The present invention describes a method for the energy efficient production of metals and alloys by carbothermic reduction of minerals and ores in electric reduction reactors, said method comprising at least the following steps: conveying a wood containing material to at least one pyrolysis step for producing charcoal; conveying said produced charcoal, possibly other carbon-containing reduction materials and metal containing raw materials to the at least one reactor for producing metal or alloy; conveying off-gas from said at least one pyrolysis step and off-gas from said at least one reactor to at least one energy recovery step.

A process for the production of a metal which comprises: carbothermal reduction of the corresponding metal oxide to produce a mixed gas stream comprising the metal and carbon monoxide; maintaining the mixed gas stream at a suitably elevated temperature to prevent reformation of the metal oxide; ejecting the mixed gas stream through a convergent-divergent nozzle in order to cool the mixed gas stream instantaneously to a temperature at which reformation of the metal oxide cannot take place; and separating and collecting the metal, wherein the nozzle is heated by means other than gas flow through the nozzle so that temperature of surfaces of the nozzle in contact with the mixed gas stream are maintained at a temperature sufficient to prevent deposition on the said surfaces of products from the gas stream.

A process for the production of a metal which comprises: carbothermal reduction of the corresponding metal oxide to produce a mixed gas stream comprising the metal and carbon monoxide; maintaining the mixed gas stream at a suitably elevated temperature to prevent reformation of the metal oxide; ejecting the mixed gas stream through a convergent-divergent nozzle in order to cool the mixed gas stream instantaneously to a temperature at which reformation of the metal oxide cannot take place; and separating and collecting the metal, wherein the nozzle is heated by means other than gas flow through the nozzle so that temperature of surfaces of the nozzle in contact with the mixed gas stream are maintained at a temperature sufficient to prevent deposition on the said surfaces of products from the gas stream.

This invention relates generally to novel methods and novel devices for the continuous manufacture of nanoparticles, microparticles and nanoparticle/liquid solution(s). The nanoparticles (and/or micron-sized particles) comprise a variety of possible compositions, sizes and shapes. The particles (e.g., nanoparticles) are caused to be present (e.g., created) in a liquid (e.g., water) by, for example, preferably utilizing at least one adjustable plasma (e.g., created by at least one AC and/or DC power source), which plasma communicates with at least a portion of a surface of the liquid. At least one subsequent and/or substantially simultaneous adjustable electrochemical processing technique is also preferred. Multiple adjustable plasmas and/or adjustable electrochemical processing techniques are preferred. The continuous process causes at least one liquid to flow into, through and out of at least one trough member, such liquid being processed, conditioned and/or effected in said trough member(s). Results include constituents formed in the liquid including micron-sized particles and/or nanoparticles (e.g., metallic-based nanoparticles) of novel size, shape, composition and properties present in a liquid.

The invention relates to a method for smelting non-ferrous metal sulfides (13) in a suspension smelting furnace and to a suspension smelting furnace. The suspension smelting furnace comprises at least one injection means (18) for injecting at least one of fluid (19) and pulverous matter (20) into a settler (2) of the suspension smelting furnace from at least one of a first side wall structure (8) and a second side wall structure (9) of the settler (2) so that fluid (19) and/or pulverous matter (20) is injected into the settler (2) above a top surface (16) of a layer of melt (15) in the settler (2).

The invention relates to a method for smelting non-ferrous metal sulfides (13) in a suspension smelting furnace and to a suspension smelting furnace. The suspension smelting furnace comprises at least one injection means (18) for injecting at least one of fluid (19) and pulverous matter (20) into a settler (2) of the suspension smelting furnace from at least one of a first side wall structure (8) and a second side wall structure (9) of the settler (2) so that fluid (19) and/or pulverous matter (20) is injected into the settler (2) above a top surface (16) of a layer of melt (15) in the settler (2).

The present disclosure concerns an apparatus suitable for smelting and separating metals in flexible oxido-reduction conditions. More particularly, it concerns an apparatus for smelting metallurgical charges comprising a bath furnace susceptible to contain a molten charge up to a determined level, characterized in that the furnace is equipped with: at least one non-transfer plasma torch for the generation of first hot gases; at least one oxygas burner for the generation of second hot gasses; and, submerged injectors for injecting said first and second hot gases below said determined level.

This invention relates generally to novel methods and novel devices for the continuous manufacture of nanoparticles, microparticles and nanoparticle/liquid solution(s). The nanoparticles (and/or micron-sized particles) comprise a variety of possible compositions, sizes and shapes. The particles (e.g., nanoparticles) are caused to be present (e.g., created) in a liquid (e.g., water) by, for example, preferably utilizing at least one adjustable plasma (e.g., created by at least one AC and/or DC power source), which plasma communicates with at least a portion of a surface of the liquid. At least one subsequent and/or substantially simultaneous adjustable electrochemical processing technique is also preferred. Multiple adjustable plasmas and/or adjustable electrochemical processing techniques are preferred. The continuous process causes at least one liquid to flow into, through and out of at least one trough member, such liquid being processed, conditioned and/or effected in said trough member(s). Results include constituents formed in the liquid including micron-sized particles and/or nanoparticles (e.g., metallic-based nanoparticles) of novel size, shape, composition and properties present in a liquid.

A method for recovering valuables, which can suppress the loss of valuables in recovering the valuables is provided. The method for recovering valuables of the disclosure comprises: a preparation step of preparing a treatment object including a valuables-containing member that contains valuables on or above a surface of a base material; an immersion step of immersing the treatment object in a liquid such that the valuables-containing member of the treatment object is disposed in the liquid; a collection step of irradiating the valuables-containing member of the treatment object immersed in the liquid with laser light through the liquid so as to remove the valuables-containing member from the treatment object, thereby collecting removed matter of the valuables-containing member into the liquid; and a recovery step of recovering the removed matter of the valuables-containing member from the liquid.

A method for recovering valuables, which can suppress the loss of valuables in recovering the valuables is provided. The method for recovering valuables of the disclosure comprises: a preparation step of preparing a treatment object including a valuables-containing member that contains valuables on or above a surface of a base material; an immersion step of immersing the treatment object in a liquid such that the valuables-containing member of the treatment object is disposed in the liquid; a collection step of irradiating the valuables-containing member of the treatment object immersed in the liquid with laser light through the liquid so as to remove the valuables-containing member from the treatment object, thereby collecting removed matter of the valuables-containing member into the liquid; and a recovery step of recovering the removed matter of the valuables-containing member from the liquid.