Pyrometallurgy: Roasting, Smelting, Refining & Electrowinning

Pyrometallurgy: Roasting, Smelting, Refining & Electrowinning

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Started by johnywhy
This question concerns the making of alloys for casting. I need a low-toxicity, low-melting point metal, to cast hardware parts. The parts must not crack under torque or impact, and should remain hard up to 100 deg C. My plan is to make a Tin/Bism...
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Last replied to by Jorge
It is important to mention that bismuth has a special property of expanding during cooling. Therefore, is added to reduce the contraction of the alloy tin-bismuth. Also, the addition of bismuth is mad...
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Started by BentFunky
I’m pretty new to pyrometallurgy, so apologies if this is a noob question. Asking for help understanding the appearance of metal retrieved after smelting gold ore. I was testing/tuning a new furnace by smelting a small amount low quality gold ore...
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Last commented on by BentFunky
Interesting. Hadn't considered that. I'll have to see if I can replicate the results. Appreciate the idea.
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Started by elie
Hello all, this may be a bit of an unusual question. I would please like to seek expertise on estimating the melt value of Lebanese Pounds coins, the 500 LBP and 250 LBP denominations. I can potentially send samples if needed.References to the coins ...
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Last replied to by Todd H
These coins are worth more as currency than as metal - according to the site they are steel plated with nickel and would be worth something of the order of 4 to 5 US cents per pound as scrap.
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Started by Adimulu
Dear All We run CIL plant , at this time we have large amount of fine carbon collected with grade 100-150 g/t, with current high gold price we are thinking a way to get the gold. Is there any proved method to recover gold from fine carbon.   Reg...
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Last replied to by SIMetallurgist
Speaking for the US - Just Refiners Inc. in Nevada. Also if you want to purchase a unit. https://www.kcareno.com/kca-carbon-converter  
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Started by Vincent Cherico
Hi, my name is Vin, and I am not a metallurgist. And have no idea what I am talking about. ? However I am writing an article which touches on the recovery of gold from jewelry scrap in the 18th and 19th centuries. Is there anyone out there that is ve...
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Last commented on by Vincent Cherico
Thank you so much for your input!
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Started by Millza79
What is the minimum Sulphur grade that you could sell a pyrite flotation concentrate to a pyrite roster? I would have thought it would have to be at least 45% Sulphur.
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Last replied to by afxdes
If the concentrate contains significant quantities of gold (and silver), it does not have to end up at a roaster. A smelter can take it. Payabilities on precious metals may also be higher.
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Started by nhngh
For the pyrometallurgical processing of Gibbsite using carbon as the reducing agent. The process uses ROM ore as the feed stream, and has Aluminium metal as the product, can I use Bayer process and Hall–Héroult process?
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Last replied to by Vincent Cherico
My apologies, I thought this was going into a general box and not a specific answer to you question. Sorry about that. Vin
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Started by cmrosso
Good day, We run a Zadra elution circuit and we usually use a carbon call (using loaded and barren carbon values) to determine what gold bar we might pour. However, we also keep track of our eluant call (using pregnant solution and barren solution v...
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Last commented on by Abena Yeboah
Hello Todd I am a recent graduate in metallurgist. Can you kindly thow more light on how poor flow can cause such divergence?
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Started by Explorer
Which tabletop electric furnace would be suitable for smelting gold ore 
Last commented on by SmartDog
Try this: https://www.instructables.com/id/microwave-smelter/
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Started by Millza79
For a magnetite concentrate that reports to a pelletising plant, what is the mass increase (say as a %, i.e. 105%) due to the pelletising reactions?
Last replied to by SmartDog
Since you are not changing the amount of material, just how they are combined the only change will be the driving off of any volatile material.  If you are ignoring the water (the bulk of the volatil...
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Started by indunil
hello friends . i need a little help here  I have mixed hcl and bleach with an ore i found near by and it went well in first steps came out nice yellow orange look and filtered out the existing grain out .  but nothing happens with sodium metabi...
