Technologies for Treatment
of Zinc-Containing Waste
from Metallurgy in KCM AD
Stefan Stoychev, Emil Minchev, Aleksander Kyurkchiev
and Georgi Radonov
Abstract The zinc plant in KCM AD started in 1961. The current annual capacity
of the plant is 75,000 tons of zinc. The technological scheme is classic—Roasting,
Leaching, and Electrowinning. Hydroxide cakes, generated during the leaching, are
treated in the Waelz plant. In the period 2009–2011, different options for development
of the company were considered with the main goals being increasing the profitability
and competitiveness and minimizing quantity of the wastes for landfill. KCM decided
to invest with priority in increasing the capacity of the Waelz kilns and realizing a
technological line for treatment of zinc-containing secondary materials and wastes,
mainly EAF dusts and lead slag from the lead plant. With the realized investments
and implemented technologies, the share of treated secondary materials and wastes
reached 25% of the total zinc plant input, including 10% EAFD. The circle of the
recycles and residues between the two plants in KCM was closed.
Keywords Waelz process · EAF dusts · Lead slag · Oxides washing
Zinc Plant
The zinc plant in KCM AD started in 1961. The current annual capacity of the plant
is 75,000 tons of zinc, 74,000 tons of which are SHG. The technological scheme is
classic:
• roasting of concentrates in a fluid bed roaster;
• neutral leaching and acid leaching in a sulphuric acid solution;
• precipitation of iron;
• purification of the solution;
• electrolysis;
• melting and casting;
• Waelz kilns—four pcs.
S. Stoychev · E. Minchev · A. Kyurkchiev · G. Radonov (B)
KCM 2000 Group, Asenovgradsko Shose, 4009 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
e-mail: georgi.radonov@kcm.bg
© 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_69
799
of Zinc-Containing Waste
from Metallurgy in KCM AD
Stefan Stoychev, Emil Minchev, Aleksander Kyurkchiev
and Georgi Radonov
Abstract The zinc plant in KCM AD started in 1961. The current annual capacity
of the plant is 75,000 tons of zinc. The technological scheme is classic—Roasting,
Leaching, and Electrowinning. Hydroxide cakes, generated during the leaching, are
treated in the Waelz plant. In the period 2009–2011, different options for development
of the company were considered with the main goals being increasing the profitability
and competitiveness and minimizing quantity of the wastes for landfill. KCM decided
to invest with priority in increasing the capacity of the Waelz kilns and realizing a
technological line for treatment of zinc-containing secondary materials and wastes,
mainly EAF dusts and lead slag from the lead plant. With the realized investments
and implemented technologies, the share of treated secondary materials and wastes
reached 25% of the total zinc plant input, including 10% EAFD. The circle of the
recycles and residues between the two plants in KCM was closed.
Keywords Waelz process · EAF dusts · Lead slag · Oxides washing
Zinc Plant
The zinc plant in KCM AD started in 1961. The current annual capacity of the plant
is 75,000 tons of zinc, 74,000 tons of which are SHG. The technological scheme is
classic:
• roasting of concentrates in a fluid bed roaster;
• neutral leaching and acid leaching in a sulphuric acid solution;
• precipitation of iron;
• purification of the solution;
• electrolysis;
• melting and casting;
• Waelz kilns—four pcs.
S. Stoychev · E. Minchev · A. Kyurkchiev · G. Radonov (B)
KCM 2000 Group, Asenovgradsko Shose, 4009 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
e-mail: georgi.radonov@kcm.bg
© 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_69
799