The Noranda process

Very fast smelting of copper can be accomplished in a converter by feeding the concentrate and supplying oxygen. The oxygen efficiency is high, no fuel is required, and the offgas is very high in SO2. Result: a process attractive economically and environmentally.

Oxygen Flash Smelting in a Converter

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the converting of copper matte that is the second half of the smelting/converting sequence by which most Cu–Fe sulfide concentrates are made into metallic copper. The process oxidizes the Fe and S from molten smelting furnace matte with oxygen-enriched air or air to produce molten metallic copper. It is most often carried out in the cylindrical Peirce–Smith converter, which blows the blast into molten matte through submerged tuyeres. The main raw material for converting is molten Cu–Fe–S matte from smelting. Other raw materials include silica flux, air, and industrial oxygen. Several Cu-bearing materials are recycled to the converter, such as solidified Cu-bearing reverts and copper scrap. The products of the process are: Molten blister copper (99% Cu, 0.02% S and 0.6% O), which is sent forward to fire refining for final S and O removal, then anode casting: molten Fe-silicate slag (4–8% Cu), which is sent to Cu recovery, then discard; SO2-bearing offgas, which is treated for heat, dust, and SO2 capture. All of the heat for converting comes from Fe and S oxidation. Peirce–Smith converting is a batch process. It produces SO2 intermittently and captures it somewhat inefficiently.

Converting of copper matte

Technical means already exist for control of sulfur oxide emissions and recovery of sulfur compounds from the smelting of copper, lead, and zinc. However, the cost of control is roughly proportional to the volume of offgas that must be treated, and the cost of sulfur recovery from certain operations will remain relatively high until the volumes of offgas are reduced.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/BF03355689.pdf

Sulfur Oxides Control and Metallurgical Technology

The sulphur problem and possible solutions

The oxygen converting test work, Tables VI and VII, provided sufficiently favorable and reproducible results to warrant installation of necessary facilities for commercial use of the process at the Utah smelter. All nine converters on the aisle were modified to permit enrichment of the blast air with oxygen and to provide for pneumatic feeding of concentrate and precipitate. The smelter material handling system was expanded to allow direct delivery of the moist material to 80 ton feed bins at each converter. An on-site oxygen, plant was constructed by the Linde Division, Union Carbide Corp., near the smelter plant; a high proportion of the oxygen will be directly delivered to the smelter for use in the oxygen converting process.

Direct Converter Smelting at Utah Using Oxygen

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Direct Converter Smelting at Utah Using Oxygen