Patent ID: 7513929
Filing Date: 2009-04-07
Classification: C22B,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of processing iron and volatile metal containing material which comprises: providing a channel induction furnace having opposite ends, an unobstructed interior space between the opposite ends, at least one inlet for feeding material into the channel induction furnace at one of the opposite ends, and a slag discharge outlet at another one of the opposite ends for removing slag from the channel induction furnace; feeding an iron-containing material into one of the said at least one inlets on a continuous or semi-continuous basis; feeding the volatile metal containing feed material together with the volatile metal components therein into one of the said at least one inlets with the iron-containing material; allowing a controlled amount of oxygen to enter the channel induction furnace so as to control at least one of: obtaining an iron-containing product on a continuous or semi-continuous basis and recovering volatile metals.