Abstract: An apparatus for injecting particulate and/or gaseous material into a metallurgical vessel for use in a metallurgical process includes a duct to inject the material. The duct includes a duct wall of concentric annular passages for inflow of cooling water from a rear end to a forward end of the duct along a first of the annular passages and for outflow of cooling water from the forward end to the rear end of the duct wall along a second of the annular passages. The concentric annular passages are provided by concentric sleeves that consist of an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, and an intermediate sleeve. The apparatus also includes a duct tip at a forward end of the duct joining at least the inner and outer sleeves so as to provide a water flow connection between the first and second water flow passages.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material to separate the mined material into at least two categories is disclosed. The method comprises exposing particles of the mined material to microwave energy and heating particles depending on the susceptibility of the material in the particles. The method also comprises allowing sufficient time for heat generated in the particles to be transferred through the particles so that the surface temperature of the particles is a measure of the mass average temperature through the particles. The method further comprises thermally analysing the particles to detect temperature differences between particles which indicate composition differences between the particles; and thereafter sorting the particles on the basis of the results of the thermal analysis.

Abstract: A process for leaching an ore containing sulfidic copper-containing minerals includes carrying out an aerated oxidizing leach of a part of the ore and producing an acidic leach liquor containing ferrous ions, ferric ions, and copper ions in solution. The process also includes carrying out a leach of another part of the ore using the leach liquor under conditions that minimize reactions with a source of iron in the ore and producing a leach liquor containing copper ions in solution. The process further includes recovering copper from the leach liquor.

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting gas into a metallurgical vessel is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a gas flow duct, an elongate central tubular structure extending within the gas flow duct, a plurality of flow directing swirl vanes, inflow and outflow cooling water passages within the central structure, and a nose portion provided with one or more water cooling passages. The flow directing vanes are provided with internal water cooling vane passages. In use, water flow is communicated through the vane passages from the water inflow passage in the central structure to the water flow passage in the nose portion of the central structure such that at least some of the inflowing water will pass successively through the vane passages and the nose passage or passages and thence to the outflow passage.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material for subsequent processing to recover valuable material, such as valuable metals, from the mined material is disclosed. The method includes a combination of selective breakage of mined material, for example, by using microwaves and/or high pressure grinding rolls, subsequent size separation, and then particle sorting of a coarse fraction of the separated material based on differential heating and thermal imaging.

Abstract: A direct smelting plant for producing molten metal from a metalliferous feed material using a molten bath based direct melting process is disclosed. The plant includes a plurality of gas injection lances to inject the oxygen-containing gas into the vessel that extend downwardly through openings in a side wall of a direct smelting vessel.

Abstract: A direct smelting plant for producing molten metal from a metalliferous feed material using a molten bath based direct smelting process is disclosed. The plant includes an offgas duct assembly to facilitate flow of offgas from the vessel, the offgas duct assembly including two offgas ducts of matching diameter extending outwardly from the vessel.

Abstract: A steelmaking process is disclosed. The process includes producing molten steel and molten steelmaking slag in a steelmaking process, the steelmaking slag including iron units and flux units, and thereafter producing molten iron in a molten bath based direct smelting process using a substantial portion of the steelmaking slag as part of the feed material requirements for the direct smelting process. A direct smelting process is also disclosed. The process includes pre-treating ferrous material including steelmaking slag and thereafter direct smelting molten iron using the pretreated ferrous material as part of the feed material for the process.

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material for subsequent processing to recover valuable material, such as valuable metals, from the mined material is disclosed. The method includes a combination of selective breakage of mined material, for example, by using microwaves and/or high pressure grinding rolls, subsequent size separation, and then particle sorting of a coarse fraction of the separated material based on differential heating and thermal imaging.

Abstract: A direct smelting vessel and a hearth cooler element are disclosed. The vessel includes a refractory lined hearth. An inner surface of an upper part of the hearth extends upwardly and outwardly to side walls of the vessel. The upper part of the hearth incorporates a hearth cooler disposed outwardly behind the refractory lining of that part of the hearth and below the cooling panels on the side walls of the vessel. The hearth cooler comprises a plurality of cooler elements. Each cooler element has a hollow open-backed shell structure having base, top and side walls formed integrally in a cast structure and incorporating coolant flow passages.

Abstract: A metallurgical vessel (11) has circumferentially spaced tubular mountings (25) through which to extend solids injection lances (31) into the vessel. Lance extraction apparatus (33) comprises an elongate track support structure (41) supporting a twin rail track (40) inclined upwardly and outwardly from the vessel above the direction of inclination of a respective lance (31). Interconnected upper and lower carriages (42, 44) are moveable along track (40) by operation of a hoist (47). Extraction apparatus (33) is operable sequentially to remove solids delivery line sections (36) and (37) and the lance (31) by connection to the carriages (42, 44) and upward movement of those carriages along track (40). Upper carriage (42) carries a pivot arm (51) for connection to upper parts of components to be removed such that those components can be pivoted downwardly to positions in which they can be hung from an overhead crane for removal to a remote location.

