PROCESS TO CONVERT NON-FERROUS METAL SUCH AS COPPER OR NICKEL BY OXYGEN ENRICHMENT

摘要

A process for converting a copper or nickel matte comprising a substantialweight amount of an iron based material. During a first step of the processsubstantially all of the iron based material is oxidized with an oxygencomprising gas to make ferrous oxide which is thereafter transformed into slagby addition of a solid material to the molten metal. Thereafter, in a secondstep of the process, the copper based material is oxidized with said oxygencomprising gas to generate substantially pure copper and residues. The oxygencomprising gas is injected through an internal injector of a concentricshrouded tuyere. A shrouding substantially inert gas is injected through thegas passage between the internal and external injector.