TOP SUBMERGED LANCING REACTOR AND DIRECT SMELTING OF ZINC SULPHIDE MATERIALS THERIN

摘要

A furnace (10) and process for recovery of zinc from sulphide materials in which zinc sulphide material together with an oxidizing gas is introduced by lance (20) into a first (17) of two laterally adjacent zones (17, 18) formed by a gas space of the furnace being divided by an upwardly extending fluid-cooled wall (16) which extends into a slag layer thereby producing zinc oxide dissolved in the slag and oxides of sulphur which oxides are removed with flue gases via flue gas offtake (26). Conditions are maintained to enable circulation and mixing of slag between the two zones. A reductant is introduced into the second zone (18) via lance (30) to reduce zinc oxide to zinc metal which is vapourized and removed with flue gases via flue gas offtake (32).