Minor element (As, Sb, Bi, Pb, Ni) behavior, control and removal techniques in the conventional copper smelting/electrorefining process was studied. The analysis was based on the information collected from an exhaustive literature review, the visit of 23 smelters, 14 electrorefineries and consultations at 15 different institutes specialized in the field. Data was collected for several types of matte smelting furnaces such as Outokumpu flash, INCO flash, Mitsubishi S-furnace, Teniente Converter, Noranda Process Reactor, Isasmelt and reverberatory. Behavior in Peirce-Smith converting furnaces, Mitsubishi C-furnace, Noranda Continuous Converter and Kennecott-Outokumpu Flash Converting Furnace was also discussed. The effect of various matte smelting furnace operating parameters such as matte grade, oxygen enrichment, concentration in feed, other minor constituents and temperature on minor element partition to gas and distribution coefficient (wt% matte/wt% slag) was analyzed theoretically and validated with industrial data when possible. Because fewer data were available, only a brief comparison between the elimination in traditional batch converting and new continuous converting processes was performed. The behavior of minor elements in electrorefining was described from a theoretical viewpoint. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Harris, Ralph (Supervisor)