PbZn 2020: The 9th International Symposium on Lead and Zinc Processing: Lead Refining
Sponsored by: The Mining and Materails Processing Institute of Japan, Nonferrous Metals Society of China, GDMB: The Society for Mining, Metallurgy Resourcce and Environmental Technology, Metallurgy & Materials Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy & Petroleum, TMS Extraction and Processing Division, TMS: Hydrometallurgy and Electrometallurgy Committee, TMS: Process Technology and Modeling Committee, TMS: Pyrometallurgy Committee, TMS: Recycling and Environmental Technologies Committee
Program Organizers: Andreas Siegmund, LanMetCon LLC; Shafiq Alam, University of Saskatchewan; Joseph Grogan, Gopher Resource; Ulrich Kerney, Recylex; Cheng Liu, China Enfi Engineering Corporation; Etsuro Shibata, Tohoku University
Wednesday 2:00 PM
February 26, 2020
Room: 14B
Location: San Diego Convention Ctr
Session Chair: Joseph Grogan, Gopher Resource
2:00 PM
Driving Innovation in Lead Batteries: The Focus of the Consortium of Battery Innovation: Matthew Raiford1; 1CBI
The presentation will focus on the work of the newly formed Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI). Expanding on the work of the former Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC), the CBI aims to promote lead acid battery research and innovation. The focus of the CBI is on three areas – research and innovation, marketing and communications, and tests and standards. The CBI has developed clear research directions for the industry through the development of a Technical Roadmap focused on market-driven goals. End-user demand will be the cornerstone of technical projects from the CBI, with coordinated communications and marketing of the performance of lead acid batteries further supporting the market expansion of lead acid batteries. CBI is also working closely with several organizations to develop key life tests in automotive and grid energy storage applications. The current and future work of the CBI will drive lead acid batteries into the future.
2:20 PM
The Removal of Arsenic from Lead Bullion via Vacuum Distillation: Evody Tshijik Karumb1; Patrick Taylor1; 1Colorado School of Mines
Metal refining under reduced pressure has been recognized as a more environmentally friendly process. Because arsenic sublimates at 1 atm, a lack of thermodynamic data for As-X binary systems paused a challenge for the extensive study of arsenic removal from lead bullion. Physico-chemical properties of liquid arsenic were obtained to calculate the activity coefficients of As and Pb necessary for the calculation of vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) between 5 and 20 Pa for the binary Pb-As system to predict the required distillation temperature. Laboratory experiments were conducted in the time, temperature and pressure ranges of 30-60, 550-650, and 5-20 respectively to investigate their effect on arsenic removal from lead. Results showed that the extent of arsenic removal increased with an increase in time while the arsenic content in the distillate fraction decreased with longer distillation time. It was also observed that arsenic content decreased with an increase in temperature and pressure.
2:40 PM
New Technology for Copper Removal from Lead by Application of Aluminium: Practical Problems: Andrzej Cybulski1; 1LUKASIEWICZ Research Network - Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals Gliwice
The widely known and used worldwide method for copper removal from lead by application of sulfur cannot always be effective since a part of the sulfur becomes oxidized, which results in higher costs and longer process duration.Instytut Metali Nieżelaznych in Gliwice developed a new technology for copper removal from lead with application of aluminum, which is used in industrial conditions with a good result. The advantages of this technology are elimination of sulfur compounds, low quantity of the formed semi-finished products, reduction of Pb losses, process stability, guaranteed removal of copper below 5 ppm in each case, ease of fabrication. However, this technology, in the case of lack of technological regime, may cause the loose Al-Cu dross to burn and glow. The presentation will show methods for copper removal from lead with the use of aluminium, as well as problems resulting from application of this technology in industrial conditions.
