Abstract: A sparger device for sparging fluid into a slurry tank includes a hollow elongated body having a nozzle opening for sparging a sparging fluid flow to a slurry tank. The device further includes a needle for opening and closing the nozzle opening, and a control device being arranged to actuate the needle. The control device includes a control chamber partitioned into a first portion and second portion such that a pressure differential between the first portion and the second portion, closes or opens the nozzle opening and prevents slurry backflow from the slurry tank. The second portion may be provided with a control fluid pressure preventing slurry. A flotation apparatus and a flotation system in with such a sparger device are also discussed.

Abstract: An electrode module including electrode plates spaced from one another by spacing means, a plurality of support members each extending through each electrode plate and at least one spacing means between two adjacent electrode plates for releasable securing of the electrode plates together, and each electrode plate includes a plate portion. Each electrode plate includes one supporting and connection lug portion configured to support each electrode plate at a first busbar or a second busbar in an electrochemical reactor for electrically connecting each electrode plate of the electrode module with a first busbar or a second busbar for supplying electrical current between one of the first busbar and the second busbar and each electrode plate of the electrode module.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for feeding feed material from a bin (10) for feed material into a furnace space of a smelting furnace. The method comprises a first providing step for providing a feed material feeding arrangement (9) for feeding feed material from the bin (10) for feed material into the furnace space of the smelting furnace (1), and a feeding step for feeding feed material from the bin (10) for feed material into the furnace space of the smelting furnace. The method comprises additionally a second providing step for providing at least one sensor (11) for measuring flow of feed material at a position between the bin (10) for feed material and the furnace space of the smelting furnace (1), and a measuring step for measuring flow of feed material by means of said at least one sensor (11) at said position.

Abstract: A water treatment apparatus includes an electrochemical reactor including a shell structure and a support structure for supporting the shell structure on a base. The support structure includes at least one support element supporting the shell structure from the ledge. A head room portion includes, within the inner space of the shell structure, at least one shelf for receiving and supporting at least one lug portion of at least one electrode plate for suspending the electrode plate. The shelf being located, when in use, preferably directly above the ledge.

Abstract: A method for recovering at least one precious metal from an aqueous solution containing the metal and particularly to recovery of silver and optionally one or more other precious metals from overflow of a sedimentation unit such as a thickener, a clarifier or a pond includes subjecting the aqueous solution to a micro and/or nanobubble flotation, wherein the pH of the aqueous solution is at most 1.5.

Abstract: A method for the heat treatment of granular solids includes initially introducing solids into a first reactor configured as a flash reactor or fluidized bed reactor where they are brought into contact with hot gases at temperatures in the range 500° C. to 1500° C. Next, the solids are passed through a residence time reactor in which they are fluidized. The residence time reactor is configured in a manner such that it has various regions which are separated from one another, from which the solid can be withdrawn in a manner such that it is provided with a variety of residence times in the residence time reactor.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for treating a feed stream for a flotation device comprising a mechanical agitator in a tank, the feed stream comprising solid particles. The method comprises generating microbubbles in a diluation water stream, mixing the diluation water stream with the feed stream to facilitate attachment of the microbubbles to the solid particles in the feed stream and generate bubbles for attachment to microbubble-attached solid particles, and fluidly connecting the feed stream to the flotation device. The apparatus comprises a feed stream conduit fluidly connected to the flotation device, a diluation water stream conduit fluidly connected to the feed stream conduit for conveying the diluation water stream to the feed stream, and a microbubble generator connected to the diluation water stream conduit for generating microbubbles in the fluid stream.

Abstract: A grinding circuit comprises a grinding mill having a shaft in a grinding chamber, a cyclone for receiving circuit feed material and for feeding said circuit feed material further in the grinding circuit, and monitoring devices. The grinding mill process comprises pumping circuit feed material from a feed tank to the cyclone upstream of the mill, and pumping the circuit feed material forming slurry into the grinding mill for grinding the slurry into finer particles. The method of controlling the grinding mill process comprises monitoring at least one operational parameter, and controlling particle fineness online by adjusting at least one of the following operational parameters: flow rate of the circuit feed material, density of the circuit feed material, shaft speed, filling rate in the grinding mill, milling density and retention time.

Abstract: Provided is a stress distribution element for a mill shell joint, comprising an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end. The elongated body varies in one dimension from the proximal end to the distal end to distribute stress forces from the proximal end to the distal end. The invention also provides a stress distribution system, a stress distribution assembly, a mill shell section, a mill shell and a method of distributing stress incorporating the stress distribution element.

Abstract: A horizontal pressure filter including a washing liquid recovery channel for receiving unused washing liquid from the washing liquid inlet channel and conducting said unused washing liquid to a washing liquid recovery outlet. A flow controller arranged to selectively open and close a flow connection between the washing liquid inlet channel and the washing liquid recovery channel, and respectively, between a compressed gas inlet and the washing liquid inlet channel, such that a gas flow from the compressed gas inlet to the washing liquid recovery channel via the washing liquid inlet channel may be induced, so as to flush unused washing liquid remaining in the washing liquid inlet channel to the washing liquid recovery outlet.

