Improvements in the recovery of copper from mixed copper-zinc-lead materials

摘要

The liquids temperature of the slag run from a zinc blast furnace smelting copper-lead-zinc oxidic material is lowered by adding, in the charge to the furnace but separately from the rest of the charge, a non-alkaline flux, having a melting point above 1100 DEG C., in lump form. Fluxes mentioned are alumina, silica, iron oxide or iron or mixtures thereof. The flux is preferably added through a separate charging device situated to one side of the top of the furnace preferably directly above the tapping point for the slag. This process aids in the more complete separation of and copper matte from the slag.