Tecnicas Reunidas developments: Technology based strategies for zinc smelters

摘要

Environment conditions for zinc refineries are growingly difficult due to different circumstances, being global over-capacity and slower demand growth, increasingly complex raw materials and sustainability requirements the most relevant. These are having a direct impact on the business model of traditional zinc refineries causing many to become un-feasible.Tecnicas Reunidas is a technology developer and licensor in the field of base metals with more than 45 years of experience. TR has a wide experience with alternative raw materials and development of environment-friendly technologies. This paper shows the last technical developments, some already commercialized, some still at development stage, performed by TR to reply to different zinc refinery's needs. These developments are linked to ZINCEX~(TM) Solvent Extraction technology implemented in 7 industrial plants since 1976 and which, to date, has enabled the production of zinc from complex raw materials (oxidic ores and Waelz oxides) at very low cost.