3:00 PM
Processing of Polymetallic Materials Requires Flexible and Capable Downstream Refining Technology: Aurubis Lead Refinery as Economic, Modern and Well Integrated Plant at the Site Hamburg: Christoph Zschiesche1; Ino Bauer1; 1Aurubis AG
Synergies between copper and lead metallurgy are essential to ensure efficient processing of polymetallic complex materials. The required process efficiencies along with environmental demands have been common elements behind technological transformations in the non-ferrous industry. In case of Aurubis, firstly modernization of its copper plant in 1972 followed by the lead plant in 1992, are clear examples of drastic transformations implemented to achieve. Continuing with these goals, Aurubis commissioned a new lead refinery in 2014 in order to achieve a more efficient refining process that could deal with the increasing complexity of materials and improve emission control. This was achieved by implementation of a smart ventilation system instead of common ridge turret systems. This paper describes Aurubis’s lead refinery operation adaptation to meet the challenges imposed by the increasing complexity of raw materials and the environmental aspects required to operate a sustainable urban metallurgical facility.
3:20 PM Break
3:40 PM
Tin Treatment in Kosaka Lead Smelting: Kohei Miwa1; Eiji Yamaguchi1; Shigeki Satoh1; 1Kosaka Smelting & Refining Co., Ltd.
In Kosaka Smelting and Refining Co., Ltd., tin inlet increases rapidly from around 2008, because of TSL furnace starting up and raw materials change from ores to E-scraps. With tin increase negatively affected on lead productivity, Lead Smelting Section reinforced tin removal process from lead. In this process, tin is oxidized into the form of dross and separated from molten crude lead. In addition, new processes recovering tin metal from the dross were installed. These processes contain both pyrometallurgical (reduction) and hydrometallurgical (electro winning) sections. Currently tin metal becomes one of the main products of Kosaka. In this paper, the tin removal and recovery processes are described.
4:00 PM
True Traceability Enabled by In-line Laser Marking of Lead and Zinc Ingots: Alex Fraser1; Jean-Michaël Deschênes1; 1Laserax Inc
In the last few years, traceability has become an important asset for improvement of manufacturing processes and logistics in the primary metal industries. One of the key elements to obtain true traceability is the ability to consistently apply an identifier on the metal product, as early as possible in the manufacturing process. This often implies marking on very hot metal in harsh foundry environment, conditions that are far from ideal for traditional labelling or inkjet printing systems. In this paper, we discuss the feasibility of laser marking of Lead and Zinc ingots directly in the production line. Such laser marked identifiers are very robust and the marking machines requires much less maintenance than traditional technologies. Emphasis is put on the process speed and contrast level. Dynamic compensation for the inaccurate part positioning is also explained, which makes the system capable of handling most real industrial conditions.
4:20 PM
Advanced Technologies Reliant on the Properties of Lead: Timothy Ellis1; 1RSR Technologies
Over the past several years, great strides have been made in the fundamental understanding of the processes that occur in an operating lead (Pb) battery. Using modern analytical techniques, such as high-energy X-rays at Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Photon Source and scanning laser mass spectrometry at RSR Technologies, more detailed aspects of Pb battery processes are being uncovered. Although the Pb battery is currently the largest application of Pb in the world today, other technologies are beginning to take advantage of the unique properties of Pb. New battery types, such as lithium-lead sulfide, and solar cells and thermoelectric devices based on lead iodide perovskite structures, are emerging as potentially important technologies. These applications represent new opportunities for Pb in the economy and will motivate the Pb industry’s need to foster continuous improvement activities leading to sustainability.
4:40 PM
Nucleation and Growth of Lead Sulfate Nanoparticles: Michael Wall1; Jesse Smith1; Marcus Young1; Tim Ellis2; 1University of North Texas; 2RSRT
PbSO4 is a key component in the charging and discharging of lead acid batteries - such as the cycling of automotive batteries. PbSO4 is a poor conductor that forms on the positive and negative electrodes during discharging and dissolves during charging of the battery. Over time, build-up of PbSO4 occurs on the electrodes which reduces the efficiency of the battery. This study aims to determine the nucleation and growth mechanisms of PbSO4 nanoparticles. Time dependence of particle morphology was observed by different reaction conditions. By creating the PbSO4 using premixed solutions, ethanol was used to “freeze” the development of the PbSO4 particles over various periods of time. The structure of the nanoparticles were characterized via transmission electron microscopy, high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy, and selected area electron diffraction. This study will provide insight into the mechanism by which PbSO4 forms.