Abstract: A method of smelting zinc in a blast furnace wherein the furnace is charged sequentially with separate loads of coke and agglomerated zinc oxide material, wherein, for a major proportion of the total operating time which is devoted to coke charging, from 25% to 50% by weight of the coke charged is directed towards the center of the furnace shaft so as to promote a coke-rich charge core, the remainder of the coke charged being directed towards the furnace walls, and wherein for a minor proportion of the said total operating time from 80% to 95% by weight of the coke charged is directed towards the walls of the furnace shaft to aid accretion melting, the remainder of the coke charged being directed towards the center of the furnace shaft.

Abstract: A method of leaching copper values from copper dross obtained from pyro-metallurgical lead bullion by contacting finely-divided particles of the copper dross with an aqueous ammoniacal solution, preferably a solution of ammonium carbonate and ammonium hydroxide, to dissolve copper from the dross. The leaching will usually be carried out in a gas containing free oxygen and the leaching solution may advantageously contain sulphate ions in addition to carbonate ions.

Abstract: Producing a briquetted oxidic feed for a blast furnace by pelletizing very fine zinc oxide or zinc oxide and lead oxide powder into pellets having an average diameter of from 2 to 10 millimeters prior to briquetting the oxide pellets at a temperature of from 500.degree. to 800.degree.C and a pressure of from 1 to 20 tons/square inch.