Abstract: The present invention focuses on the method for the removal of impurities, such as tellurium and bismuth, from gold concentrate containing sulfides. According to the present method, the impurities are leached from the gold concentrate with the aid of an acidic aqueous solution, at an elevated temperature, whereby the impurities dissolve and the gold remains in the concentrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for sintering ferroalloy materials in a continuously operated band sintering process, in which method the pellets to be sintered are arranged on the sintering underlay as an essentially even pellet bed, which pellet bed is conveyed on the sintering underlay through the various steps of the sintering process, and in connection with the sintering process, gas is conducted through the pellet bed. According to the invention, at least the major part of the carbon-bearing material needed for heating the pellet bed up to the sintering temperature is fed onto the surface of ready-made pellets prior to bringing the pellets to the sintering step.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bottom structure of a suspension smelting furnace to be used in a smelting furnace (1), in the reaction space (2) whereof of sulfidic raw material containing metal, such as copper, nickel or lead, is smelted in the presence of an oxygen-bearing gas and slag-forming agent, in order to render the metal in a form that is advantageous for further treatment, and where the created molten phases (5, 6) are settled onto the bottom (3) of the smelting furnace in order to separate the molten phases form each other, when the temperature of the molten phases is within the range 1150-1450° C. According to the invention, the bottom structure includes at least one arched lining layer (7) inclined in the longitudinal direction of the smelting furnace, so that the temperature on the surface (89 that is opposite to the surface that gets into contact with the molten phase is below 800° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of clarifying and/or thickening a solution containing solids i.e. a slurry, and the apparatus for accomplishing this. Using the method and apparatus of the present invention, the slurry to be fed into the clarification or thickening apparatus is distributed evenly into the slurry already in the tank. It is characteristic of the clarification tank now developed that the displacement capacity of the raking system in the tank is the same from the edges of the tank up to the centre. The displacement capacity is measured as being the same as the underflow discharge capacity from the centre of the tank. The displacement capacity can be determined to be the same using rake displacement plates of different heights, according to the distance of the displacement plates from the rake shaft and the number of plates rotating on the same ring-like cross-section.

Abstract: A filter press for filtering suspensions includes plural parallel filter plates that can be displaced relative to one another. In a filtering position, the filter plates are compressed to a package that forms a filter chamber provided with at least one filter cloth between neighboring filter plates. In a discharge position, neighboring filter plates are moved apart by a discharge distance so that a filter cake adhering to the filter cloth can be discharged. Every filter chamber is provided with at least one filling element for feeding the suspension to the filter chamber. The filling element is disposed on a protruding part that protrudes beyond a plate body face or contour and within a sealing edge on the periphery of the filter plates. In the filtering position, the filling elements are sealingly clamped between neighboring filter plates and form a suspension supply channel that extends through the filter plate package.

Abstract: The invention relates to a filter element with improved corrosion and heat resistance and structural properties to be used in filtering solids containing material in order to achieve a filter cake of solid material on at least one external surface area of the filter element. According to the invention, at least one part of the external surface area of the filter element separated from the external surface area for forming the filter cake is provided with at least one corrosion and heat resistant polymer-based material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooling element provided with louvers to be used in a heat exchanger under the influence of passing cooling medium used for cooling another medium flowing inside a circulating element whereto the cooling element is bounded by a contact area on one edge, and the louvers form an angle with the surface of the cooling element. According to the invention the cooling element is positioned so that the cooling element forms a substantially equal angle to the longitudinal direction of the circulating element as the louvers form to the surface of the cooling element.

Abstract: The Invention relates to a flotation machine (1) which at least consists of a flotation cell (2) having a means for feeding slurry in the flotation cell, a gas dispersion mechanism (3) for feeding gas into the slurry and producing froth, a means for removing froth from the flotation cell and a means for removing tailings from the flotation cell, when there is arranged at least one guiding device (4) near the gas dispersion mechanism (3) in order to guide the dispersed gas (5) away from the gas dispersion mechanism (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for conveying electrodes, used in the electrolytic refining or electrowinning of metals, from one station to another, particularly when the electrodes are conveyed in an essentially perpendicular direction with respect to the line connecting the electrode support points. According to the invention, in order to convey an electrode, the device is provided with mutually separate members, at least one lift member for a vertical motion of the electrode and at least one conveyor member for the horizontal motion of the electrode.

