METHOD FOR PROCESSING SULFIDE COPPER-NICKEL MATERIALS IN SUSPENDED STATE Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: non-ferrous metallurgy, possibly procession of sulfide concentrates containing heavy non-ferrous metals by melting in suspended state.

SUBSTANCE: method comprises steps of feeding into furnace for melting in suspended state disintegrated copper-nickel concentrates, fluxes, oxygen and solid reducing agent; melting them; separating products of melting by slag and matte; supplying reducing agent at melting process through charging hoppers placed in roof of furnace settler near reaction shaft; providing distribution of reducing agent on surface of melt no larger than 0.9 0f width half of settler bath from lengthwise axial line of furnace; starting supply of reducing agent when N hours are remained until termination of slag draining N = (0.8 - 0.9) L/v, where L - spacing from place of supplying reducing agent till slag outlets, v- motion speed of slag surface at draining it; interrupting supply of reducing agent simultaneously at termination of slag draining. According to invention slag of optimal content contains (%): copper, 0.302; nickel, 0.512; cobalt, 0.129, magnetite, 6.71. It provides lowered content of nickel in slag of furnace for suspended state melting by 1.4, copper - by 1.3, cobalt - by 1.4 times, Content of magnetite is lowered by 0.64 % abs. Lining of furnace and caissons are remained in working state.

EFFECT: increased useful life period of furnace, high degree of extraction of useful metals in product of melting - matte.

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