“Institute “Gipronickel” LLC, Saint Petersburg, Russia:

V. A. Popov, Senior Researcher, e-mail: VAPop@nikel.spb.su
L. Sh. Tsemekhman, Head of Laboratory of Pyrometallurgy

Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC, Norilsk, Russia:

G. A. Velyuzhinets, Head of Department of Regulation and Licensing of Industrial Ecology Management
V. B. Fomichev, Chief Specialist on Pyrometallurgical Production

Thermodynamic modeling of copper cake manufacturing process is performed for the conditions of copper plant of Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC. Copper cake was preliminary produced in Harjavalta plant (Finland). Depending on consumption of process-introduced cake, the matte and slag compositions, formed in Vanukov furnace, were calculated. There was made an indication, that extraction of arsenic to different semiproducts is changed according to increasing of cake consumption. Distribution of arsenic among the matte converting products was calculated for the first and second processes (first process is “white matte” receiving, second process is coarse copper receiving). There was shown, that during the first converting period, 60% (wt.) of arsenic is transferred to the “white matte”, and 40% (wt.) of arsenic is returned to the slag. Extraction of arsenic to the gas phase is not too large. During the second period, the main part of arsenic (near 70%) was transferred to the coarse copper, and 30% of arsenic was in the slag phase with a negligible extraction to the gas phase. The distribution of arsenic between semiproducts is almost independent of its content in system. Distribution of arsenic among the products of anode melting process of coarse copper was also calculated for two periods: oxidizing stage (removing of impurities from alloy to the slag), and reducing stage (removing of oxygen and dissolved gases from alloy). During the first stage, almost whole part of arsenic stays in the alloy (to 91–92%), and alloy desoxidation has almost no influence on arsenic distribution. Thermodynamic analysis results have shown, that during the treatment of Harjavalta cake, the main part of arsenic (near 91%) is removed to the dump slag of Vanukov furnace in investigated composition range. Direct arsenic extraction to anode copper is near 2.7%. Together with nickel slag, small part of arsenic (1%) is delivered to nickel plant. Based on the arsenic content in cathode copper, there is possible to treat no more, than 10% of Harjavalta cake (from the total amount of concentrate). Under arsenic treatment in larger amount, the received alloys don’t pass the requirements to the M00k (M00к) copper in matter of arsenic content.

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2. Tsemekhman L. Sh., Karasev Yu. A., Ezhov E. I., Shishkin N. N. Izuchenie povedeniya myshyaka pri avtogennoy plavke : Tema 3-73-002t (promezhutochnyy otchet) (Research of arsenic behaviour in the time of autogenous smelting : Subject 3-73-002t (intermediate report)). Institute “Gipronickel”. Leningrad, 1979. 62 p.
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