“Gipronickel Institute” LLC, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Yu. A. Savinova, Junior Researcher
V. A. Popov, Senior Researcher of the Laboratory of Pyrometallurgy
L. Sh. Tsemekhman, Head of the Chair of Pyrometallurgy, e-mail: LST@nikel.spb.ru

“Kola MMC” JSC, Zapolyarnyy, Russia

Yu. A. Chumakov, Deputy Head of Administration of Technological Planning Department of the Department of Scientific and Technical Development and Ecological Safety

Results of studies on material composition of JSC “Kola MMC” “Pechenganickel” Combine’ converter dust are discussed. The studies have been carried out using local analytical methods, such as SEM and EPMA. SEM and EPMA-methods allow to receive important and complete information about investigated material (from average composition and structure of sample to compositions of its compounds and partitioning different elements between them). The process flow-sheet being implemented at the Combine for the converter’ off-gases includes sequential treatment of dust-gas stream at primary and fine cleaning stages followed by sulphuric acid production. Main harmful impurities in this case are compounds of arsenic, zinc, lead and selenium. Within the scopes of this survey samples of industry dust on all extent of a gas path (dust chamber, gas-distribution system at the input of electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and bunkers of ESP) have been selected and properly investigated. It has been found out that dust and gas cleaning process results not only in the total dust level decrease, but also in changes of the dust’ composition and structure. Thus, dust from primary cleaning stage is rich in value components (Cu, Ni, Co), while harmful impurities (As, Pb, Se, etc.) are contained in negligible amount. As to the fine cleaning stage, the situation is quite opposite. It has been demonstrated that the dust samples are mainly composed by “spillages” of the converter process’ melts and by the melts’ highly volatile components. In general, dependency of value components and harmful impurities distribution on the structural components’ size has been demonstrated.

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