Abstract
A direct smelting method has been tested on a pilot-scale for the recovery of silver from sulfide minerals. The charge may be processed with iron as a reducing agent and soda as a fluxing agent or with soda ash as an oxidizer and carbon. Precious metals are gathered with lead, which can be added as metallic lead if it exists in the technological cycle or may be available in the form of battery powder or lead concentrate. The behavior of silver and its sulfides in the system are described, and some fluctuations observed in the short rotary furnace are explained. Further, the kinetics of metal removal, a thermodynamic analysis, metal-loss phenomena, and a coordinated mass balance are presented.
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Z. Szczygiel earned his Ph.D. in metallurgy at the University of Mining and Metallurgy, Poland, in 1966. He is currently a researcher and lecturer at the Technological Institute of Saltillo. Dr. Szczygiel is also a member of TMS.
C. Lara earned his engineer degree in chemical engineering at Instituto Tecnológico de Durango, Mexico, in 1983. He is currently manager of the Minerals Processing Department at Servicios Industriales Peñoles, S.A. de C.V.
S. Escobedo earned his M.S. in electrical engineering at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, México, in 1978. He is currently a researcher and lecturer at the Technological Institute of Saltillo. Mr. Escobedo is also a member of TMS.
O. Mendoza earned his Ph.D. in interdisciplinary engineering at Texas A&M University in 1991. He is currently a researcher and lecturer at the Technological Institute of Saltillo.
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Szczygiel, Z., Lara, C., Escobedo, S. et al. The direct reduction of sulfide minerals for the recovery of precious metals. JOM 50, 55–59 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-998-0270-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-998-0270-1