Summary
A radically new technology invented by P. E. Queneau and R. Schuhmann, Jr., has been developed by Lurgi to overcome the problems of conventional lead smelting. Concentrates, recycled flue dust, and fluxes are mixed and pelletized. The moist compacts are continuously charged into a horizontal, cylindrical reactor and oxidized in a molten bath by submerged injection of tonnage oxygen. The products are crude lead bullion, a slag which is discarded after coal reduction of its lead content to less than 2%, and a small volume of SO2-rich offgas. The gas is cooled in a waste heat boiler, cleaned, and converted to sulfuric acid. The economics of the process appear favorable. After extended pilot plant tests, a demonstration plant, with rated capacity of 50,000 metric tons/yr of lead bullion, was designed by Lurgi and erected at the Berzelius Lead-Zinc Smelter in Duisburg, West Germany. This plant has been engaged in large-scale process development work since early in 1981.
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References
W.H. Schwartz, P. Fischer, P.E. Queneau, and R. Schuhmann, Jr., “QSL — A Continuous Process for Environmentally Clean Lean Production,” in Lead-Zinc-Tin’ 80, edited by J.M. Cigan, T.S. Mackey, and T.J. O’Keefe, The Metallurgical Society of AIME, Warrendale, Pennsylvania, 1979, pp. 394–406.
H. Maczek, W. Blum, and P. Fischer, Extraction Metallurgy’ 81, Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, 1981, pp. 1–4.
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Fischer, P., Maczek, H. The Present Status of Development of the QSL-Lead Process. JOM 34, 60–64 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03338031
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03338031