Ural Federal University named after the first president of Russia B. N. Yeltsin, Ekaterinburg, Russia
V. I. Neustroev, Assistant Professor of a Chair of Heavy and Nonferrous Metals Metallurgy, e-mail: neustrpoev1948@mail.ru
K. A. Karimov, Candidate for a Master's Degree of a Chair of Heavy and Non-ferrous Metals Metallurgy
S. S. Naboychenko, Professor of a Chair of Heavy and Non-ferrous Metals Metallurgy

Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia
A. V. Matveev, Head of Lead and Zinc Production Department (Office of Strategic Plans)

¹Ural Federal University named after the first president of Russia B. N. Yeltsin, Ekaterinburg, Russia

²Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia

G. V. Skopov, Professor of Electrochemistry Chair¹, Chief Specialist²

This article shows the urgency of improvement of processing technology of complex polymetallic raw materials containing significant amount of toxic impurities (arsenic and lead). Practice of Ural non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises has shown that behavior of almost whole amount of processed ores is complex. Many authors have carried out the researches, which testify the fact that primary passing of the biggest part of arsenic (along with zinc, lead and other metals with high steam tension (metals and their compounds)) to gaseous phase (dusts and sublimates) happens during the smelting in various aggregates. Various technologies are used for processing of these dusts and sublimates. At the same time, once again, these technologies lead to formation of intermediate products, concentrated with arsenic. Thereby, harmful and toxic impurities circulate between operations and enterprises. That's why, it is necessary to decrease the number of operations to withdrawing of arsenic, zinc and lead from technological cycle in the preferable form of the products, suitable for following processing. There are given the results of thermodynamic analysis of main reactions of autoclave leaching of matte, obtained from the joint reduction smelting of Vanukov furnace dusts and circulating zinc intermediate products. Assessment of probability of process behavior and obtaining of leaching products is given according to these results. Methods of autoclave leaching of matte are described. There are given the results of experiments in the temperature range of 140–180 ^oС, acidity range of 10–80 g/dm³, and pressure of 0.4 MPa. Chemism of the reactions is discussed. There are identified the process parameters, which make it possible to carry out the process of selective extraction of copper into solution. At the same time, lead, arsenic and iron stay in the cake. According to this, there can be solved the problem of noble metals, which quantitatively stay in the lead cake. It was found that lead has the sulfate form. Copper is included in the sediment, formed as a result of leaching as Cu₃(AsO₄)₂, and anhydrous and hydrated sulphates. Value of copper extraction reached over 94%. There is proposed the scheme of processing of these materials (mattes), including autoclave leaching as one of the basic operations.

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