Development of the El Teniente slag cleaning process

摘要

The products of the smelting of copper concentrates in an El Teniente Converter (CT) are: a high grade matte, analyzing 74-76percent Cu; and a highly oxidized slag, typically containing 15-20percent Fe_3O_4 and 4-10percent Cu. The El Teniente Division of CODELCO-CHILE has developed a slag reduction-cleaning process, that is practised in a tilting, horizontal furnace, to recover copper from these slags. The El Teniente slag cleaning process has been successfully implemented at the El Teniente Caletones smelter and various other smelters in Chile. Today, eight such slag cleaning furnaces, each with a capacity of 800-1000 tonnes/day, are in operation in Chile.