METHOD FOR THE CARBOTHERMAL REDUCTION OF ZINC OXIDE TO ZINC

摘要

The invention relates to a method for the carbothermal reduction of zinc oxide to zinc, comprising the following steps: feeding zinc oxide and coal into a furnace as reactants, reducing the zinc oxide to liquid zinc melt (20) by using the coal as a heating agent and as a reactant, and tapping the liquid zinc melt (20) from the furnace as a product. Heat is supplied for the endothermic reaction by the condensation of zinc vapor (24) blown into the furnace, the zinc vapor acting as a heating vapor.