NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
SCHOOL OF MINING AND METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING
SECTION OF METALLURGY AND MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY
LABORATORY OF METALLURGY
WP2: Technology Assessment
Dimitrios Panias
Ioanna Giannopoulou
Metallurgical Industries under study
Primary Copper production


“Balkhash” Copper Plant – Cathodic copper production (Kazakhstan)
“Geskazgan” Copper Plant – Cathodic copper production (Kazakhstan)
Primary Zinc production

“Balkhash” Zinc Plant – Cathodic zinc production (Kazakhstan)
Primary Aluminum production

“Zaporozhye Aluminum Mill” – Aluminum and Alumina production (Ukraine)
Iron and Steel production




Kosogorsky Metallurgical Plant – Cast iron production (Russia)
West-Siberian Integrated Steel Mill – Steel production (Russia)
JSC “Zaporozhstal” Integrated Iron & Steel Works – Iron & Steel production (Ukraine)
“Temirtau” Metallurgical Plant – Cast iron and Steel production (Kazakhstan)
Ferroalloys production


Kuznetsk Ferroalloys Works – Ferrosilicium production (Russia)
JSC “Zaporozhye Ferroalloy Plant” – Ferrosilicon and Silicomanganese production (Ukraine)
Search for Best Available Techniques in the production stages, in which
dusts are generated
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
Definition of Best Available Techniques - BAT
The term “Best Available Techniques” is defined in Article 2(11) of Council Directive
96/61/EC (IPPC Directive) as:
“the most effective and advanced stage in the development of activities and their
methods of operation, which indicate the practical suitability of particular techniques
for providing in principle the basis for emission limit values designed to prevent and,
where that is not practicable, generally to reduce emissions and the impacts on the
environment as a whole”.
Article 2(11) goes on to clarify further this definition as follows:
“techniques” includes both the technology used and the way in which the
installation is designed, built, maintained, operated and decommissioned;
“available” techniques are those developed on a scale which allows
implementation in the relevant industrial sector, under economically and
technically viable conditions, taking into consideration the costs and advantages;
“best” means most effective in achieving a high general level of protection of the
environment as a whole.
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
Methodology in WP2 on searching for production BAT
1. Typical flow diagram of the production process for each
one of the industrial sectors under study
2. Identification of the production stages where dusts are
produced
3. Search for Best Available Production Techniques in these
stages:
Reference Document of E.C. on BAT in Non-Ferrous Metals
Industries
Reference Document of E.C. on BAT in Iron and Steal Production
Reference Document of E.C. on BAT in Ferrous Metals Processing
Industry
Other documents (publications, patents, etc.)
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
The E.C. Reference Documents on BAT
Article 16(2) of IPPC Directive requires the Commission to organize “an
exchange of information between Member States and the industries concerned
on best available techniques, associated monitoring and developments in
them” and to publish the results of exchange.
The aim of Reference Documents on BAT is to reflect accurately the
exchange of information and to provide reference information for the guidance
of industry, Member States and the public on achievable emission and
consumption levels when using specific techniques.
By providing relevant information on BAT these documents should act as
valuable tools to drive environmental performance.
Reference Documents on BAT do not set legally binding standards. The
appropriate limit values for any specific case will need to be determined taking
into account the objectives of the IPPC Directive and the local considerations.
Best Available Techniques are influenced by a number of factors and for this
reason, a methodology of examining the existing techniques is necessary for
their consideration to BAT.
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
Case study 1: Primary Copper Production
Typical flow diagram of Primary Copper production process - Pyrometallurgical Route
INPUTS
PROCESS STAGES
Charge Preparation
Dust
Drying
Dust
Concentrate
Fluxes,
Oxygen
OUTPUTS
Roasting
Smelting
Dust
Slag
SO2
H2SO4 plant
Dust
Matte
Flux, Scrap,
Air, Oxygen
Slag treatment
Converting
Batch
Continuous
Converting
Converting
Slag SO2
Final Slag
Slag Concentrate
Dust
Blister Copper (> 98,5 % Cu)
Reductant,
Scrap, Air
Fire Refining & Anodes Casting
Slag
Dust
Copper Anodes
Anode scrap
2nd Progress Meeting
Secondary
Smelters
Electrolytic Refining
Anodic Slime
Copper
Cathodes
Precious
Metals
Production
Melting,
Casting of
Shapes,
Wire-rod
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
Considering and determining BAT
Charge Preparation
Drying
Roasting
Smelting
Methodology
used in examining
existing
techniques
on Primary
Mainkey
factors
affecting
the
choice
of BAT
in Non-Ferrous
Metals
The
environmental
issues
of the
the
refined
copper
industry
are
Copper
Production
Industry:
Industry:
air
and water
pollution:


