In some variations, the invention provides a biocarbon pellet comprising: 35 wt % to 99 wt % of a biogenic reagent, wherein the biogenic reagent comprises, on a dry basis, at least 60 wt % carbon; 0 wt % to 35 wt % water moisture; and 1 wt % to 30 wt % of a binder, wherein the biocarbon pellet is characterized by an adjustable Hardgrove Grindability Index (HGI) from about 30 to about 120, as shown in the Examples. The pellet HGI is adjustable by controlling process conditions and the pellet binder. The binder can be an organic binder or an inorganic binder. The carbon is renewable as determined from a measurement of the .sup.14C/.sup.12C isotopic ratio. Many processes of making and using the biocarbon pellets are described. Applications of the biocarbon pellets include pulverized coal boilers, furnaces for making metals such as iron or silicon, and gasifiers for producing reducing gas.

In some variations, the invention provides a biocarbon pellet comprising: 35 wt % to 99 wt % of a biogenic reagent, wherein the biogenic reagent comprises, on a dry basis, at least 60 wt % carbon; 0 wt % to 35 wt % water moisture; and 1 wt % to 30 wt % of a binder, wherein the biocarbon pellet is characterized by an adjustable Hardgrove Grindability Index (HGI) from about 30 to about 120, as shown in the Examples. The pellet HGI is adjustable by controlling process conditions and the pellet binder. The binder can be an organic binder or an inorganic binder. The carbon is renewable as determined from a measurement of the .sup.14C/.sup.12C isotopic ratio. Many processes of making and using the biocarbon pellets are described. Applications of the biocarbon pellets include pulverized coal boilers, furnaces for making metals such as iron or silicon, and gasifiers for producing reducing gas.

A method and system for recovering a high yield of low carbon ferroalloy, e.g., low carbon ferrochrome, from chromite and low carbon ferrochrome produced by the method. A stoichiometric mixture of feed materials including scrap aluminum granules, lime, silica sand, and chromite ore are provided into a plasma arc furnace. The scrap aluminum granules are produced from used aluminum beverage containers. The feed materials are heated, whereupon the aluminum in the aluminum granules produces an exothermic reaction reducing the chromium oxide and iron oxide in the chromite to produce molten low carbon ferrochrome with molten slag floating thereon. The molten low carbon ferrochrome is extracted, solidified and granulated into granules of low carbon ferrochrome. The molten slag is extracted, solidified and granulated into granules of slag.

A gasifier for organic solid waste by injection into molten iron and slag bath includes a gasification furnace, a liquid level adjusting furnace and a slag discharge and heat exchange shaft furnace. The liquid level adjusting furnace, in communication with the bottom of the gasification furnace, contains 1200-1700° C. molten iron-based alloy liquid, which is covered with molten liquid slag layer. When gas pressure above or liquid volume in the liquid level adjusting furnace increases, liquid level of the molten liquid in the gasification furnace rises simultaneously. A particle material injection lance is immersed, through which organic particles to be gasified are blown into molten bath, and oxygen gas or oxygen-enriched air as gasifying agent is blown into the melt at the same time. Organic substance is gasified into CO-rich and H.sub.2-rich syngas, and most of inorganic substance enters molten slag and is discharged termly.

A plant complex for producing steel, having a blast furnace for producing pig iron; a converter steel works for producing crude steel; a gas pipeline system for gases that occur in the production of pig iron and/or the production of crude steel; a chemical plant and/or a biotechnology plant which are/is connected to the gas pipeline system, wherein the plant complex additionally includes a biogas plant which is connected to the gas pipeline system.

A method for recycling used cells such as saline cells, alkaline cells, button cells and used rechargeable batteries, includes the step of introducing the cells and/or rechargeable batteries as feedstock into a metal melting furnace, at the charging door thereof. The cells and/or rechargeable batteries are subjected to a compression operation in order to remove the electrolytes contained in the cells and/or rechargeable batteries, prior to introducing the cells and/or rechargeable batteries into the metal melting furnace.

The method can be used for recycling used cells and rechargeable batteries.

The present invention provides a method of simultaneously recycling plastics and detoxifying chromite ore processing residue with residual heat from a steel slag. By heating and gasifying plastics with steel slag, followed by catalytically split-decomposing the plastics with catalysts such as chromite ore processing residue, the plastics are thoroughly converted into a energy gas under water vapor gasification. The surface coking of Chromite Ore Processing Residue is avoided. Meanwhile, the energy gas reduces Cr.sup.6+ in Chromite Ore Processing Residue into Cr.sup.3+, and the energy gas is cooled, and CO.sub.2 and Cl in the energy gas are adsorbed by alkaline substances in Chromite Ore Processing Residue. With this method, chromite ore processing residue is detoxified, and steel slag is cooled, furthermore, energy is saved and a energy gas is obtained.

The present application relates to a process for the purification of waste materials or industrial by-products, the process comprising the steps of: a) Preparing a composition (C) by blending or mixing waste materials or industrial by-products comprising chlorine (B) with one or more materials comprising heavy metals (HM) b) Reacting (B) and (HM) by thermal treatment of (C) c) Separating evaporated heavy metal chloride compounds (HMCC) d) Obtaining a solid material after the thermal treatment step.

A system and a process for dry recovery of iron oxide fines from iron hearing compact and semicompact rocks are provided, which system and process utilize primary, secondary and tertiary crushing components for preliminarily reducing the granulometry of ores containing the iron oxide fines in compact and semicompact rocks. Dynamic air classifier components are provided for finely grinding iron oxide minerals reduced through primary, secondary and tertiary crushing, along with static air classification components arranged in series for intermediate granulometric cuts and bag filters for retaining fine fraction. The system and process further comprise magnetic rolls, for magnetic separation, arranged in cascade at a variable leaning angle and formed by at least one of high or low magnetic intensity magnets.

A system and method for recovering a high yield of low carbon ferrochrome from chromite and low carbon ferrochrome produced therefrom. A stoichiometric mixture of feed materials including scrap aluminum granules, lime, silica sand, and chromite ore are provided into a plasma arc furnace. The scrap aluminum granules are produced from used aluminum beverage containers. The feed materials are heated, whereupon the aluminum in the aluminum granules produces an exothermic reaction reducing the chromium oxide and iron oxide in the chromite to produce molten low carbon ferrochrome with molten slag floating thereon. The molten low carbon ferrochrome is extracted, solidified and granulated into granules of low carbon ferrochrome. The molten slag is extracted, solidified and granulated into granules of slag.