Abstract: Method of constructing and installing a direct smelting unit comprising a smelting vessel (11). The vessel is prefabricated off site in three modules (11A, 11B, 11C) which are then transported to the installation site where they are hoisted by a crane and deposited sequentially on top of one another and joined together by welding to form a unitary vessel. The vessel modules are prefabricated so as to be internally lined with water cooling panels connected to water inlet and outlet connectors (62) on the exterior of the circumferential wall sections of those modules. A vessel access tower is formed in modules brought together to envelop the tower and carrying water supply and return piping which is connected to the water inlet and outlet connectors (62) of the cooling panels.

Abstract: Solids injection lances for injecting solids into a metallurgical vessel are normally supplied with cooling water from a cooling water circuit through water supply lines and return lines. Supply lines are provided with spaced pairs of connectors and bypass valves, and return lines are provided with similar pairs of spaced connectors and bypass valves. Flexible hoses can be connected between the pairs of connectors to establish supply and return flows of cooling water which bypass segments of the main supply and return lines which can be isolated and removed to allow withdrawal and subsequent replacement of the lances.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for crushing material, particularly mined material, are disclosed. In one embodiment two or more pairs of crushing rolls successively crush mined material. The pairs of crushing rolls are arranged and operated so that an upstream pair of rolls produces a feed, preferably a pressurized feed, for a downstream pair of rolls. In another embodiment, at least an upstream pair of rolls is driven intermittently, for example, by means of a stepping motor to provide stepped rotational movement of the rolls.

Abstract: Efficient coordination of processing (by desulphurizing) and moving hot metal from a direct smelter, producing hot metal on a continuous basis, to an electric arc furnace or furnaces, operating on a batch basis, is disclosed. The invention includes the use of hot metal storage devices, such as ladles, that are large enough to supply hot metal for a small number, preferably two or three, of electric arc furnace batch operations.

Abstract: Cooling panels (31) are attached to the shell (11) of a metallurgical vessel to form an internal lining of the shell. Each panel (31) comprises a coolant flow tube (36) bent to form inner and outer panel sections (37, 38) of zig-zag formation. Panel mounting pins (43) connected to the outer panel section (38) by connector straps project laterally outwardly from the panel through openings (45) in the shell and tubular shell protrusions (46) surrounding the openings (45). The ends of pins (43) are connected to the outer ends of protrusions (46) by welding metal discs (47) thus forming connections exteriorly of the shell in a way which seals the openings (45). Coolant inlet and outlet connectors (42) for the panel project outwardly through openings (48) in the shell and surrounding tubular protrusions (49) and connections are made by welding discs (51) between the connectors (42) and protrusions (49).

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting gas into a metallurgical vessel supporting a metallurgical process is disclosed. The apparatus includes a gas flow duct, an elongate central structure extending within the gas flow duct, and a plurality of flow directing swirl vanes disposed about the central tubular structure adjacent the forward end of the duct. The flow directing vanes are formed with internal water flow passages for flow of cooling water internally along each vane. The elongate central structure is formed with a cooling water supply passage for supply of cooling water to the internal water flow passages in the vanes and a water return passage for outflow of cooling water which has passed through the internal water flow passages in the vanes.

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting particulate and/or gaseous material into a metallurgical vessel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a duct through which to inject the material, inner and outer water inflow and outflow passages extending through a wall of the duct and an annular duct tip disposed at the forward end of the duct. The duct tip is of annular formation and includes an annular inner end component, an annular outer end component, and an annular central component located between the inner and outer components. The duct tip also includes a plurality of radially extending dividers to divide a space between the outer end component and the central component into discrete radial passages to serve as the internal water flow passages of the tip.

Abstract: A metallurgical lance (27a) to extend through an opening in the wall of a smelting vessel barrel (16) and into the interior space of the vessel. Lance (27a) includes a central core tube (31) through which to pass solid particulate material into the vessel and an annular cooling jacket (32) surrounding the central core tube (31) throughout a substantial part of its length. Lance (27a) has a mounting structure (61) comprising an outer annular part (60) extended about cooling jacket (32) and about twice the diameter of the cooling jacket. The outer annular part (60) fits within a tubular lance mounting bracket (62) welded to the shell (16a) of vessel barrel (16) to extend outwardly from the vessel. The lance is held within mounting bracket (62) by clamping bolts acting between flanges (63,65) on the outer annular part (60) and mounting bracket (62).

Abstract: A method of sorting mined material to separate the mined material into at least two categories is disclosed. The method comprises exposing particles of the mined material to microwave energy and heating the particles depending on the susceptibility of the material in the particles. The method also comprises thermally analysing the particles using the temperatures of the particles as a basis for the analysis to indicate composition differences between particles and then sorting the particles on the basis of the results of the thermal analysis. The method also comprises compensating for temperature variations in the mined material that is supplied to the method.