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Last replied to by Todd H
I am not sure what chemistry you are using here.  Hypochlorite (bleach) will dissolve gold and this gold can be precipitates by the degradation of the gold chloride. This might help: https://www.91...
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Started by paigekru
Hi, I am new to working with metals, and was hoping someone could assist me with sizing electrowinning cells. I have a zinc battery and I am considering swapping out my charge reactor with electrowinning cells, but I have no experience with the topic...
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Last replied to by Todd H
If you provide more details i may be able to help.  What are you trying to electrowin?  It looks perhaps like you are trying to make a battery. Regards  
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Started by Tererai
Hi guys, can you assist me with info -: Gold smelting and Refinery  Silver smelting and Refinery
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Last commented on by Tererai
Thank you very much, very much useful.
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Started by Zhanbolat
Hi guys! Does anybody reccomend an effective way to grind the zinc calcine after roasting? Or how you reccomend control the particle size of calcines in and after roaster to avoid problems in further leaching.  Here we have air separation and then...
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Last replied to by zincmet
Hello   i just joined and saw this old thread. zinc roaster calcine is ground in dry or wet ball mills. The most common practice involves cooling the calcine with a rotary water-tube cooler or a f...
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Started by aeolson
Having some issues with all of a sudden brittle dore bars from our ILR.    The bars used to run about 95% combined Au/g.   However this has dropped to to around 80% with the new actor being pb. Cu is about 4 ppm On a typical batch we use 6 to 7 ...
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Last replied to by Todd H
What is the source of the Pb?  It is best to try and remove this before the ILR. I would suggest increasing the oxidizer in the flux and perhaps the silica.  I would test this at a small scale firs...
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Started by Jeffreybch
Hi, We normally reduce our loaded electrowinning Steel Wool with Sulphuric acid, then the acid is removed and the remaining materials are washed and dried. Later the dried materials are mixed with the following flux:60% Borax, 20 Niter, 5% Soda Ash...
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Last replied to by AJ
Hi Jeffrey We occasionally see this black material too... I would suggest that it is an excess of iron from your cathodes, a solution for this problem would be to allow more time (or acid) for your ...
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Started by Scotman
I have a slag dump that contains various grades of Zn, Pb as well as Ga and Ge. Is there a technology or process available that can economically extract these metals?  Thank you 
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Last commented on by Scotman
Hi Todd I have a complete CPR on the slag pile - it has been grid - drilled and assayed and which shows good grades of the above metals. What I am now looking for is a company that has experience i...
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Started by lerpollock
I work with non precious metals such as aluminum, brass, and steel for my jewelry. I have recently been working with an aluminum bronze alloy called C954. After doing some research online, I came across some information that said aluminum bronze has ...
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Last replied to by lerpollock
Thank you. I should be able to find what I'm looking for and get some answers too. Very helpful. Much appreciated.
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Started by metallurgyquest
The 6 metals in equal amounts. Through the melting method in a foundry. Not the powder method. Or will this end up not mixing and having cracks due to not adhering to the Hume-Rothery rules? And if not an alloy then what will happen once all 6 are ...
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Started by Seeker
How to recover lead and tin separately from the solution containing chlorides of lead and tin through electrodeposition? Thanks!  
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Started by Teggry
Hi, Can anyone tell me why Magnsesium dioxide would be used in a flux mix for smelting gold?
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Started by Mineshaft
I am going to be conducting a test plot regarding phyromining this summer, and was curious if anyone knows what I should use as a lixiviant to make the gold water soluble in the ground for optimum plant uptake? I would love to stay clear of cyanide ...
Last replied to by SmartDog
As in any metallurgical process the issue is the rate at which the process works.  If a gold lixiviant is used (similar to the ones that Todd mentioned), the rate of metals uptake by the plant versus...
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Started by Tawaz
I am not a metallurgist, but a miner owning a small claim with high grade copper ores, 20%-40% with an average 35% iron content. I don't have the capital to buy expensive smelting equipment and would like to start by doing small 100kg batches in a  ...
