Patent EA-003759-B1 (EA)
Title: Method for the production of blister copper in suspension reactor
Inventor: POIJARVI JAAKO
IPC: C22B15/00
Filed: 2000-01-04
Abstract: 1. A method to produce blister copper in a suspension reactor directly from a sulfidic copper concentrate, whereby the concentrate, flux and oxygen-enriched air are fed into the reactor, characterized in that cooled and finely-ground copper matte is fed into the suspension reactor along with the concentrate in order to bind the heat released from the concentrate and to decrease the amount of slag relatively, whereby the degree of oxygen enrichment of the air fed to the reactor is at least 50%. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the copper content of the concentrate fed to the suspension reactor is at least 31 %. 3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the suspension reactor is a flash smelting furnace. 4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the slag from the blister copper producing suspension reactor is processed in two stages. 5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the slag from the blister copper producing suspension reactor is processed in an electric furnace (EF) and the slag from the electric furnace is processed in a slag concentrating plant. 6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the slag from the electric furnace is cooled slowly and processed in a slag concentrating plant, from where the slag concentrate is conveyed to the suspension reactor and that the slag is waste slag, with a copper content of 0.3-0.5 % Cu. 7. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the slag from the blister copper producing suspension reactor is processed in two electric furnaces. 8. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the copper matte to be fed into the suspension reactor is formed in a matte producing reactor and that the copper content of the concentrate fed into the latter is 20-31 % Cu. 9. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the slag from the matte producing reactor is cooled slowly and processed in a slag concentrating plant, from where the slag concentrate obtained is conveyed to the matte producing reactor and that the slag is waste slag, with a copper content of 0.3-0.5% Cu. 10. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the slag from the matte producing reactor is cooled slowly and processed in a slag concentrating plant, from where the slag concentrate obtained is conveyed to the blister copper producing suspension reactor and that the slag is waste slag, with a copper content of 0.3-0.5 % Cu. 11. A method according to some of the above claims, characterized in that the slag from the blister copper producing suspension reactor is processed first in an electric furnace and the slag obtained from there is cooled slowly and conveyed to the slag concentrating plant together with the slag from the matte producing reactor for joint processing. 12. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the matte producing reactor is a suspension smelting furnace. 13. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the matte producing suspension smelting furnace is a flash smelting furnace.