Method of converting copper containing material
The present invention provides a method of converting copper containing material to blister copper comprising: (a) providing copper containing material comprising copper sulfides and iron sulfides, whereby the copper containing material comprises at least 35 wt % copper of the total weight of the copper containing material; (b) reacting the copper containing material in a furnace with an oxygen containing gas, in the absence of flux, to effect oxidation of iron sulfide and copper sulfide, and controlling injection of the oxygen containing gas and the temperature so that the resulting converter slag is in a molten phase to obtain blister copper and converter slag.
1. A method of converting copper containing material to blister copper comprising the following steps:
(a) providing copper containing material comprising copper sulfides and iron sulfides, whereby the copper containing material comprises at least 35 wt % copper of the total weight of the copper containing material;
(b) reacting the copper containing material in a furnace with an oxygen containing gas, in the absence of flux, to effect oxidation of iron sulfide and copper sulfide, and controlling injection of the oxygen containing gas and the temperature so that a resulting converter slag is in a molten phase to obtain blister copper and converter slag, wherein in step (b) the oxygen partial pressure (pO2) is from 1 to 100 Pa.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in step (b) the temperature is at least 1200° C.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in step (b) a concentration of oxidized copper the converter slag is at least 30 wt %.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein sulfur concentration of obtained blister is less than 0.15 wt % S in blister.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the copper containing material comprises from 40 to 78 wt % copper of the total weight of the copper containing material.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the copper containing material is selected from matte, white metal and mixtures thereof.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the converting step (b) is performed as suspension smelting or bath smelting.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conversion is accomplished by flash converting furnace (FCF).
9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conversion is accomplished by Pierce-Smith converting furnace (PS).
10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein oxygen containing gas is oxygen enriched air, pure oxygen and any mixtures thereof.
11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in step (b) the oxygen partial pressure (pO 2 ) is from 10 to 30 Pa.
12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in step (b) the temperature is from 1300 to 1400° C.
13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in step (b) a concentration of oxidized copper the converter slag is from 40 to 60 wt % of the total weight of the converter slag.
14. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein sulfur concentration of obtained blister is 0.06 to 0.10 wt % S in blister.
15. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the copper containing material comprises at from 55 to 75 wt % copper of the total weight of the copper containing material.
16. A method of converting copper containing material to blister copper comprising the following steps:
(a) providing copper containing material comprising copper sulfides and iron sulfides, whereby the copper containing material comprises at least 35 wt % copper of the total weight of the copper containing material;
(b) reacting the copper containing material in a furnace with an oxygen containing gas, in the absence of flux, to effect oxidation of iron sulfide and copper sulfide, and controlling injection of the oxygen containing gas and the temperature so that a resulting converter slag is in a molten phase to obtain blister copper and converter slag, wherein in step (b) a concentration of oxidized copper the converter slag is at least 30 wt %, and wherein in step (b) the oxygen partial pressure (pO 2 ) is from 1 to 100 Pa.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein in step (b) the temperature is at least 1200° C.
18. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein sulfur concentration of obtained blister is less than 0.15 wt % S in blister.
19. A method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the copper containing material comprises from 40 to 78 wt % copper of the total weight of the copper containing material.
20. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the copper containing material is selected from matte, white metal and mixtures thereof.
21. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the converting step (b) is performed as suspension smelting or bath smelting.
22. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the conversion is accomplished by flash converting furnace (FCF).
23. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the conversion is accomplished by Pierce-Smith converting furnace (PS).
24. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein oxygen containing gas is oxygen enriched air, pure oxygen and any mixtures thereof.
25. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein in step (b) the oxygen partial pressure (pO 2 ) is from 10 to 30 Pa.
26. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein in step (b) the temperature is from 1300 to 1400° C.
27. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein in step (b) a concentration of oxidized copper the converter slag is from 40 to 60 wt % of the total weight of the converter slag.
28. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein sulfur concentration of obtained blister is 0.06 to 0.10 wt % S in blister.
29. A method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the copper containing material comprises at from 55 to 75 wt % copper of the total weight of the copper containing material.