Tenova Pyromet: Implementing Solutions for Base Metal Processing

Martin Bakker, Stephen Gwynn-Jones, Hugo Joubert, Stanko Nikolic

Tenova Pyromet’s (Pyromet) core furnace know-how and expertise has been developed worldwide in the ferro-alloy, platinum group metal (PGM) and base metals smelting industries. Pyromet Technologies had itself been building furnaces for over 30 years and following the integration within the Tenova Group, which included Techint Technologies (Tagliaferri) and Core Furnace Systems Corp (Lectromelt), Pyromet’s combined furnace experience now dates back over a century. Modern furnaces have been installed at Anglo Platinum, Norilsk Nickel, Glencore/Xstrata, Kazchrome, Lonmin and Assmang sites, among others. From 2000, within base metals, a 30 MVA slag cleaning furnace was supplied and commissioned for Anglo Platinum. The furnace functioned as both a slag cleaning furnace and primary copper-nickel-PGM furnace to smelt concentrates. In 2009, Pyromet completed the refurbishment of two nickel slag-cleaning furnaces for Norilsk Nickel, and in 2010 commissioned a new 12 MVA smelting furnace for Lonmin. Pyromet’s most recent project within base metals is the new Northam Platinum 24 MVA furnace. This project followed the successful implementation of Pyromet’s complete furnace cooling system for Northam’s six-in-line furnace in October 2013. Over 35 furnaces or electrode column projects have been completed by Pyromet in other smelting industries during this time. The construction and modernisation of furnaces for clients has allowed Pyromet to offer the individual components of their furnace design as custom technical solutions. Cooled copper elements for launders, tapholes and sidewalls, as well as the electrode columns, the heart of the electric furnace, have been selected by clients and other technology suppliers alike to provide the best possible solutions to technical challenges. A review of the implementation of Pyromet’s furnace solutions in the base metals industry is discussed with reference to how applying these designs can enable optimisation of base metal plants for sustainable production.