Method and apparatus for acid granulation of matte

• Main Authors: Ranki, Tiina, Hietala, Kari
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 05.01.2017
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR STEEL; METALLURGY; METALLURGY OF IRON; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS; PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS

The invention relates to a method for leaching the metals while granulating molten matte, comprising the steps of feeding a molten matte as a falling stream into a granulation chamber (30), spraying a liquid jet on the stream of molten matte to atomize the matte, and cooling the matte particles thus formed. The liquid jet comprises an acid solution containing water and sulfuric acid so that the acid solution starts leaching metals from the molten matte when the liquid jet contacts the molten matte. Part of product solution from granulation can be circulated to liquid jets to increase the metal content in the solution and to reduce its acid content.