSS, meanwhile to apply the remaining slag tailings as cement admixture. From this process, three iron-rich products were recovered in stages by clean gravity - magnetic separation, slag tailings were left. Slag powder was prepared by ultrafine grinding of slag tailings. The stability, setting time and cement mortar strength of the slag tailings cements (STC) which were mixed with Portland cement and slag powder were studied respectively. The results showed that a proper overall performance still could be obtained at the slag powder content of 30%. Chemical composition analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, metallographic microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis were employed to assess the characteristics of the SDSS and the products obtained from the whole process. The results indicated that the three iron-rich products could be used as a raw material for steelmaking and ironmaking and the relatively large amount of calcium silicate (C2S) and tricalcium silicate (C3S) in the slag tailings make the addition of slag powder into the Portland cement feasible.