Patent ID: 8420007

Claim:
Apparatus for produciug lead and zinc from concentrates of zinc and lead sulfides or oxides, consisting of. (a) a source of zinc ore and/or lead ore concentrates, iron bearing and carbon containing materials; metallic iron fines arid iron oxide fines; carbonaceous fluxing agent; and a binder; (b) a mixer for forming a mixture from said concentrates and other materials; (c) means communicating with said, mixer for forming agglomerates from said mixture; (d) a melting furnace; (e) a pressure sealed feed system communicating with said agglomerating means and said melting furnace for introducing said agglomerates to said melting furnace; (f) a pressure sealed chamber surrounding said melting furnace; (g) means for maintaining a reducing atmosphere within said melting furnace; (h) means for vaporizing lead and zinc in the melting furnace; (I) means for removing the lead and zinc from the melting furnace in vaporized form; (j) Water-cooled condenser means for cooling and condensing the metal, vapors to liquid metal; (k) tapping means communicating with said condenser for removing the liquid metal; (l) means for separating the zinc and lead and recovering the lead and zinc metal separately; (m) a cooler-scrubber communicating with said melting furnace for cleaning and cooling the off-gases removed from said melting furnace; (n) a gas turbine communicating with said cooler-scrubber for receiving and utilizing the cleaned and cooled off-gases as combustion fuel; and (o) a generator associated with and, driven by said gas turbine.