Abstract: In a method and apparatus for the electroslag refining of metal, the method includes providing a refining vessel to contain an electroslag refining layer floating on a layer of molten refined metal. The refining vessel representing an upper part of a cooled mould comprises a plurality of superimposed sleeves which are electrically insulated from one another. The top sleeve, being the refining vessel, is substantially a non-consumable electrode and has a current lead electrically insulated from the sleeve. The molten electroslag layer is heated by a refining current which is passed from a power source through the mould and slag layer to the metal pool. An unrefined metal is lowered into the vessel into contact with the molten electroslag layer such that its surface is melted and overheated at the point of contact with the slag such that droplets of the metal are formed and these droplets pass down through the slag and are collected in a pool of molten refined metal beneath the slag.

Abstract: The autoclave of the present invention includes an impeller having a conduit to recirculate or introduce a molecular oxygen-containing gas into the slurry. The outlets for the gas can be located in the blades of the impeller for thorough dispersion of the gas bubbles in the slurry. A sparge tube for introducing an additional molecular oxygen-containing gas into the slurry can be used in conjunction with the impeller to provide a high molecular oxygen transfer rate to the slurry.

Abstract: A novel lead-free Sn—Bi based alloy having an improved wettability in comparison to conventional Sn—Bi based alloys, a melting point lower than 221° C., the eutectic point of an Sn—Ag alloy, and proper bonding and heat-resistant properties is provided. This alloy is an Sn—Bi based alloy containing tin as a major component, and 21 wt.% or less bismuth, 4 wt.% or less silver, 2 wt.% or less copper (inclusive of zero), and 0.2 wt.% or less nickel.

Abstract: A process and device are disclosed for precipitating solid compounds from the liquid zinc or liquid zinc-based alloys of a metal bath. According to the disclosed process, partial amounts of the metal phase containing the compound(s) are exposed to an acceleration higher than the acceleration due to gravity and at least partially dissociated thereby into fractions containing heavier and/or lighter components. The molten mass depleted of solid compounds is returned to the metal bath and the part of the molten mass enriched with the desired compounds is discharged. The disclosed device is substantially characterized in that a hollow rotary body (2) is introduced into the molten mass (1). The hollow rotary body (2) can be driven about an axis and is fitted in the submerged or lower area with conveyor means (21) which project into the cavity.

Abstract: A method for controlling electromagnetic flux concentration in a discharge guide tube for a metal refining apparatus is provided. The discharge guide tube comprises a base plate, an extension, a central orifice that extends through the extension from a source of liquid metal to an outlet in the discharge guide tube for directing a stream of metal therethrough, and an interior discharge guide tube flux concentration configuration; an induction heater system that generates an electromagnetic field in the discharge guide tube, the induction heater system being disposed on the extension with a gap defined therebetween, the induction heater system and the discharge guide tube being capable of relative vertical movement and subsequent positions with respect to each other with the gap being essentially constant.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of producing an aluminum alloy for automotive parts, comprising adding a scrap of an aluminum wrought alloy or a pure aluminum ingot to an aluminum alloy casting scrap, melting the mixture to dilute impurities, and if necessary, adjusting elements of the resultant. According to the above method, aluminum alloy casting scraps, which contain large amounts of impurities and have been difficult to recycle into other articles until now, can be converted to an aluminum alloy material that is applicable as a wrought material usable as a higher-grade material.

Abstract: A method for separating inclusions from an electrically conductive liquid flow using electromagnetic forces, wherein the inclusions and the liquid have differing electrical conductivities. The flow is exposed to a spatially heterogeneous magnetic flux produced by a continuous static magnetic field.

Abstract: Precious metal-containing concentrates are subjected to high temperature chlorination using HCl gas, an optional reduction, an oxidation and finally a reduction, to remove most of the base metals especially the amphoteric elements.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for EAF steelmaking wherein the method provides additional thermal energy to the steel making process, carbon injection for the formation of foamy slag, and oxygen injection for the decarburization of the melt, the formation of foamy slag and post combustion burning of carbon monoxide. The apparatus comprises a unique burner configuration which has a central conduit for alternatively supplying fluid hydrocarbon fuel or particulate carbon with a carrier gas which are discharged through a exit opening. The fuel or carbon is mixed with a high speed, preferably supersonic, stream of oxidizing gas. The high speed stream of oxidizing gas is provided by an annular supersonic nozzle which causes the oxidizing gas to surround the fuel or the particulates with an annular flow. The annular nozzle design can be adjusted to direct the flows of particulates and oxidizing gases in the areas and shapes desired for efficient management of the steelmaking process.

Abstract: A method for combining a first metal with a second metal where the melting point of the second metal is higher than the melting point of the first metal. The first and second metals are melted in separate crucibles. The second molten metal is introduced onto or into the first molten metal. Also described is a two-zone furnace for carrying out the method.

