Services on Demand
Article
Indicators
Related links
Cited by Google
Similars in Google
Share
Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
On-line version ISSN 2411-9717
Print version ISSN 2225-6253
Abstract
COIMBRA, V.S. et al. Carbothermic reduction of a willemite concentrate for use in the Waelz process. J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. [online]. 2023, vol.123, n.11, pp.513-520. ISSN 2411-9717. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2411-9717/2516/2023.
A willemite concentrate consisting mainly of willemite (55.3%) and dolomite (15.6%) was reduced in a tube furnace with charcoal as reductant. The effects of temperature and varying reductant additions on zinc extraction were studied. A zinc recovery of 86% was achieved with 20% reductant in the charge at 1100°C. During reduction, the calcium oxide generated through calcination of the dolomite promoted decomposition of the willemite, thus lowering the temperature at which reduction took place. The presence of CaO improved the zinc recovery at all temperatures studied. The best zinc recovery (93%) was obtained in the presence of 5% CaO, 20% charcoal reductant, and at a temperature of 1100°C. The results show that the willemite concentrate studied has great potential to be used as a raw material for the Waelz process.
Keywords : willemite; carbothermic reduction; zinc smelting; Waelz process; non-sulphide zinc ore; calcium oxide.
![](/img/en/iconPDFDocument.gif)