Production of blister copper in a rotary furnace from calcined copper-iron concentrates

A method for the production of blister copper from copper-iron concentrate containing about 15 to 45% Cu, about 15 to 40% Fe, about 20 to 45% S, the total Cu, Fe and S content being at least about 85% and the balance gangue and residual metals which comprises,

• dead roasting said sulfide concentrate at a temperature above 800.degree. C to remove the sulfur therefrom and form a calcine containing ferric iron oxide as evidenced by the presence of substantial amounts of magnetic copper ferrite,
• forming a smeltable charge in a rotary furnace comprising said calcine mixed with particulate carbonaceous reducing agent correlated to reduce copper oxide in said calcine and reduce said ferric iron oxide to FeO,
• the amount of said carbonaceous reducing agent ranging from about 4 to 10% by weight of said calcine,
• said charge also containing slag-forming constituents comprising SiO.sub.2 proportioned to combine with reduced iron oxide and provide a slag having a melting point below 1250.degree. C and having an Fe/SiO.sub.2 ratio of about 1.2:1 to 4:1,
• subjecting said charge to heating to a smelting temperature above the melting point of copper by directing a combusting stream of oxygen and a hydrocarbon fuel axially into said rotatable furnace from one end thereof while causing said charge to cascade by rotating said furnace,
• the ratio of said oxygen to said hydrocarbon fuel being at least sufficient to effect substantially complete combustion of said fuel plus an excess of oxygen ranging from about 3% to 10% by volume,
• continuing cascading said charge in said furnace, the residence time of said charge in said furnace being sufficient to reduce rapidly the copper oxide to molten blister copper containing less than about 1% iron and to form a molten fluid slag,
• and then separating said blister copper from said slag.