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A. Liu et al.
world. The main application remains in the area of battery manufacture, and approximately, 10–11 Mt/a of lead is consumed. Nearly 60% of this lead is from recycled
materials, the remainder from primary production routes.
Worley has been heavily involved in the pyrometallurgy of lead production for
many years and has assisted a number of clients’ complete brownfield retrofits,
upgrades, and process improvements. There a several key technologies that are dominant in the lead smelting industry transformation and, Worley has worked with all
of the key vendors in all aspects of project execution.
This paper outlines the approach that Worley has taken in the development of
these projects, including the process modelling aspects and data acquisition review
and application. This paper reviews two projects that Worley has executed in the last
10 years that have transformed operations. Both have been executed in brownfields
environments, with combinations of engineering and execution models.
Blast Furnace and Sinter Plant Operation
The major production route of metallic lead has been the sinter plant and blast furnace. From an environmental perspective, the capture of lead bearing dust and SO 2
containing metallurgical gases has been extremely difficult. Over many years, operations have incrementally improved their operations; however, with tighter global
environmental standards and continued pressure from shareholders, lead smelters
have had to make investment decisions to replace aging assets. In some cases, the
upgrade choices have been uneconomic forcing assets to close.
Historically, much of the lead produced globally was from the sinter plant/blast
furnace route. Over the last 15–20 years, there has been a transition from this historic
production route to newer technologies including Top Submerged Lance (TSL) technology with both Outotec and Glencore having examples of their technology being
adapted to the primary lead smelting industry. More recently, we have seen the rapid
introduction and take-up of the SKS technology from China.
In some of these instances, the blast furnace has remained as the key reduction
furnace, treating in many cases synthetic sinter in the form of slag from the primary
smelting unit. The change in sinter form has meant that incremental changes have
been required at the blast furnace to optimise the production of lead bullion. In some
cases, bullion can also be produced in the primary smelter; however, in this mode,
the majority of the lead continues to come from the blast furnace.
The new primary smelter to replace the sinter plant has increased the ability to
recover sulphur bearing gases at a higher SO 2 tenor than typically experienced at
the sinter plant, and in addition, the dust capture and feed conditioning have been
improved to dramatically decrease airborne lead.
A. Liu et al.
world. The main application remains in the area of battery manufacture, and approximately, 10–11 Mt/a of lead is consumed. Nearly 60% of this lead is from recycled
materials, the remainder from primary production routes.
Worley has been heavily involved in the pyrometallurgy of lead production for
many years and has assisted a number of clients’ complete brownfield retrofits,
upgrades, and process improvements. There a several key technologies that are dominant in the lead smelting industry transformation and, Worley has worked with all
of the key vendors in all aspects of project execution.
This paper outlines the approach that Worley has taken in the development of
these projects, including the process modelling aspects and data acquisition review
and application. This paper reviews two projects that Worley has executed in the last
10 years that have transformed operations. Both have been executed in brownfields
environments, with combinations of engineering and execution models.
Blast Furnace and Sinter Plant Operation
The major production route of metallic lead has been the sinter plant and blast furnace. From an environmental perspective, the capture of lead bearing dust and SO 2
containing metallurgical gases has been extremely difficult. Over many years, operations have incrementally improved their operations; however, with tighter global
environmental standards and continued pressure from shareholders, lead smelters
have had to make investment decisions to replace aging assets. In some cases, the
upgrade choices have been uneconomic forcing assets to close.
Historically, much of the lead produced globally was from the sinter plant/blast
furnace route. Over the last 15–20 years, there has been a transition from this historic
production route to newer technologies including Top Submerged Lance (TSL) technology with both Outotec and Glencore having examples of their technology being
adapted to the primary lead smelting industry. More recently, we have seen the rapid
introduction and take-up of the SKS technology from China.
In some of these instances, the blast furnace has remained as the key reduction
furnace, treating in many cases synthetic sinter in the form of slag from the primary
smelting unit. The change in sinter form has meant that incremental changes have
been required at the blast furnace to optimise the production of lead bullion. In some
cases, bullion can also be produced in the primary smelter; however, in this mode,
the majority of the lead continues to come from the blast furnace.
The new primary smelter to replace the sinter plant has increased the ability to
recover sulphur bearing gases at a higher SO 2 tenor than typically experienced at
the sinter plant, and in addition, the dust capture and feed conditioning have been
improved to dramatically decrease airborne lead.