According to the present invention there is provided a method for treating a zinc leach residue comprising the steps of: adding the zinc leach residue and a sulfide material comprising copper and flux to a furnace having a molten bath therein; operating the furnace to produce a matte comprising copper and a slag comprising zinc; separating the matte from the slag; and recovering zinc from the slag. The method preferably comprises the additional step of recovering the copper and/or other precious metals such as silver and gold, from the matte.

According to the present invention there is provided a method for treating a zinc leach residue comprising the steps of: adding the zinc leach residue and a sulfide material comprising copper and flux to a furnace having a molten bath therein; operating the furnace to produce a matte comprising copper and a slag comprising zinc; separating the matte from the slag; and recovering zinc from the slag. The method preferably comprises the additional step of recovering the copper and/or other precious metals such as silver and gold, from the matte.

A method of processing mixed-material vehicle scrap includes conditioning the mixed-material vehicle scrap and heating the mixed-material vehicle scrap. The mixed-material vehicle scrap comprises a first group of parts and a second group of parts. The first group of parts includes a first alloy and the second group of parts has a substrate of a second alloy and a coating disposed over the substrate. The mixed-material vehicle scrap is conditioned such that an element of the second alloy is diffused into the coating to form a diffused coating. The diffused coating has a melting temperature greater than a melting temperature of the first alloy. The mixed-material vehicle scrap is heated to a temperature above the melting temperature of the first alloy and below the melting temperature of the diffused coating, thereby allowing the second group of parts to separate from the first group of parts.

A method of processing mixed-material vehicle scrap includes conditioning the mixed-material vehicle scrap and heating the mixed-material vehicle scrap. The mixed-material vehicle scrap comprises a first group of parts and a second group of parts. The first group of parts includes a first alloy and the second group of parts has a substrate of a second alloy and a coating disposed over the substrate. The mixed-material vehicle scrap is conditioned such that an element of the second alloy is diffused into the coating to form a diffused coating. The diffused coating has a melting temperature greater than a melting temperature of the first alloy. The mixed-material vehicle scrap is heated to a temperature above the melting temperature of the first alloy and below the melting temperature of the diffused coating, thereby allowing the second group of parts to separate from the first group of parts.

A process for recovering a metal in the form of a metal halide from a metal-containing source is described, the process comprising the steps of: (i) forming a solid metal halide containing product by contacting the metal-containing source with a gaseous halide in an oxidising environment and at a temperature below the vaporisation temperature of the metal halide of interest; (ii) heating the metal halide containing product formed in step (i) to a temperature at or above the vaporisation temperature of the metal halide to form a gaseous metal halide containing product; and (iii) condensing the gaseous metal halide containing product of step (ii) to recover the metal halide of interest.

A process for recovering a metal in the form of a metal halide from a metal-containing source is described, the process comprising the steps of: (i) forming a solid metal halide containing product by contacting the metal-containing source with a gaseous halide in an oxidising environment and at a temperature below the vaporisation temperature of the metal halide of interest; (ii) heating the metal halide containing product formed in step (i) to a temperature at or above the vaporisation temperature of the metal halide to form a gaseous metal halide containing product; and (iii) condensing the gaseous metal halide containing product of step (ii) to recover the metal halide of interest.

A method for processing a source material containing zinc ferrite that includes the following step: B. Partially reduce source material using a reducing gas containing hydrogen to form a reduced material; where step B is carried out at below 1000 C. using a reducing gas containing at least 0.25% (by vol.) and up to 70% (by vol.) hydrogen in a carrier gas.

A method for processing a source material containing zinc ferrite that includes the following step: B. Partially reduce source material using a reducing gas containing hydrogen to form a reduced material; where step B is carried out at below 1000 C. using a reducing gas containing at least 0.25% (by vol.) and up to 70% (by vol.) hydrogen in a carrier gas.

The present invention relates to a sustainable regeneration process for metallurgical plant dusts and sludges for producing iron-containing, heavy metal-depleted secondary raw materials and recovering lead and zinc, by providing a first starting material which comprises at least one iron, zinc, lead and further heavy metal components containing metallurgical plant dust and/or sludge, and a second starting material containing at least one chlorine component, mixing the starting materials and drying the mixture, pyrolyzing the mixture for expelling zinc, lead and further heavy metal components, capturing the gas phase of the pyrolysis in sulfuric acid, and providing the residue which remains as an iron-containing secondary raw material depleted in zinc, lead and further heavy metal components.

The present invention relates to a sustainable regeneration process for metallurgical plant dusts and sludges for producing iron-containing, heavy metal-depleted secondary raw materials and recovering lead and zinc, by providing a first starting material which comprises at least one iron, zinc, lead and further heavy metal components containing metallurgical plant dust and/or sludge, and a second starting material containing at least one chlorine component, mixing the starting materials and drying the mixture, pyrolyzing the mixture for expelling zinc, lead and further heavy metal components, capturing the gas phase of the pyrolysis in sulfuric acid, and providing the residue which remains as an iron-containing secondary raw material depleted in zinc, lead and further heavy metal components.