Is
process
industrially
proven
and reliable?
The
choice
of process
depends
strongly
on the raw materials that are
SO
emission
2the


Are there limitations in the feed material that can be processed? (e.g.
Dust







Converting
Fire-Refining &
Anode Casting
Slag treatment
2nd Progress Meeting





available to a particular site (composition, presence of other included
metals,
sizesmelting
distribution
theare
potential
to form
dust
and
in
primary
someincluding
processes
suited for
“clean”
concentrate
Metal
oxide
fumes
degree
of contamination
by organic
material). Raw materials may be
and
others
for complex feed
smelting).
primary raw materials available from single or multiple sources,
Organic
The
typecompounds
ofraw
feed
and other
it (e.g. Pb, Zn)
secondary
materials
of metals
varyingcontained
quality or in
a combination
of
influences
process
selection.
Wastewater
primary and secondary raw materials.
Are
production
level
constraints?
(e.g.
a best
proven
a
Residues
(furnace
sludge,
filter
dust,
slag,
etc.)limit or
The there
process
must belinings,
suitable
for use with
the
gasupper
collection
and
minimum
required
to be economic).
abatementthroughput
systems that
are available.
The fume collection and
abatement
processes
will depend
on the characteristics
of the
Can
latest and
efficientused
collection
and abatement
techniques be
main processes
(processes that avoid ladle transfers are easier to
applied
to the process?
seal, processes that are able to treat recycled materials more easily
Can the process and abatement combinations achieve the lowest
reduce the wider environmental impact by preventing disposal).
emission levels?
The water and waste issues have been taken into account, in
Are there other aspects related to processes (such as safety)?
particular the minimization of wastes and the potential to reuse
residues and water within the process or by other processes.
The energy used by the process and abatement processes.
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
BAT for “Charge Preparation”
Charge Preparation
Charge Preparation
Best Available Techniques
Raw materials
Drying
Coal and coke
Fuel and other oils
Roasting
Fluxes
Smelting
Copper Products - Cathodes,
wire-rod, copper billets and cakes
Fine dust
Converting
Coars dust (raw material or
granulated slag)
Fire-refining &
Anode casting
Whole Items
Lump (raw material or slag)
Covered conveyors if non dusty.
Pneumatic.
Tanks or drums in bunded areas
Secure pipeline or manual syste
Open on concrete
Enclosed conveyors with dust
collection. Pneumatic
Enclosed (Silo) if required
If dust forming
Concentrates
Covered Bays, Silos
Enclosed with dust collection.
Pneumatic
Enclosed unless non-dust forming
S
t
o
r
a
g
e
Open concrete area or covered storage
Enclosed
Covered Bays
Open
Open or Covered Bays
H
a
n
d
l
i
n
g
Enclosed with dust collection.
Pneumatic
Mechanical loader
Mechanical loader
Mechanical loader
Swarf
Covered storage
Charge skips
Cable
Open
Mechanical loader
Slag treatment
Circuit Boards
Covered Bays
Process Residues for recovery
Open, covered or enclosed depending on
dust formation
Depends on conditions
Wastes for Disposal (e.g. furnace
linings)
Open, covered or enclosed bays or sealed
(drums) depending on the material
Depends on conditions
2nd Progress Meeting
Mechanical loader
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
Blending with concentrates or
other materials
P
r
e
t
r
e
a
t
m
e
n
t
Blending using conveyors.
Drying
Blending, Agglomeration
De-oiling if necessary
Swarf drying or de-oiling
De-coating
Grinding + density separation
BAT for “Drying”
Drying
Charge Preparation
Best Available Techniques
Drying
Raw Materials
Direct drying - heat from a burner or a steam jet.
Indirectly - steam or hot air in heat exchanger coils.
Roasting
Drying at low
temperatures.
Furnaces
Concentrates.
Flash dryers.
Steam coil dryers.
Fluidized Bed Dryers.
Ores, Concentrates.
Rotary Kiln.
Smelting
Converting
Fire-refining &
Anode casting
Slag treatment
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
Comment
Extraction and
abatement system
for collecting dusty
gases is necessary.
BAT for “Roasting and Smelting”
Charge Preparation
Roasting and Smelting
Best Available Techniques
