RECOVERY OF SULPHUR FROM SMELTER GASES AT KALGOORLIE.

Western Mining Corporation's Nickel smelter at Kalgoorlie in Western Australia discharges some 330,000 ton/yr of sulfur dioxide in a stream of approximately 6 per cent by volume of SO//2. Three possible recovery methods have been considered: manufacture of sulfuric acid using the contact process, concentration of sulfur dioxide to a pure form using dimethyl aniline as an absorbing medium and reduction to elemental sulfur using natural gas as the reducing agent. The possibility is considered of manufacturing superphosphate from locally produced acid obtained from the smelter gases and from phosphate rock railed to the site from the coast.