Determination of Optimum Production Parameters for Depletion of Balkhash Copper-Smelting Plant Dump Slags

Research is conducted on depletion of Vanyukov furnace (VF) slag of the Balkhash Copper Smelting Plant. It is proposed to carry out charge smelting and the depletion of slag in a two-zone VF furnace that has oxidizing and reducing zones separated by a partition. In order to determine the main production parameters of the operation of such a furnace laboratory studies are conducted making it possible to establish optimum conditions for smelting a copper charge. Optimum slag compositions are determined, slag obtained under oxidation and reduction conditions is studied thermogravimetrically, and the melting temperature is determined in each zone: 1285 and 1297 °C. It is established that a reduction in magnetite content to 2.0–2.3% makes it possible to reduce the copper content to 0.5–0.7% in dump slags.