OutokumpuDrying
Flash Furnace (high oxygen enrichment for
normal copper concentrate) smelting to matte
Matte conversion in Peirce-Smith Converter (or similar) to
blister copper
Roasting
Raw materials
Concentrate and
copper scrap.
Abatement
Advantages
techniques
High smelting rate.
High quality matte.
Long furnace lining
life (5-10 years).
Gas Collection
Disadvantages
Comparatively higher
Sealed Furnace.
investment
but lower
operating cost.
Slag cleaning in Electric Furnace or by flotation
Process
gas:
According to the E. C. Reference Document on BAT
in
the Non-Ferrous
Acid
Plant.
Smelting
Partial roasting
of concentrates in a Fluid Bed Roaster
Normal and complex
Collection and
Metals
Industry:
concentrates,
Electric Furnace Smelting to matte
cleaning
Compact.techniques Two
low grade secondary
Sealed
Furnace.
stages
process.
“the
information
available
for
the
Baiyin
and
the
Vanyucov
smelting
for
fumes.
Matte conversion to blister copper in Peirce-Smith Converter
materials,
Waterallow
treatment
Converting
copper scrap.
processes
is limited and at the moment,
it does not
an evaluation to
Slag
cleaning by fuming
plants.
produce matte
ISA
Furnace
beSmelt
made
intoregard
to their potentialConcentrate
as BAT”.
High smelting rate.
and
Requires a settler to
Hooded.
Variety of fuels.
copper
scrap.
separate matte and slag.
Matte
conversion
to
blister
copper
in
Peirce-Smith
Converter
[tmFire-refining
137, Copper
& Expert Group 1998].
Noranda / EI Teniente Furnace Smelting to matte
Anode casting
Matte conversion to blister copper in Peirce-Smith Converter
Contop Smelting Furnace to produce matte
Slag treatment
Peirce-Smith Converter for matte conversion to blister copper
Concentrate and
copper scrap.
Compact. Low
cost.
Short furnace lining life
Hooded.
(~ 2 years).
Copper concentrate.
High Bi and Zn
removal.
Sealed.
Low
throughput.
Copper concentrate.
High smelting rate.
High quality matte.
Autogeneous 100% O2
used
resulting in a
Sealed.
narrow operating
window.
INCO Flash Furnace smelting to matte
Peirce-Smith Converter for matte conversion to blister copper
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
BAT for “Roasting and Smelting”
Integrated Smelting Processes
Best Available Techniques
Mitsubishi
Continuous, Coupled Process
Outokumpu - Kennecott Flash
Smelting and Converting Process
Continuous, Uncoupled Process
Furnaces
Advantages
Disadvantages
3 interconnected furnaces:
Bath Smelting furnace,
Electric slag cleaning
furnace and Converting
Furnace.
High smelting rate.
Do not depend on ladle
transfer of molten matte
and other materials and
is therefore inherently
cleaner technique.
Some limitations in feed.
Coupled unit operation
with effect on efficiency of
the complete line.
Sulphur content of blister
copper.
Outokumpu Flash furnace
for smelting and converting.
Surge storage of ground
matte. No ladle transfer.
Comparatively higher
investment cost but low
direct operating cost.
Outokumpu - Kennecott Process
Mitsubishi Process
Sealed furnaces,
capacity up to
~ 300000 t of
copper/year
Sealed furnaces, capacity up to ~ 240000 t of copper/y
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
BAT for “Converting”
Converting
Charge Preparation
Drying
Best Available Techniques
Batch Converting
Raw material
Advantages
Capacity
Disadvantages
Gas collection
Peirce-Smith
Converter
Roasting
Simple proven technology. Melting of anodes and other scrap.
~ 100 - 250 t per
Relies on land
Primary
and Secondary
hoods.
Robust and flexible. Good metallurgical performance.
Fuming
off
batch of copper
transfers.
included metals, such as Pb and Zn, which can then be recovered.
Hoboken Smelting
Converter
Molten matte
Gas collection easier.
ISA Smelt Furnace
Operation under reducing conditions (oxidization of Fe,
Hoofs, gas cooling and cleaning
~ 40 000 t per year
elimination of Zn or Sn).
Converting
The Peirce - Smith Converter
Fire-refining
Best
Available& Techniques
Anode casting
Mitsubishi process Converter
Slag treatment
Kennecott - Outokumpu Flash
2nd Progress Meeting
~ 50 - 100 t per
batch of copper
Siphon for primary gasBlockages
collection in goose
neck. Ladle transfer.
Transfer of materials is a potential source of fugitive fume that contains dust,