Abstract: The process uses hydrochloric acid solutions to extract zinc from electric arc furnace dusts containing zinc oxide and zinc ferrite. To selectively leach zinc and minimize iron dissolution by precipitating as FeO.OH and Fe2O3, hot acid leaching with the aqueous solution containing 37 g/l-74 g/l HCl and 104 g/l-270 g/l ZnCl2 is used. New dust is introduced to remove iron from the filtrate of the hot acid leaching. The zinc chloride solutions purified by activated carbon and metallic zinc powder is electrolysed in electrowinning cells which had cation exchange membrane to produce high purity zinc metal and to regenerate hydrochloric acid. Electrolysing an aqueous solution of zinc chloride with Zn concentration of 50-130 g/litre below 40° C. in a cell divided by cation exchange membrane, whereby coherent zinc is yielded at the cathode with high current efficiency of exceeding 90%. HCl is directly regenerated with a very small loss below 2% and low energy consumption below 5.

Abstract: A method of solidifying a steel-making slag is performed by subjecting a mixture of a steel-making slag containing at least about 50% by weight of a powdery steel-making slag having a particle size not greater than about 5 mm and a substance containing at least about 30% by weight of SiO2 (e.g., a fly ash and/or the fine powder of a granulated blast furnace slag) to a hydration reaction. The resulting solidified material contains at least about 20% of a tobermorite phase, has high strength and is suitable as an inorganic material useful as a roadbed material, building and civil engineering materials, etc.

Abstract: Pellets incorporated with a carbonaceous material of the present invention contain a carbonaceous material and iron ore mainly composed of iron oxide. The maximum fluidity of the carbonaceous material in softening and melting, and the ratio of iron oxide particles of 10 &mgr;m or smaller in the iron ore are within the range above a line which connects in turn points A, B and C shown in FIG. 1, including the line. This permits the production of pellets incorporated with a carbonaceous material having excellent thermal conductivity and high strength. Reduction of the pellets incorporated with a carbonaceous material produces reduced iron having high strength after reduction and a low fines ratio with improved productivity.

Abstract: A processing apparatus capable of separating and recovering resins and metals, respectively, from an object being processed, which has resins and metals as its constituent, comprises a first gastight area (102), in which temperature and pressure are regulated so as to permit selective thermal decomposition of resins from the object (150) being processed, a second gastight area (103), which is partitioned from the first gastight area by an openable and closeable partition (105C) and in which temperature and pressure are regulated so as to permit selective vaporization of metals from the object, first recovering chamber (111) connected to the first gastight area for recovering gases produced by thermal decomposition of resins, and second recovering chamber (115) connected to the second gastight area for recovering vaporized metals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the formation of clods and the clustering tendency of reducible iron-containing agglomerated material, particularly so-called pellets, whereby the reducible iron-containing agglomerated material, following a desulfurization process that takes place after a sintering process during the manufacture of the pellets, is given an outer layer of clustering-reducing material in the form of a liquid suspension of particulate material. According to the invention, a more even distribution of the coating on the surface of the agglomerate is achieved in that the application of the liquid suspension takes place during tumbling in a drum that is designed so that the agglomerate together with the liquid suspension can essentially pass freely through it.

Abstract: A method is proposed for producing gold of high purity from noble metal solutions containing nitrate, with the following steps: a) Nitrate destruction in the noble metal solution, b) Addition of a gold ion reducing acid Fe2+ solution whose H+ ion concentration amounts to at least 4 mol/l, to the solution prepared in step a), whose H+ ion concentration amounts to at least 4 mol/l.

Abstract: A process for desulfurizing a molten iron alloy in which a desulfurizing agent is applied to the molten iron alloy under agitation. Concurrently, a gas containing a hydrocarbon gas is blown onto the bath surface of the molten iron alloy, or a substance generating a hydrocarbon gas is added to the bath surface.

Abstract: In a process for vitrifying heavy-metal-containing residues having a chlorine content above 10% by mass, in particular from flue gas cleaning, which are melted in a melting furnace, the constituents which cannot be incorporated into the melt are separated in the main furnace into two fractions, the first fraction comprising the readily volatile components and the second fraction comprising the salt-like less volatile components, and the first fraction is evaporated off, conducted out of the furnace together with the exhaust gas and collected as condensate, and the second fraction is separated from the surface of the melt as liquid salt and is discharged.

Abstract: A method is described for the preparation of platinum wherein first an aqueous solution of a hexahalogenoplatinate is passed through a cation exchanger and then the solution obtained, at a temperature T>+30° C. and a pH of 0 to 4, is reduced by a reducing agent to precipitate in the form of a platinum sponge.

Abstract: A process is provided for heap leaching ore to recover nickel. The process is particularly effective for ores that have a tangible clay component (i.e., greater than about 10% by weight). The process includes sizing the ore (where necessary), forming pellets by contacting ore with a lixiviant and agglomerating. The pellets are formed into a heap and leached with sulfuric acid to extract the metal values, including nickel. The leachate may be subjected to a nickel recovery operation without the need for intermediate neutralization.