Extractive Metallurgy: glossary

Metals and its Ore:

Metals Ore
1. Copper (Cu) Chalcopyrite, malachite
2. Nickel (Ni) Garnierite, pentlandite
3. Lead (Pb) Galena
4. Zinc (Zn) Sphalerite
5. Tin (Ti) Cassiterite
6. Aluminium (Al) Bauxite
7. Thorium (Th) Monazite
8. Uranium (U) Pitchblende
9. Iron (Fe) Haematite, Magnetite
10. Magnesium (Mg) Dolomite

General principles of extraction of metals:

1. Crushing and pulverization

2. Concentration or dressing of the ore
3. Calcination and roasting of the ore
4. Reduction of metal oxides to free metal.
5. Purification and refining of metal.
Gravity separation (Hydraulic washing) : Based on density difference.
Magnetic separation method : Based on magnetism and non-magnetism particles.
Froth floatation : Based on hydrophobic and hydrophilic particles.
• Hydrophobic : Non-wettability (   900 ) :

• Hydrophilic : Non-wettability (   900 ) :

• Frother : Pine oil

Extractive Metallurgy: glossary
• Collector : Potassium ethyl xanthate
• Regulator : Carbonates
• Activator : Sulphate

Calcination : Removal of water


Al2O3  2H 2O ⎯⎯ → Al2O3 + 2H 2O
Roasting : Coversion of sulphide to oxide by heating

ZnS + O2 ⎯⎯ → ZnO + SO2
Smelting : Iron making Blast furnace
F2O3 + 3C → Fe + CO2
Kroll process : Extraction of Ti

TiCl4 + Mg ⎯⎯ →Ti + MgCl2
Self-reduction : Copper (Cu), Zn, Pb
Cu2 S + Cu2O → Cu + SO2
Electrolytic reduction : Al, Mg
Purification and Refining of Metal :
• Liquation : Pb, Sn
• Poling : Cu, Sn
• Distillation : Zn, Hg
• Electrolytic Refining : Cu, Sn, Zn, Ag
• Fire refining : Cu
• Mond’s process : Ni (carbonyl process)

Pidgeon Process / Dow process : Mg

Hall – Heroult Process : Al
• Anode effect
Blast Furnace : Smelting process (reduction) : Pig iron
• Si pickup lowered in pig iron by using a basic slag and lower temperature
• High top pressure : Increase time contact between solid and gas.
Extractive Metallurgy: glossary

Numerical part :
• To find weight of iron ore : Balance kg-mole of Fe-ore.

Steel making : Oxidation process

• Primary steel making : Use converter.

• Secondary steel making : The objective of secondary steel making is to

make the steel of desired chemistry and cleanliness by performing the
following treatments in “Ladle”.
• Continuous casting : Billets, blooms and slabs.

The role of slag in steelmaking :

• It controls oxidizing and reducing potential during refining through FeO content.
Higher FeO content. Higher FeO makes the slag oxidizing and lower FeO
reducing.
• It prevents passage of nitrogen and hydrogen from atmosphere to the molten
steel.
• It emulsifies hot metal and promotes carbon oxidation.

Oxidation of Silicon : [ Si] + 2[O] = [ SiO2 ]

Extractive Metallurgy: glossary
Conditions favourable for silicon oxidation are
• Low temperature
• Low a SiO2 in slag. A basic slag favours silicon oxidation.

Oxidation of Manganese: [Mn] + [O] = (MnO)

[Mn] + [ FeO] = [ MnO] + [ Fe]

Condition for oxidation of Mn

• High activity of FeO in slag which means an oxidizing slag.
• Decrease in temperature.

Reduction of Mn in slag :
• Low activity of FeO in slag which means a reducing slag.
• High temperature.

Conditions for dephosphorization :

• High basicity of slag is required.
• FeO in slag should be high, slag should be oxidizing.
• Low temperature.

Conditions for desulphurization :

• High basicity of slag is required.
• FeO in slag should be low, slag should be reducing.
• High temperature.
Electric furnace steel making :
• Use electrode
• Foam slag practice
• Use chemical energy
The difference between EAF and basic oxygen steel making :

EAF Oxygen steel making

Source of energy Electric + Chemical energy Chemical energy; Autogenous
process
Iron containing Hot metal + Directly reduced Hot metal + 20 –30% scrap
raw material iron + Scrap in the suitable
proportion as per practice
Operating Oxygen lancing is to promote Oxygen supply is
procedure decarburization, scrap continuously done to refine
melting and post combustion. hot metal to steel. A three
phase dispersion of
slag/metal/gas forms to
accelerate the refining rates.
Slag foaming is induced to
shield refractory lining from
the heat of arc.
Extractive Metallurgy: glossary
Carbon injection is done to
induce foamy slag practice.

Injection ladle metallurgy : To modification of inclusions

Purpose Type of powder

Dephosphorization CaO + CaF2 + Fe2O3 + mill scale soda
Desulphurization CaO + Al
CaO + CaF2 + Al
CaC2
Mg + ( MgO, Al2O3 , Chloride slag)
CaC2 + CaCO3 , CaO
Alloying Fe Si, CaCN 2 , NiO, MoO2
Fe B, FeTi etc.
Deoxidation and Al, Ca Si, Ca, Si, Mn, Al, Ca Si and Ba
inclusion shape control

Desulphurization mechanism : Can be carried out by injecting lime-based powder

(CaO).
Principles of degassing : It is based on Sievert’s law.
1
[ H ] = {H 2 }
2
1
[ N ] = {N 2 }
2
1

P  KN
2

[Wt % N ] = N2

fN
1

P  KH
2

[Wt % H ] =
H2

fH