metals and sulphur
dioxide.
Continuous
Converting
• The ladle or skip used for feeding can interfere with the efficient positioning
of the
fumematerial
collector
hoods.Capacity
Raw
Gas
Advantages
Disadvantages
• Good operation of the converter therefore relies collection
on the use of primary and
arrangement in
to ~ during
240000
Clean process.
EmissionUp
control
does not
rely as andDifficult
secondary
fume collection
hoods
charging
pouring to collect as
existing
plants. Closely
Ground
t of operation
copper
percare.
much
onmatte.
maintenance
and
much
fugitive
fume as possible.
Dusts,
fluxes, carburant,
scrap
etc.
can be
coupled
with
smelting
High
SO2 in off-gases.
added
through
the hood. year.
Sealed. process.
• Automatic controls can prevent blowing during the periods that the
To day only applied in
to ~ 300000
converter is “rolled out” orUp“rolled
in” again.
one smelter in EU.
t of copper per
Molten
High SOmatte.
2 in off-gases. Surge storage of matte.
Converter
A second one
under
These processes and the techniques
for
control
and
fume
collection
are issuitable
year
Sealed.
construction.
for use with new and existing installations and are techniques
to be consider.
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
BAT for “Fire-refining & Anode casting”
Charge Preparation
Fire-Refining & Anode Casting
Best Available Techniques
Drying
Anode Furnace
Reverberatory
Furnace
Roasting
Smelting
Contimelt (continuous process)
Furnace
Raw material
Rotary furnace with
submerged tuyeres.
Blister or black copper.
Molten feed.
Rectangular or
circular Bath furnace
Blister copper. Copper
scrap. Solid and
molten feed.
2 interconnected
furnaces: a hearth
shaft furnace and a
drum furnace.
Blister copper. High
grade copper scrap.
Anode scrap. Solid
feed.
Gas
collection
Enclosure system.
Hoods and covered
launders.
Enclosure system.
Comment
Satisfactory
recovery rate.
Low melting
efficiency.
Controlled
operating
conditions.
Heat recovery.
Converting
• Casting of molten copper from the Anode Furnace into a casting wheel: a series of anode shaped
moulds on the circumference of a rotating table.
• As Fire-refining
an alternative to&the stop-to-cast mould on a wheel system, copper anodes are produced
Anode casting
continuously
using a Hazelett twin belt caster. A copper strip with the desired anode thickness is
produced. From the strip anodes can be obtained by shearing into the traditional anode shape or,
• According to the “Contilanod” system by casting anode lugs in special side dam blocs spaced in
Slag treatment
defined intervals in the caster. The pre-formed anodes plates are cut off using a plasma torch or
special shears. Advantage: uniformity of the anodes produced – Disadvantage: carefully
maintenance, high operating cost.
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
BAT for “Slag treatment”
Charge Preparation
Slag treatment
Process sources of slag: Smelter, Converter, Slag Furnace, Refining (anode) Furnace
Drying
Comment
Best Available Techniques
Decopperized slag (from slag furnace) has several useful properties
that allow its use in civil engineering sector (abrasive and construction
materials) and as a short-blasting medium.
Roasting
Electric Furnace
Smelting
Slow cooling – separation of copper rich
portion (concentrate flotation unit)
Good operation for slags rich in copper, such as converter slag.
InternalConverting
Recycle
Re-circulation of slags from smelter, converter and refining furnace into
the smelting furnace.
Rotary Furnace - injection of coal into the
slag bath
Fire-refining &
Anode casting
The Slag
use and
the recycling of slags produced in the different production
treatment
stages is considered to be part of the process.
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
Future Work on WP2 for production BAT
1. Complete the search for production BAT in the case of
Primary Copper production
2. Perform same work for the following industrial sectors:
• Primary Zinc production
• Primary Aluminum and Alumina production
• Iron and Steel production
• Ferroalloys production
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007
Thank you
for your attention!
2nd Progress Meeting
Aachen - Germany, 31 - 08 - 2007