Reduction of Lead-Rich Slags with Coke
in the Lead Blast Furnace
Robin Vanparys, Geoffrey Brooks, M. Akbar Rhamdhani and Tijl Crivits
Abstract The reduction of lead-rich slag with metallurgical coke is one of the major
reactions in the dripping zone of the lead blast furnace. However, because the conditions of this zone are hard to replicate in a laboratory experiment, previous studies
have been limited to simplified reaction geometries. In this work, an experimental study is performed in a laboratory-scale set-up that more closely resembles the
conditions inside the dripping zone of the lead blast furnace. A synthetic, lead-rich,
PbO–SiO 2 –CaO–Fe 2 O 3 slag, is molten on top of a small-scale metallurgical coke
bed with a total bed diameter of 35 mm, by heating for 15–60 min at temperatures
of 1200–1300 °C. A multitude of particles, including lead-depleted slag, lead, and
iron, were found on the coke surfaces. This illustrates the occurrence of the direct
reduction reaction. The importance of coke surface morphology for reactivity with
slag is emphasised, as the majority of reduced particles are found in pores and surface
depressions.
Keywords Coke · Slag · Reduction · Lead smelting · Blast furnace ·
Pyrometallurgy
R. Vanparys (B) · G. Brooks · M. A. Rhamdhani
Swinburne University of Technology, John Street, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
e-mail: rvanparys@swin.edu.au
G. Brooks
e-mail: gbrooks@swin.edu.au
M. A. Rhamdhani
e-mail: arhamdhani@swin.edu.au
T. Crivits
Umicore Research and Development, Watertorenstraat 33, 2250 Olen, Belgium
e-mail: Tijl.Crivits@eu.umicore.com
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_14
173
in the Lead Blast Furnace
Robin Vanparys, Geoffrey Brooks, M. Akbar Rhamdhani and Tijl Crivits
Abstract The reduction of lead-rich slag with metallurgical coke is one of the major
reactions in the dripping zone of the lead blast furnace. However, because the conditions of this zone are hard to replicate in a laboratory experiment, previous studies
have been limited to simplified reaction geometries. In this work, an experimental study is performed in a laboratory-scale set-up that more closely resembles the
conditions inside the dripping zone of the lead blast furnace. A synthetic, lead-rich,
PbO–SiO 2 –CaO–Fe 2 O 3 slag, is molten on top of a small-scale metallurgical coke
bed with a total bed diameter of 35 mm, by heating for 15–60 min at temperatures
of 1200–1300 °C. A multitude of particles, including lead-depleted slag, lead, and
iron, were found on the coke surfaces. This illustrates the occurrence of the direct
reduction reaction. The importance of coke surface morphology for reactivity with
slag is emphasised, as the majority of reduced particles are found in pores and surface
depressions.
Keywords Coke · Slag · Reduction · Lead smelting · Blast furnace ·
Pyrometallurgy
R. Vanparys (B) · G. Brooks · M. A. Rhamdhani
Swinburne University of Technology, John Street, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
e-mail: rvanparys@swin.edu.au
G. Brooks
e-mail: gbrooks@swin.edu.au
M. A. Rhamdhani
e-mail: arhamdhani@swin.edu.au
T. Crivits
Umicore Research and Development, Watertorenstraat 33, 2250 Olen, Belgium
e-mail: Tijl.Crivits@eu.umicore.com
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_14
173