Incorporation of matte-slag thermochemistry into sulphide smelter discrete event simulation

ABSTRACT

Discrete event simulation (DES) is a suitable framework to evaluate and optimise the dynamics of sulphide smelters. In particular, iron–nickel–copper–cobalt sulphides undergo continual oxidation within a roasting or smelting operation, followed by batch oxidation within the converting operation, thus producing iron-free Bessemer matte (or blister copper, in the case of copper smelters); this semi-finished product undergoes further processing to produce nickel, copper and cobalt products, and to recover precious metals. The juncture between continuous smelting and batch converting is often an appropriate focus for the earliest phases of DES development, since it is typically a major bottleneck within nickel and copper smelters; later phases may include increasing levels of detail for auxiliary unit operations, as well as plant logistics. Moreover, DES can support matte-slag chemistry, including Gibbs free energy balances to determine the iron speciation within the slag. DES is therefore capable of linking the fundamentals of oxidation reactions to the intricacies of plant dynamics.

RÉSUMÉ

La simulation d’événements discrets (DES) est un cadre approprié pour évaluer et optimiser la dynamique des fonderies de sulfure. En particulier, les sulfures de fer, de nickel, de cuivre et de cobalt subissent une oxydation continue lors d’une opération de grillage ou de fusion. Celle-ci est suivie par une oxydation en lots lors de l’opération de conversion, produisant ainsi une matte de Bessemer sans fer (ou du cuivre blister, dans le cas des fonderies de cuivre); ce produit semi-fini subit un traitement ultérieur pour donner les produits de nickel, de cuivre et de cobalt, et pour récupérer les métaux précieux. La conjoncture entre la fusion continue et la conversion en lots est souvent une cible appropriée pour les premières phases du développement par DES, puisqu’il s’agit typiquement d’un point d’étranglement majeur des fonderies de nickel et de cuivre; les phases ultérieures peuvent inclure des niveaux croissants de détail pour les opérations des unités auxiliaires, ainsi que la logistique de l’usine. De plus, la DES peut supporter la chimie de la matte et des scories, incluant les balances de l’énergie libre de Gibbs afin de déterminer la spéciation du fer dans la scorie. La DES est donc capable de relier les notions fondamentales des réactions d’oxydation à la complexité de la dynamique d’une usine.

KEYWORDS:

• Discrete event simulation
• Gibbs free energy balance
• matte converting
• matte smelting
• plant logistics

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

A. Navarra (PhD) is an assistant professor at the Universidad Católica del Norte (Chile), and an adjunct professor at McGill University (Canada). He has a multidisciplinary background in industrial and metallurgical engineering, as well as mathematics and computer science.

F. Valenzuela is a recent graduate of the Universidad Católica del Norte (Chile) in metallurgical engineering, with knowledge and experience in mineral processing and pyrometallurgical operations.

R. Cruz is a recent graduate of the Universidad Católica del Norte (Chile), with knowledge and experience in mineral processing and extractive metallurgical operations. In addition to his degree in engineering, he has been trained as a laboratory technician.

C. Arrancibia is a recent graduate of the Universidad de Atacama (Chile), in industrial engineering, with knowledge of discrete event simulation and statistical analysis, applied to smelter operations.

R. Yañez is a recent graduate of the Universidad de Atacama (Chile), in metallurgical engineering, with knowledge of discrete event simulation and control systems, applied to mining and metallurgical installations.

C. Acuña (PhD) has over thirty years of experience in smelter operations. From 1993 to 1994, and again, from 2000 to 2005, he was the director of innovation and development at CODELCO’s Chuquicamata smelter.

ORCID

R. Cruz http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8369-054X

Additional information

Funding

Funding for the current work has been provided by the Chilean government, through its FONDECYT – Iniciación program for young researchers (Project No. 11140078).