This application addresses an integrated smart system to control the variables involved in the process for melting mineral concentrates. Specifically, it addresses an integrated smart system that allows the whole melting process operation to be controlled, measuring the mineralogical quality and quantity of the concentrate that is injected into the melting furnace, as well as variables such as the temperature, the level of the liquid phases and the percentage of copper within the furnace. In this manner, by reading said variables, it acts autonomously on manipulated variables, considering uncertainties, allowing a stable temperature to be maintained in the reactor, allowing products to be obtained at the required quality and controlling the liquid phases therein, among other controlled variables, to achieve efficient melting.

This invention patent application addresses a system for the detection and quantification of mineralogical species via x-ray diffraction (XRD) of the concentrate of dry copper before it is injected into a converter or melting furnace. Specifically, it addresses a device that performs a mineralogical analysis, in line and in real time, of the concentrate of copper in the bath smelting furnace via x-ray diffraction (XRD), which allows for control over the ideal mixture for the optimal process for copper sulfide (Cu2S)-white metal, iron sulfide (FeS)-Slag and pyritic sulfur (S2)-temperature.

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.

A control scheme for a furnace can use real-time and historical data to model performance and determine relationships between different data and performance parameters for use in correcting suboptimal performance of the furnace in real-time. Operational parameters can be logged throughout the cycle for all cycles for a period of time in order to establish a baseline. This data can then be used to calculate the performance of the process. A regression analysis can be carried out in order to determine which parameters affect different aspects of performance. These relationships can then be used to predict performance during a single cycle in real-time and provide closed or open loop feedback to control furnace operation to result in enhanced performance.

A control scheme for a furnace can use real-time and historical data to model performance and determine relationships between different data and performance parameters for use in correcting suboptimal performance of the furnace in real-time. Operational parameters can be logged throughout the cycle for all cycles for a period of time in order to establish a baseline. This data can then be used to calculate the performance of the process. A regression analysis can be carried out in order to determine which parameters affect different aspects of performance. These relationships can then be used to predict performance during a single cycle in real-time and provide closed or open loop feedback to control furnace operation to result in enhanced performance.

A method of continuously processing nickel-containing copper sulphide materials into blister copper, waste slag, and copper-nickel alloy includes oxidizing smelting along with SiO2 and CaO-containing fluxes and coal in a conversion furnace for conversion to produce blister copper, gases with concentration of SO.sub.2, and slag with an SiO2:CaO concentration ratio of 0.4:1 to 3:1, in which the sum of the iron, nickel, and cobalt is not more than 30 wt. %, at a specific oxygen consumption in the range of 150-240 Nm.sup.3 per ton of dry sulphide material, and depleting the slag in a separate reduction furnace, using a mixture of an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrocarbon fuel at an oxygen consumption coefficient (α) in a range of 0.5 to 0.9, while supplying coal in an amount of up to 15% of weight of the slag produced by the oxidizing smelting, to produce a waste slag and a copper-nickel alloy.

A method for the pyrometallurgical processing of a sulphide material containing copper, the sulphide containing relatively high quantities of silica and relatively low quantities of iron, wherein the process comprises feeding the sulphide material to a TSL furnace operated under oxidising conditions such that the sulphide material forms blister copper containing between 1.2 and 1.5 wt % sulphur and a slag containing between 7 and 13 wt % copper.

Provided herein is a process of fire refining blister copper, comprising the steps of (a) providing molten blister copper into an anode furnace; (b) when sulfur concentration of the molten blister copper provided in step (a) is above a first prescribed target value, oxidizing sulfur in the molten blister copper by blowing oxygen containing gas into the molten blister copper until the first prescribed target value has been reached; (c) subsequently lowering the sulfur and oxygen content in blister copper by blowing inert gas into the molten blister copper until a second prescribed target value has been reached, wherein the inert phase (c) is continued until the second prescribed target value of the oxygen concentration is below 4000 ppm, and the second prescribed target value of the sulfur concentration is below 500 ppm; (d) when certain condition(s) occur, subsequently reducing oxygen in the blister copper; and (e) optionally casting.

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.

The present method can be used for converting nickel-containing copper sulphide materials. A method for continuously converting nickel-containing copper sulphide materials into blister copper, waste slag and a copper-nickel alloy includes smelting the materials together with SiO2 and CaO-containing fluxes and coal in a Vanyukov converting furnace to produce blister copper, gases with a high concentration of SO2, and slag with an SiO2/CaO concentration ratio of from 3:1 to 1:1, in which the sum of the iron, nickel and cobalt concentrations is not more than 30 wt %, at a specific oxygen consumption in the range of 150-240 nm3 per ton of dry sulphide material for conversion, and depleting the slag in a separate unit, namely a Vanyukov reduction furnace, using a mixture of an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrocarbon fuel at an oxygen consumption coefficient () in a range of from 0.5 to 0.9, together with coal, to produce waste slag and a copper-nickel alloy. The technical result is the production of blister copper, waste slag and a copper-nickel alloy using a continuous method, while separating the processes of conversion and reduction into separate units, namely two single-zone Vanyukov furnaces.