SOURCES OF CREATION AND PROCESSING OF ZINC SECONDARY RAW MATERIALS

11th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM2011, www.sgem.org, SGEM2011 Conference Proceedings/ ISSN 1314-2704, June 20-25, 2011, Vol. 3, 889-894 pp

ABSTRACT

Zinc is a widely applicable metal and therefore the different composition and form of zinc waste is generated. The most important waste material generated in production and
processing of zinc is scrap metal of zinc and its alloys, as well as slag, dust and sludge
from the production and processing of cathode zinc and zinc alloys. In terms of
processing technology, there are different applied procedures depending on the type of
raw material. The processing of waste zinc and its alloys is pyrometallurgical and it is
based on remelting of dry and degreased raw materials, with alloying during melting to
correct the composition. Zinc dust and sludge are processed by Waelz procedure, where
the zinc-oxide is obtained and further being processed usually by hydrometallurgical
procedure. The zinc and brass slag are grinded, followed by separation metal and oxide
components. Large, predominantly metal fraction is being directly melted to obtain zinc
or brass. Small, predominantly oxide phase is subjected to hydrometallurgical treatment
for zinc valorization.

Keywords: zinc waste, slag, sludge, pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processing