Abstract: A process for roasting of metal concentrate wherein concentrate particles are fed into a roaster where they are thermally treated at a temperature in the range of 500 and 1200° C. in a fluidized bed to form a calcine. At least parts of the calcine are withdrawn from the roaster together with a gas stream as a solid fraction. Concentrate particles with a diameter at least 50% smaller than the average diameter of the concentrate particles are separated as small particles and/or particles from the gas-solid-fraction are separated in at least one step as small calcine particles and/or particles are gained in another hydrometallurgical step as other particles. Defined particles are pelletized, whereby at least 80% of the pellets feature a diameter of at least 80% of the concentrate particles average diameter. The pellets are fed into the roaster.

Abstract: The flotation apparatus includes a flotation vessel and a cover for closing an upwards open opening of the flotation vessel, wherein the cover and the flotation vessel limits a vessel space for receiving fluid, and an agitating means having a rotatable axis extending through a first aperture in the cover. The rotatable shaft is rotatable supported at a bearing housing outside the vessel space. A connection arrangement surrounds the rotatable shaft between the bearing housing and the cover.

Abstract: A process of treating complex sulfide concentrate includes the steps of roasting wet or slurried complex sulfide concentrate in a furnace at a temperature of at least 720° C. to obtain a calcine; smelting the calcine under inert or oxygen free atmosphere in a smelting furnace to obtain a matte, and optionally granulating the matte to obtain a granulated matte.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate or matte burner (1) of a suspension smelting furnace (2). The arrangement comprising a fluidization arrangement (3) for feeding fluidized fine-grained matter into a dosing bin (4), and a conveyor means (6) for feeding fluidized fine-grained matter from the dosing bin (4) to the concentrate or matte burner (1) of the suspension smelting furnace (2), and a loss-in-weight controller (5) between the dosing bin (4) and the conveyor means (6). The arrangement comprises an impact cone (8) arranged below a filling valve (7) between the fluidization arrangement (3) and the dosing bin (4) for distributing fluidized fine-grained matter flowing from the fluidization arrangement (3) within the dosing bin (4).

Abstract: A method for refining sulfidic copper concentrate includes feeding sulfidic copper concentrate and oxygen-bearing reaction gas and slag forming material into a reaction shaft of a suspension smelting furnace, collecting slag and blister copper in a settler of the suspension smelting furnace to form a blister layer containing blister copper and a slag layer, and discharging slag and blister copper separately from the settler of the suspension smelting furnace, so that slag is fed into an electric furnace. The method further includes feeding a part of the sulfidic copper concentrate into the electric furnace.

Abstract: A process for recovery of gold from gold-containing raw materials includes obtaining gold-containing raw material having refractory gold-containing sulfidic minerals including a first type of refractory sulfidic mineral having high gold content and a second type of sulfidic mineral having low gold content; forming a mineral pulp including a first type of refractory sulfidic mineral particles having high gold content and second type of sulfidic mineral particles having low gold content by suspending ground gold-containing material in water and optionally further milling the material; conditioning the mineral pulp by addition of a surface modifying chemical to obtain a conditioned pulp; subjecting the conditioned pulp to a froth flotation process; recovering the non-floatable first type of refractory sulfidic mineral particles having high cold content as flotation tailings; pressure oxidizing (POX) the flotation tailings to obtain a discharge slurry comprising liberated gold; and recovering gold from the discha

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of converting copper containing material to blister copper comprising: (a) providing copper containing material comprising copper sulfides and iron sulfides, whereby the copper containing material comprises at least 35 wt % copper of the total weight of the copper containing material; (b) reacting the copper containing material in a furnace with an oxygen containing gas, in the absence of flux, to effect oxidation of iron sulfide and copper sulfide, and controlling injection of the oxygen containing gas and the temperature so that the resulting converter slag is in a molten phase to obtain blister copper and converter slag.

Abstract: Provided is a method for melting copper scrap and/or refining blister copper, comprising the steps of: (a) charging of copper scrap into an empty anode furnace and melting the copper scrap; (b) charging molten blister copper into the anode furnace; (c) optionally charging more copper scrap into the anode furnace and melting the copper scrap; (d) optionally repeating steps (b) and/or (c) one or more times until the anode furnace is full and a desired amount of copper scrap has been charged and melted until a final copper batch is obtained; and (e) refining the final copper batch to obtain anode copper.

Abstract: Provided is a pallet car for the transport of bulk material for a thermal treatment thereof. The pallet car comprises a frame with at least two opposed cross-beams on which grate bars rest and two end pieces each connecting the cross-beams with each other, which each include at least two rollers and at least one side wall. In the pallet car, the grate bars and/or the side walls and/or the insulating plates are made of a ceramic fiber composite, wherein the fibers are metallic and high-temperature resistant.

Abstract: An arrangement for controlling a comminution process having a grinding circuit, includes an imaging system measuring 3D reconstruction measurement data for three-dimensional reconstruction of incoming ore; a particle size analysis equipment measuring particle size data for calculation of the particle size characteristic value of outgoing ore; an ore characteristics data calculation block receiving a particle size distribution profile of incoming ore and a particle size characteristic value of the outgoing ore, the particle size distribution profile being calculated and/or reconstructed from the 3D reconstruction measurement data for three-dimensional reconstruction, and the particle size characteristic value being calculated based on the measured particle size data, the ore characteristics data calculation block calculating ore characteristics data based on the particle size distribution profile and the particle size characteristic value; and a control block controlling the grinding circuit based on the calcu