PRESENT

AND FUTURE SITUATION TENIENTE PROCESS

OF THE

Ruben Alvarado, Gerard0 Achurra, and Roberto Mac-Kay Caletones Smelter Division El Teniente Codelco-Chile

Abstract The markets and environmental

protection rules are more and more exacting, both of which have determined that copper smelters should look for technological development and global management to ensure their viability and competitivity in the short and long term. The main facilities of the present and future Smelting-Converting Process at Codelcos Caletones Smelter, is based on Teniente Converter reactors with a high operational availability that have reached concentrate processing capacities near 2,000 tpd. These reactors are in operation in most of the smelters in Chile as well as in Zambia, Peru, Mexico and, in the near future, in Thailand. Since 1993, the Smelting-Converting process of the Caletones Smelter of Codelco-Chile has been based on one Reverberatory furnace, two Teniente Converters and four Peirce-Smith Converters. These facilities, together with the operation of two Fluidized Bed Dryers, three Slag Cleaning Furnaces, and two Oxygen Plants have allowed the smelter to reach concentrate smelting capacities and copper productions of 1,2 15 kt/year and 360 kt/year, respectively. This transitional operating scheme, combining together traditional and advanced technological equipment, needs further modernization to successfully face the modem world challenges, especially with relation to the environmental commitment, production costs and wide satisfaction of customers. For this reason, for the period 1997-2000, a Modernization Plan has been worked out. This plan considers an increase of the present throughput, which will permit a significant increase in productivity, as well as finding a definitive solution for meeting the environmental regulations. Among these projects, we can point out the definitive shut down of the Reverberatory Furnace, which is a contaminating piece of equipment of low energetic efficiency. Additionally, it considers the installation of two new Slag Cleaning Furnaces, one additional Oxygen Plant, and the incorporation of two new Sulphuric Acid Plants with a production capacity of 4,500 T/D, that will recover over 92% of the sulphur content of process off-gases.

Sulfide Smelting 98: Current and Future Practices Edited by J.A. Asteljoki and R.L. Stephens The Minerals, Metals &

Present Situation

TENIENTE

CONVERTER
CONCENTRATE

Onerational Scheme The Caletones Smelter belongs to Codelco-Chile Division El Teniente. City, 100 km to the south of Santiago, Chiles Capital. It is located in Rancagua
GASES FLUX 8 COLD DOPE

The Smelting-Converting Teniente Process of copper concentrates, is sustained by the use of the Teniente Converter and Slag Cleaning Furnaces Technologies, developed in Caletones, which are in operation at the industrial level since 1977 and 199 1, respectively.
SLAG

WHITE METAL

The present operational scheme of Caletones, in force since 1993 and that will be maintained without major modifications until the year 1999, is based on two Fluidized Bed Dryers, one Reverberatory Furnace, two Teniente Converters, three Slag Cleaning Furnaces, and two Oxygen Plants (780 tpd). This combination of equipment provides this smelter with an annual concentrate processing capacity of 1,2 15 kt and a cast copper production of 370 kt. The Caletones Smelting-Converting process is mainly performed in the Teniente Converters which autogenously process 90% of the concentrates. The remaining 10% of concentrates is processed in the Reverberatory Furnace, a conventional smelting furnace, where heat is supplied through oxygen-fuel oil burners installed in its roof. The Teniente Converter Technology is a continuous smelting-converting process of concentrate that makes use of heat released when iron and sulphur contained in concentrate and/or matte are oxidized by oxygen-enriched blast air. Heat generation in the reactor mainly depends on the mineralogical or chemical characteristics of the concentrate, as well as on the blowing rates and oxygen-enrichment levels in the blast air. For normal operating conditions, the process is totally autogenous, even when smelting the cold dope generated in the process. The main process products are 74-76% Cu matte (White Metal), a 4-8% Cu, 26-28% SiO, and 16- 18% Fe,O, slag, and a continuous gas stream with 25-35% SO, at the reactor mouth, the concentration of which depends mainly on the blowing air oxygen-enrichment. The concentrates for the Teniente Converter, previously dried from 8 to 0.2% moisture in the Fluidized Bed Dryers, are pneumatically injected into the molten bath through specially designed tuyeres. This concentrate feeding form, apart from enhancing the metallurgical process, permits low dust carry over of less than 0.8% of the total feed to the Teniente Converters. It is possible, depending on the energetic requirements of the process or an operational contingency, to feed higher moisture (7-9%) concentrates through the Garr-gun located at one end plate of the reactor through which cold dope and silica flux are fed. Figure 1 shows a schematic of the Teniente Converter that shows feed and product flows. White Metal produced in the Teniente Converters is periodically evacuated through the taphole located in the reactor endplate and transferred in 11.3 m3 ladles to the Peirce-Smith Converters. The white metal is converted to 99.4% blister copper in four 4.5 m diameter by 10.7 m long Peirce-Smith converters with air or oxygen-enriched air, adding the necessary cold dope to maintain the adequate temperature during the process. At any one time, three Peirce-Smith converters are in operation and the fourth is on stand-by or undergoing maintenance.
Figure N I

