Arsenic in Dust from the Blast Furnace Hall of ISP Process of Zn and Pb Production

Dr. Katarzyna Nowińska, Prof. Zdzisław Adamczyk

The subject of study was the dust from the shaft furnace used for the pyrometallurgical process of zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) production at the Miasteczko Śląskie Metallurgical Plant (Poland). At this stage of the technological process, a reduction of Zn and Pb oxides to liquid Pb and Zn vapours takes place. In chemical terms, this dust contains mainly Zn and Pb, which jointly account for more than 90 wt.-%. The third element in terms of content was arsenic (As), the concentration of which reached an average of more than 1 wt.-%. This element is contained mainly in oxide phases and alloys and less frequently in other dust phases. Due to the high content of Zn and Pb, this dust is returned to the process as a component of oxidising the roasting feed mixture. However, the content of As and other components can increase at the cost of Zn and Pb. Arsenic in the dust from the fabric filter of the shaft furnace is present in oxides and alloys of ZnO and PbO because it is probably melted and with ZnO and/or PbO in the technological process in the form of alloys.