BASIC CONROL PRINCIPLES OF A NEW PROCESS TECHNOLOGY FOR COPPER MATTE CONVERTING IN A TWO-ZONE VANIUKOV FURNACE

The Gipronickel Institute in cooperation with OJSC “MMC “Norilsk Nickel” and Canadian Company Flogen Technologies Inc. has developed a new technology for continuous converting of copper-nickel mattes and copper concentrates coming from high-grade matte separation, with the production of blister copper, a slag of high copper and nickel content and gases of high SO2 concentration. A two-zone Vaniukov furnace is used as a basic reactor for this process. This work presents the basic control principles of this new technological process obtained through thermodynamic and experimental studies.