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E. Jak et al.
Introduction
In the survey of global lead smelter operations reported in the Pb/Zn 2010 symposium
[1], two major trends were noted: (i) the relatively rapid changes to process technologies and (ii) the increasingly diverse range of source materials, the use of mixtures
of primary ores, complex process wastes and recycled materials by industry in their
feed materials. These trends have continued at an accelerating pace. The task of
optimizing process design and operation of modern metallurgical plants has become
more complex. Accurate and reliable descriptions of phase equilibria and thermodynamics properties are required to describe these multi-component systems over wide
ranges of bulk compositions and process conditions. In the previous review of phase
chemistry of lead smelting systems [2], some of the advances that had been made in
characterizing the PbO–ZnO–FeO–Fe 2 O 3 –CaO–SiO 2 system and the development
of a thermodynamic database describing this base slag system were highlighted. The
accuracy of the database at that time was reliant on experimental data available at
two extremes in process conditions, in air and in equilibrium with metallic iron.
Phase equilibrium data were available on the majority of PbO- and ZnO-containing
low-order SiO 2 -containing sub-systems, on selected multi-component systems in
PbO–ZnO–“Fe 2 O 3 ”–CaO–SiO 2 in air and ZnO–“FeO”–CaO–SiO 2 in equilibrium
with metallic iron.
Since that time, with the financial support from major lead primary and
recycling companies, this research program has further progressed and significant advances have been made to increase the range of chemical systems that can be experimentally characterized in these lead-containing systems. With the development of an integrated experimental and thermodynamic modelling research methodology, a program on development of the
thermodynamic database for the complex multi-component and multi-phase
gas—slag—matte—speiss—metal—solids PbO–ZnO–“Cu 2 O”–FeO–Fe 2 O 3 –SiO 2 –
S–Al 2 O 3 –CaO–MgO–Cr 2 O 3 –(As–Bi–Ni–Sb–Sn–Ag–Au–Co) system is currently
underway.
The strategic target of the program is to be able to produce sophisticated computerbased tools that can be used to predict the outcomes from industrial reactor systems,
to support the introduction of feed-forward control systems, to increase the productivities and efficiencies of pyrometallurgical processes, and, ultimately, to develop and
implement the use of computer-based virtual reactor models of these systems. These
tools have the potential to deliver substantial economic and productivity benefits to
industry as well as improve metal recycling and energy efficiency.
The present paper provides a brief outline of the following:
• The extensive experimental and thermodynamic database development research
capability that has been established.
E. Jak et al.
Introduction
In the survey of global lead smelter operations reported in the Pb/Zn 2010 symposium
[1], two major trends were noted: (i) the relatively rapid changes to process technologies and (ii) the increasingly diverse range of source materials, the use of mixtures
of primary ores, complex process wastes and recycled materials by industry in their
feed materials. These trends have continued at an accelerating pace. The task of
optimizing process design and operation of modern metallurgical plants has become
more complex. Accurate and reliable descriptions of phase equilibria and thermodynamics properties are required to describe these multi-component systems over wide
ranges of bulk compositions and process conditions. In the previous review of phase
chemistry of lead smelting systems [2], some of the advances that had been made in
characterizing the PbO–ZnO–FeO–Fe 2 O 3 –CaO–SiO 2 system and the development
of a thermodynamic database describing this base slag system were highlighted. The
accuracy of the database at that time was reliant on experimental data available at
two extremes in process conditions, in air and in equilibrium with metallic iron.
Phase equilibrium data were available on the majority of PbO- and ZnO-containing
low-order SiO 2 -containing sub-systems, on selected multi-component systems in
PbO–ZnO–“Fe 2 O 3 ”–CaO–SiO 2 in air and ZnO–“FeO”–CaO–SiO 2 in equilibrium
with metallic iron.
Since that time, with the financial support from major lead primary and
recycling companies, this research program has further progressed and significant advances have been made to increase the range of chemical systems that can be experimentally characterized in these lead-containing systems. With the development of an integrated experimental and thermodynamic modelling research methodology, a program on development of the
thermodynamic database for the complex multi-component and multi-phase
gas—slag—matte—speiss—metal—solids PbO–ZnO–“Cu 2 O”–FeO–Fe 2 O 3 –SiO 2 –
S–Al 2 O 3 –CaO–MgO–Cr 2 O 3 –(As–Bi–Ni–Sb–Sn–Ag–Au–Co) system is currently
underway.
The strategic target of the program is to be able to produce sophisticated computerbased tools that can be used to predict the outcomes from industrial reactor systems,
to support the introduction of feed-forward control systems, to increase the productivities and efficiencies of pyrometallurgical processes, and, ultimately, to develop and
implement the use of computer-based virtual reactor models of these systems. These
tools have the potential to deliver substantial economic and productivity benefits to
industry as well as improve metal recycling and energy efficiency.
The present paper provides a brief outline of the following:
• The extensive experimental and thermodynamic database development research
capability that has been established.