Abstract: A direct reduction process for a solid metalliferous material having a particle size distribution that at least in part contains micron sized particles includes supplying the metalliferous material, a solid carbonaceous material, an oxygen-containing gas, and a fluidizing gas into a fluidized bed in a vessel and maintaining the fluidized bed in the vessel, at least partially reducing metalliferous material in the vessel, and discharging a product stream that comprises the partially reduced metalliferous material from the vessel. The process includes (a) establishing and maintaining a carbon-rich zone within the fluidized bed; (b) passing metalliferous material, including metallized material (which term includes partially metallized material), through the carbon-rich zone; and (c) injecting the oxygen-containing gas into the carbon-rich zone and oxidizing metallized material, solid carbonaceous material and other oxidizable solids and gases and causing controlled agglomeration of particles.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing a metalliferous material in a fluidized bed includes a vessel for containing the fluidized bed, a mechanism for supplying the metalliferous material, a solid carbonaceous material, an oxygen-containing gas, and a fluidizing gas into the vessel for forming the fluidized bed in the vessel. The oxygen-containing gas supply mechanism includes one or more than one oxygen-containing gas injection lance having a lance tip with an outlet that is positioned for injecting the oxygen-containing gas in a downward flow into the vessel within a range of plus or minus 40° to the vertical.

Abstract: A direct reduction process for a metalliferous material includes supplying the metalliferous material, a solid carbonaceous material, an oxygen-containing gas, and a fluidizing gas into a fluidized bed in a vessel and maintaining the fluidized bed in the vessel, at least partially reducing metalliferous material in the vessel, and discharging a product stream that includes the partially reduced metalliferous material from the vessel. The process comprises (a) reducing the metalliferous material in a solid state in a metal-rich zone in the vessel; (b) injecting the oxygen-containing gas into a carbon-rich zone in the vessel with a downward flow in a range of ±40° to the vertical and generating heat by reactions between oxygen and the metalliferous material (including metallized material), the solid carbonaceous material and other oxidizable solids and gases in the fluidized bed, and (c) transferring heat from the carbon-rich zone to the metal-rich zone by movement of solids within the vessel.

Abstract: The method and furnace according to the invention enable a continuous processing of anode slime and are particularly suited to be connected to a process where anode slime is treated by hydrometallurgic methods after roasting. In the method according to the invention, the slime containing valuable metals and selenium is dried, roasted, sulfatized and cooled. The method includes steps to be carried out in succession, in continuous operation, so that the slime forms a slime layer on the conveyor and is conveyed to be treated in successive drying, roasting, sulfatizing and sulfuric acid removal and cooling units.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for distributing hot feed into the feeding silos of a metallurgical furnace. The device comprises an inlet pipe for receiving the feed from the outlet of a previous process stage. A batching pipe is fitted to the inlet pipe for distributing the feed alternately into the feeding silos through feeding hoppers that are arranged below the inlet pipe and the batching pipe on the periphery of a circle. The inlet pipe and the batching pipe are arranged for rotation with respect to the center axis of the inlet pipe, whereby the feed is directed alternately into each feeding hopper. The batching pipe is arranged between a protective shield, which is insulated from the environment in a gas-tight manner. The distributor of hot feed according to the invention is especially well-suited to feeding homogeneous and free-flowing material, such as preheated and pre-reduced ilmenite into the feeding and batching silos. The invention provides an environmentally safe way to feed the hot feed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus with which an organic solution that is slightly soluble in water is scrubbed of aqueous entrainment and impurities. In particular, the organic solution may be the organic extraction solution of liquid-liquid extraction used in connection with the hydrometallurgical recovery of metals. The purpose is to perform the physical separation of water droplets and the chemical removal of impurities from the organic solution simultaneously. This occurs by routing the solution to be purified in the settling tank through at least one flow plate cassette of reduced cross-section.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recovering gold from an intermediate product or residue containing sulphur and iron generated in the leaching of a sulphidic raw material. The recovery of gold and the other valuable metals in the raw material takes place in a chloride environment. The gold contained in the intermediate product or residue is leached with divalent copper and chlorine in a copper (II) chloride—sodium chloride solution in conditions where the oxidation-reduction potential is in the range of 650-750 mV and the pH between 1 and 1.6. The acid generated during the feed of chlorine is neutralized with a suitable alkali. Neutralization avoids the costs of dissolving the iron.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus with which the aqueous solution from liquid-liquid extraction in the hydrometallurgical recovery of metals is purified from droplets of organic extraction solution. The aqueous solution is treated in a settling tank, where it is made to flow through a flow channel area with a reduced cross-section that extends over the width of the tank at least at one point. The flow channels are located in the lower section of the droplet coalescer according to the invention, with the upper section of the device being mainly solid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stator for a flotation cell to be used in the flotation of slurry-like material, such as ore and concentrate containing valuable minerals, by means of which stator the orientation of the slurry flow created by the flotation cell rotor can be controlled. The stator is composed of at least three structural elements to be installed around the rotor provided with at least one flow regulator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a testing method for designing a semiautogenous or an autogenous grinding circuit with at least one ball mill for grinding ore. In the method the ore is tested in two separate testing steps using the same testing sample of ore.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting the boundary surface between the two mutually separable solutions in liquid—liquid extraction at the discharge end of the separation part and for preventing the aeration of the solutions when discharging them from the separation part, so that the overflow height of the settled, lighter organic solution is maintained constant. In order to adjust the boundary surface in between the mutually separable solutions, the overflow height of the heavier aqueous solution is adjusted by conducting the settled aqueous solution from down upwards through tubular elements, in which case the height of these overflow pipes can be adjusted. The aeration of the solutions when discharging them from the separation part is prevented by conducting the solutions into transfer pipes through covered, shaft-like weir boxes that are deeper than the discharge end.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for settling the dispersion formed in the mixing unit of liquid-liquid extraction, for controlling solution flows and for creating pure solutions in the separation part. According to the method, the flow speed of the organic solution phase is adjusted to be clearly higher than the flow speed of the aqueous solution phase, in which case in order to prevent border flow turbulence caused by the speed difference of the solution phases, the water drop dispersion layer left in between the separating solutions is adjusted to extend as far as the discharge end of the separation part.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recirculating the heavier solution from the separation part of liquid--liquid extraction to the mixing unit of the same extraction step, so that part of the recirculated solution is returned to the mixing unit from the overflow of the discharge end of the separation part. An essential feature of the invention is that the major part of the heavier solution recirculated into the mixing unit is obtained from the separation part proper, along the whole width thereof. The invention also relates to an apparatus based on said method, in which apparatus, in the bottom part of the settler (6) there is located a heavier solution collecting channel (13) extending over the whole width of the settler and being provided with suction pipes (15) which are oriented in an inclined fashion towards the solution to be collected from the channel.