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Started by pelo
currently i am experiencing low gold purity and high silver in my bullion an my flux ratio is borax 60%,niter 20%, silica 10% and soda ash 10% please help out
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Last replied to by Deano
I assume that you have previously had higher gold purity in your bars. What I need to know is the previous purity and what gold and silver levels are you now getting. Also I need to know what metals...
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Started by LANGY
am looking the best and effective continuous method  for drying fine magnetite concentrate from a plant that produces 6000tpm. the magnetite is being produced as a by-product from flotation of phosphate. the problem is that its taking long to dry a...
Last replied to by SmartDog
The two simplest methods would be either a rotary dryer (kiln) or a torus disk dryer.  The rotary dryer is the simplest to operate, but may require air emissions permitting.  The torus disk units re...
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Started by Wulvzy
Not a metallurgist, just a blacksmith who is somewhat familiar with steel from reading. so bear with me here because i have to explain in simpleton terms. Attemping to bypass conventional steel bloomery and smelting by loading pure ingrediants -325 ...
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Last replied to by Wulvzy
Should add: current estimate ratio is 30% charocoal powder 30% ironpowder, 30% 1084powder, 5% borax mixed evenly with other ingrediants, remaining 5% glass placed at top of canister pre sealing.
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Started by Moonglow
I'm trying to figure out which has greater yield of gold in general.
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Last replied to by Moonglow
But good answer SmartDog, I just really wanted to know the math!
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Started by Moonglow
I'm looking for a credible supplier that has good quality, preferably old CPU's, and has solid reputation.
Last replied to by SmartDog
Kind of depends where you are looking for them.  First thought would be to go to a local services directory and look up e-waste collectors and processors.
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Started by wageeh
hello all, how are you, if i have zirconia ( ZrO2 ) and yttria ( Y2O3 )  powders, what is the best cheapest method to produce yttria stabilized zirconia? 
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Started by Danihani
Which water is good for making your AAS standard, OR or UP water?
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Last replied to by StefanJov
Water with conductivity below 1 us/cm or better is fine.  Laboratory water affects the sensitivity and detection limits of the flame technique for some elements. 
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Started by Millza79
In bench tests for testing the amenability of a pyrite roaster, is the air continually added throughout the test, or is it just added at the start?
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Last replied to by Todd H
Air is supplied throughout the whole test.  The idea is to oxidize all the sulfide so the reaction requires an excess of air to make sure there is no oxygen limitations.
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Started by BUBKWEY
I have some tons of old Carbon that I keep in my store room after Elution.  Their grade isn't economical enough to take them all for other Elution processes.  May I please know the details of controlled burning, which kind of heat source is the b...
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Last commented on by BUBKWEY
Thanks Jorge.. The info in the link was a great mind opener to me..
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Started by mikewj
Anyone have a rule of thumb on how often the activated carbon inventory should be turned over through elution/regen in a gold CIL/P plant? I've heard 7 days. 
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Started by oro
I’m wondering if I’m in the ballpark with this and how scaleable it might be. 2.5 L of solution1% cyanide1% sodium hydroxide2% alcohol - 700g of activated carbon w/ aprox 2-3 g of gold- carbon is wrapped in mosquito netting- anode is a carbon /...
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Last replied to by oro
Next day update...unfortunately the whole thing evaporated overnight! ...but seems like it worked, nice gold wool. I assume a single vessel to heat and electrowin can only be done using non conductive...
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Started by Rashid
Hello Guys, How can I increase Gold Purity during smelting by using ratio of fluxes, Currently I'm experiencing high silver in dore with low Gold purity. Fluxes Ratio used; Borax - 38% Silica - 10% Soda - 3% Nitre - 6% 
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Last replied to by rushcard1
Rashid:  I don't believe you are going to achieve what you want by adjusting the fluxes, although I am not an expert on them.  I do know you can spin your wheels with numerous experiments that deal ...

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