Treatment of zinc residues by ausmelt technology an onsan zinc refinery

摘要

Korea Zinc Company, Limited(KZC) adopted the Ausmelt Technology in August 1995 to treat zinc residues. KZC previously had operational experience with the Jarosite process; the Goethite process; and conventional two step leaching process. The Ausmelt Technology was preferentially chosen to produce an inert, harmless and environmentally-friendly waste material while recovering various valuable metals as a fume oxide. When the Ausmelt Technology was first applied at Onsan, the process was not commercially viable and many mechanical and metallurgical problems emerged with the start-up of the plant. Numerous changes and modifications to the plant enabled KZC to achieve continuous operation of the plant. Results based on the continuous operation are promising, particularly in respect to the chemistry of the process.