Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    A mechanistic model to predict matte temperatures during the smelting of UG2-rich blends of Platinum Group Metal concentrates

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Eksteen, Jacques
    Date
    2011
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Eksteen, J.J. 2011. A mechanistic model to predict matte temperatures during the smelting of UG2-rich blends of platinum group metal concentrates. Minerals Engineering. 24 (7): pp. 676-687.
    Source Title
    Minerals Engineering
    DOI
    10.1016/j.mineng.2010.10.017
    ISSN
    0892-6875
    School
    WASM Minerals Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy Teaching Area
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/3557
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    High matte temperatures can be related to numerous catastrophic furnace failures in the platinum group metal (PGM) industry where chromite-rich upper group 2 (UG2) concentrates are smelted. Chromite rich concentrates require high slag temperatures as well as sufficient mixing to suspend the chromite spinel particles in the slag and prevent settling in a so-called “mushy” layer consisting of a three phase emulsion of slag, matte and chromite particles. To achieve sufficient bath mixing and to melt and suspend chromite spinel build-up, high hearth power densities are utilised. However, high hearth power densities in conjunction with a heat-isolating concentrate layer, leads to high side wall heat fluxes which motivated the use of intensive cooling in the furnace side wall so that a slag freeze lining can be formed. If matte temperatures are above the slag liquidus temperature, any matte that comes into contact with the freeze lining can destroy the freeze lining. Moreover, if the matte temperature exceeds ca. 1500 °C, chemical thermodynamics indicate that matte has the ability to sulfidise MgO–FexO–Cr2O3 refractories, leading to rapid wear of refractories exposed to high temperature flowing matte. Models are derived for the concentrate-to-matte and slag-to-matte droplet heat transfer.Calculations using the derived models, physical properties and furnace operating conditions give realistic matte temperatures and show that matte temperatures rapidly increase as the concentrate bed becomes matte drainage rate limiting. It is shown that for each concentrate blend mean particle size and mineralogy, there is a maximum smelting rate above which the concentrate bed becomes rate limiting with regards matte drainage, thereby significantly contributing to matte preheating, prior to further heat absorption from the slag layer.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Cracking a hard nut: An overview of Lonmin’s operations directed at smelting of UG2-rich concentrate blends
      Eksteen, Jacques; Van Beek, B.; Bezuidenhout, G. (2011)
      Lonmin, earlier than any other primary platinum producer, had to deal with the concentrating and smelting of UG2-rich ores and concentrates respectively. Smelting was performed at a fairly modest scale compared to the ...
    • Sidewall design to improve lining life in a platinum smelting furnace
      Eksteen, Jacques; McDougall, I. (2012)
      The matte/slag tidal zone in a platinum smelting furnace is subject to severe process conditions which can often lead to premature failure of the lining. The MgO-FeO-Si02 slag is aggressive to refractory bricks, whilst ...
    • Computational fluid dynamic modelling of an electric furnace used in the smelting of PGM containing concentrates
      Bezuidenhout, J.; Eksteen, Jacques; Bradshaw, S. (2009)
      A complete three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic model has been developed to investigate the internal dynamics of a circular, three-phase electrical furnace as used for the smelting of Platinum Group Metal (PGM) ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.