Process and apparatus for extracting zinc
AssigneeThe Australian Steel Company (Operations) Pty Ltd
InventorsDavid Wilson, Giuseppe Italiano
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Abstract
A process and apparatus for extraction of zinc from a material containing one or more iron oxides and zinc oxide which facilitate heating a composite body of the material and a carbonaceous material in a reduction zone. The reduction zone contains a reducing atmosphere at a temperature insufficient to effect melting of the iron in the material but at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a reductant from the carbonaceous material and to reduce a predetermined amount of the zinc oxide to zinc vapour. The process and apparatus also facilitate collecting the zinc vapour and cooling it to form liquefied or solid zinc.
Claims32
A process for extraction of zinc from a material containing one or more iron oxides and zinc oxide, said process comprising:
- (a) heating a composite body of said material and a carbonaceous material in a reduction zone containing a reducing atmosphere at a temperature insufficient to effect melting of the iron in the material at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a reductant from said carbonaceous material and to reduce a predetermined amount of the zinc oxide to zinc vapour;
- and
- (b) collecting said zinc vapour and cooling it to form liquefied or solid zinc.
Apparatus for extraction of zinc from a material containing one or more iron oxides and zinc oxide, comprising
- a first furnace chamber for receiving composite bodies that include said material and a carbonaceous material, wherein the first furnace chamber defines a reduction zone in which said composite bodies may be heated at a temperature insufficient to effect melting of the iron in the material but at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a reductant from said carbonaceous material and to reduce a predetermined amount of the zinc oxide to zinc vapour;
- a first arrangement configured to collects said zinc vapour from the first furnace chamber;
- and
- a second arrangement configured to receive said collected zinc vapour for cooling the vapour to form liquefied or solid zinc.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.