Obtaining Usable Products by Processing Converter Flue Dust from Copper Production

Abstract

Copper converter flue dust (CFD) is one of the solid wastes generated during the pyrometallurgical production of secondary copper. Due to its fine-grained character and its content of toxic heavy metals, CFD is classified as hazardous waste. CFD contains lead, zinc, and tin in the form of oxides. The aim of this paper is to design a complex hydrometallurgical process for CFD treatment in order to obtain commercially saleable products based on zinc, tin, and lead. The proposed CFD treatment process consists of leaching in acetic acid, cementation of lead from leachate by zinc, and subsequent precipitation of zinc with carbonate ions.

Keywords

• converter flue dust
• thermodynamics of leaching
• hydrometallurgy
• copper