Pyrometallurgy: Roasting, Smelting, Refining & Electrowinning

Pyrometallurgy: Roasting, Smelting, Refining & Electrowinning

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Pyrrhotite Oxidation (9 replies)

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

I need to know what chemical reaction takes place when pyrrhotite is heated in presence of air. It is evident that Fe3O4 and SO2 will be produced but unable to figure out the exact equation.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Would pyrrhotite actually decompose to magnetite preferentially over haematite?

While this paper is based on pyrite, the same processes apply and suggest that the products are haematite (FeO / Fe2O3), not magentite (Fe3O4) https://www.911Metallurgist.com/C/Pyrrhotite%20deposition%20through%20thermal%20projection%20to%20simulate%20iron%20sulphide%20slagging%20in%20oxyfuel%20combustion.pdf

Zander Barcalow
8 years ago
Zander Barcalow 8 years ago

Heating Pyrrhotite at 320 degrees C. will destroy its magnetism.

Heating in the presence of Oxygen (no water) will have the following reaction equation (balanced) ; 3FeS + 5O2 = Fe3O4 + 3SO2

This is the process that used to be used at INCO in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada to convert FeS to Magnetite, which was then pelletized and sold as Iron Ore.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

So is it possible to directly feed FeS for pelletization. The SO2 we can remove through FGD.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

FeS must be roasted in presence of Oxygen, it is an exothermic reaction (it burns).

Jean Rasczak
8 years ago
Jean Rasczak 8 years ago

In 2015 no plant can just decide to burn a sulphur compound then vent the SO2 to atmosphere. Given the need for a pure oxygen feed the proposed burning could produce a quality gas stream for a sulphuric acid plant. You have not mentioned any daily rates but even the cheapest acid plant would be in the tens of millions IMHO. It would also require a reasonably close market due to shipping costs.

There are wet hydromet methods that can produce elemental sulphur. What are your overall economic parameters?

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

We can absorb the vent SO2 to produce gypsum as well. The nearby market are yet to be reviewed.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

When I took my apprenticeship in a major corporation we were taught to collect all of the economic parameters relevant to the project. As vendors of both metals and chemicals the company had a lot of economic data. What was not available for a proposed project would be the subject of questions sent where relevant in order to complete an assessment?

You now suggest that you are asking others about the chemical results of burning FeS, in itself a well-documented subject, but you have also not researched your local cash flow options related to disposal of the sulphur side of the reaction. That is not engineering; at best I'd call it a second year student exercise. How many years of education and practice do you have? Is your question just a personal request or for a company quest.

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Without getting into process economics & per your original query:

Pyrrhotite exists under multiple polytype crystal symmetries of the type Fe(1-x)S; reactions of one type:

3Fe7S8 +38O2 = 7Fe3O4 + 24SO2 (>300C)

Fe3O4 = Fe2O3 +FeO (>1500C)

(unknown)
8 years ago
(unknown) 8 years ago

Fe (1-x) S as fine powder could react with SO2 gas over 150 centigrade in aerated environment at 0.6 atm. Try on dryer plate

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