Pyrometallurgy for nano-scientists

Abstract

Pyrometallurgical processes involve a preliminary step to render the ore or concentrate more amenable to further processing. This is then followed by a reduction or a conversion step to liberate the metal and finally a refining step to get the pure metal for the market. When the flotation process was introduced it permitted the utilization of low great ores which resulted in fine particles that cannot be introduced into shaft furnaces in use. As a result new unit operations were invented to cope with the situation. Although fine particles may be desirable because of the large surface area and the rapid rate of reaction they have the disadvantage of generating undesirable dust. Fine particles are crucial for roasting and flash smelting technologies.