Abstract: An aluminum ingot casting machine comprising a source of molten metal, a rotatable annular ring, carrying ingot casting moulds and a drive means for indexing the moulds. The machine includes a vacuum demoulder having a vacuum seal arrangement comprising a sealing element having a flexible core which can deform to form a vacuum seal against an ingot and a flexible abrasion resistant outer layer on said core, and retaining elements located on a lower face of the vacuum lifting head for releasably retaining the sealing element onto the lifting head. The vacuum seal comprises a flexible ring shaped body, being rounded in cross section, having a fibre cord core and an abrasion resistant flexible sheathing surrounding the core.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement and method that help to reduce the build-up formed on the grate of a fluidized-bed furnace in the roasting of fine-grained material such as concentrate. The concentrate is fed into the roaster furnace from the wall of the furnace, and oxygen-containing gas is fed via gas jets under the grate in the bottom of the furnace in order to fluidize the concentrate and oxidize it during fluidization. Below the concentrate feed point, or feed grate, the oxygen content of the gas to be fed is raised compared with gas fed elsewhere using additional gas jets situated in the feed grate higher than the other jets. The extra jets of the feed grate are connected to their own gas distribution unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for rolling a metal profile into a metal strip in which method the technique of a profiled rolling in combination with a strip rolling is used, comprising that during the at least two-staged profiled rolling the metal rod is divided into two symmetrical segments. These segments are spread into the lateral regions of the material to be rolled into a flattened profile which is as an object for at least one-staged strip rolling so that the spread ratios between the diameter of the rod and the width of the strip of greater than 2,8:1 are achieved.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for the casting of metals comprising the steps of:

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for moving the belt of a belt conveyor used in continuously operated belt sintering between the drawing drum and the folding drum, and for aligning the belt sintering belt to be moved by the belt conveyor with respect to the sintering device. According to the invention, in order to rotate the drawing drum (2) of the belt conveyor used in belt sintering, in the immediate vicinity of the other end of the drawing drum, there is installed an actuator device (5, 6, 8) of the belt conveyor, where in at least one rotary element (5) that is installed co-centrically with the axis (15) of the drawing drum and cogged on the outer circumference, there is connected at least one actuator element (6) that is essentially smaller in diameter and cogged on the outer circumference, which actuator element (6) can be made to rotate by means of an actuating motor (8) belonging to the actuator device.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cascade-type scrubber, with which the wet scrubbing of the exhaust gas and removal of droplets from the gas can be performed in one and the same scrubber, producing a pure, dropless gas. It is thus essential that the cascade tubing typical of the cascade scrubber and the equipment for droplet removal are combined into a single compact entity, which is formed of several nested chambers.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for the casting of metals comprising the steps of: indexing a mould (3) in series on a rotating carousel (2) to a pouring station (2.1), skimming station (2.2) and a mould transfer station (2.3) casting molten metal into the mould at the pouring station (2.1); skimming dross from the molten metal at the skimming station (2.2); transferring the mould (3) containing molten metal from the mould transfer station (2.3) to a cooling section (5) and replacing it at the mould transfer station (2.3) with an empty mould; transferring a cooled mould containing a solidified metal ingot (10) from the cooling section (5) to a demoulding station (7) remote from the rotating carousel (2); removing the solidified ingot (10) from the mould (3); removing the pin/hook members (11) from then ingot (10); returning the pin/hook members (11) to the empty mould (3); returning the empty mould (3) to the mould transfer station (2.3); and transferring the ingot (10) to the further processing.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for supporting material to be treated in continuously operated thermal treatment furnaces, where the supporting of the material is realized by means of support elements installed externally to the thermal treatment furnace, in the vicinity of the orifice of the furnace, said apparatus comprising at least two support elements that are installed movably, so that the mutual positions of the support elements can be adjusted by means of a drive arrangement of the support apparatus. According to the invention, in connection with the housing element used for supporting of the support elements, there is installed at least one gas flow control element which enables the flowing of the gas used for treating the material between the support element and the control element, said control element also constituting part of the sealing of the thermal treatment furnace.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flotation mechanism (4) comprising a directional element (25) and vertical vanes (26) located in a flotation cell (2). The directional element is symmetrical and is fixed at the center to the lower section of the hollow shaft of the mechanism. According to the corresponding method, due to the directional element (25), which is cylindrically inclined downwards from the outer edge the flotation mechanism directs the gas-slurry suspension that is formed in a downward slanting direction towards the side wall of the cell. The mineral suspension rises upwards from the side wall towards the center of the cell, from where the flow is diverted to the edges of the cell and the froth generated is removed from the cell. Using this flotation mechanism enables a powerful agitation, extending throughout the entire mixing zone (I).

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for mechanically breaking up and detaching dust accretions created by process gases and accumulated on the inner walls of a suspension smelting furnace and/or a waste heat boiler permanently connected to the suspension smelting furnace. According to the invention, on the outer surface (7,13) of the wall of a suspension smelting furnace (1) and/or a waste heat boiler (6), in the vicinity of the connecting point (5) of the suspension smelting furnace and the waste heat boiler, there is installed at least one striker device (8,14), whereby there can be created a mechanical impact effect and mechanical contact between the apparatus (8,14) and at least one of the dust accretions (12,19).

Abstract: The electrostatic classifier and separator is supported by a housing and includes a corona classifier section for classifying particulate materials according to size. Corona element supplies mobile ions for bombarding particulate materials dropping down a passageway from a reservoir. A splitter and screen may be included in the passageway to direct particulate materials into respective fractions. First separator section receives fine to middle size fractions and second separator section receives middle to coarse size fractions. A support frame having adjustable slots supports a plurality of static electrodes. Corona element for emitting a corona charge is spaced generally in a first quadrant of first separator section. A rotatable brush and an alternating current wiper may be included for removing fine to middle size nonconductive fractions from first separator section.