Minor-element behaviour in copper smelting and converting with the use of tonnage oxygen

A computer simulation has been carried out to predict the distribution beha viour of minor elements, such as Pb, Zn, Bi, Sb and As, between the gas and molten phases in copper smelting (steady-state), converting (batch) and co mbined smelting + converting systems in which tonnage oxygen is used. The c urrent industry trend, especially in the new and emerging processes, is to the use of greater oxygen enrichment. The predicted minor-element behaviour at the high degrees of oxygen enrichment was compared with that at 42 and 21% oxygen enrichment. The simulation generally predicted high elimination of minor elements by slagging, low elimination by volatilization and low to tal elimination at a high oxygen potential. At high oxygen partial pressure lead, antimony and zinc are removed mostly by slagging, which makes the us e of a high oxygen potential beneficial when the dust is recycled to the sm elting furnace. The overall elimination (smelting + converting) of bismuth and arsenic can be affected greatly by the level of oxygen enrichment, foll owed, in decreasing order, by that of antimony and lead, but the eliminatio n of zinc is Little affected by it. In general, the elimination of minor el ements occurs primarily during smelting and secondarily in the first stage of converting.