SEPARATION OF COPPER-LEAD DROSS FROM MOLTEN LEAD BULLION BY GRANULATION, AND COPPER RECOVERY

摘要

Lead bullion, from lead smelting or zinc/lead smelting furnaces and containing 4% to 60% copper, is granulated and subsequently subjected to a copper-recovery operation. This avoids problems of copper dross solidification in pipes and treatment vessels. Granulation may be by water or air-quenching; mutual impingement of jets of molten bullion, or by mechanical means. The copper may be recovered by a continuous drossing operation; melting followed by slow cooling; physical separation; leaching; fuming off lead or electro-refining.