The approximately 2,800 tpd of slag generated in the reactors is skimmed through the taphole located at the opposite end to the white metal extraction point and is transferred in 11.3 m3 ladles to the Slag Cleaning Furnaces (70%) and or the Reverberatory Furnace (30%) to recover its metallic value. In both cases, a final discard product is obtained with copper content lower than 0.85%. Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of the Slag Cleaning Furnace. The batch process of cleaning slag in the Slag Cleaning Furnaces starts with a reduction stage to decrease its magnetite levels from 16-18% to 3-4%, thus improving its physicochemical properties. Afterwards, there is a settling stage for separating the molten phases present. A 7275% product is extracted through the skimming taphole and a discard slag with a copper content lower than 0.85% is evacuated through the furnace mouth. The metallic phase obtained in this process is directly charged to a Peirce Smith Converter, together with the white metal produced at the Teniente Converters. Slag reduction is performed by pneumatically injecting tine coal into the molten bath through specially designed tuyeres, although it is possible to use other reductants. Each slag cleaning furnace at Caletones, with a diameter of 4.5 m and a length of 10.7 m, currently processes approximately 900 tpd of Teniente slag. It should be noted that the productivity of these furnaces could be significantly improved by reducing the charging time, which depends significantly on the size of the ladles used to transport molten materials, converter aisle overhead crane availability and/or a design including direct slag feeding from the reactor by means of a launder. 40,000 tpy of blister copper is cast into 450 kg bars and marketed directly. The difference is processed in the Refining Furnaces (4) to produce Anode Copper that is sent to external electrolytic refineries or Fire Refined Copper product for direct consumption. The annual production of Anode Copper and Fire Refined Copper (FRC) is 200,000 and 120,000 t/year respectively.

49.__ _____.____.____________.______________. _________.. _ _____

495

SLAG CLEANING FURNACE

for the last two decades, as it is shown in following Table 1. Table 1. Main Technological Improvements
RESEARCH

at the Caletones Smelter.

(YEAR) IMPLEMENTATION (YEAR)

CONVERTION

SLAG

TECHNOLOGY

Oxy-Fuel Burners in the Reverberatory Furnace Teniente Converter

wmE To CONVERTER REDUCTOR

1974 1974-1976 1982 985-1986 985-1988 993-1997

1975 1977 1982 1989 1991 1999 (*)

Hot Repairing of Tuyere Lines Bone Dry Concentrate Injection

FINAL DISCARD -

SLAG

TRANSPORT

AIR

Pyrometallurgical

Slag Cleaning

Continuous Conversion of White Metal to Blister Copper (*) Projected date

Figure No 2
The Teniente Converter Technology has significantly evolved since 1977, when the first 4 m diameter by 17 m long unit was commissioned to process 464 tpd of concentrate containing 7-9% moisture and 5 15 tpd of matte, operating with flows and blowing air oxygen-enrichment of 47,500 Nm3/hr and 26% respectively. In the last period, each one of the 5 m diameter by 22 m long reactors have autogenously processed 2,000 tpd of concentrate containing 0.2% moisture and 200 tpd cold dope, operating with blowing rates of 60,000 Nm3ihr and oxygen-enrichments of 33-36%. The principal operational parameters of the Teniente Converters have substantially improved, reaching in-stack times of 95% and campaigns of over 450 days by using 2-3 days shut downs to repair the tuyere line without cooling the reactor. The above mentioned, has permitted an integral development of Caletones Smelter achieving a high consolidation grade, being the Teniente Converters and the Slag Cleaning Furnaces its most relevant technologies. World Positioninp of the Teniente Converter TechnoloPv The high technological development reached by the Teniente Converter technology has permitted its viability and competitivity in the world smelter business, achieving a strategic place with its presence in many smelters. At present, Teniente Converter technology is operating in the main Chilean copper smelters and in different foreign smelters. Table 2 shows the number of rectors that will be in operation by 1998 and the total annual projected concentrate processing rate in the smelters that will use this technology.

In tire refining, apart Tom removing sulphur and oxygen present in the blister copper which are the characteristic stages of the anode refining, a series of other impurities such as arsenic, antimony, lead, selenium, and tellurium are eliminated. For this purpose, different fluxes are used, which are pneumatically injected in the copper molten bath. Four 100 Mt Overhead Cranes are used to transport the different molten materials generated in the process, three of which are in operation and the fourth is in maintenance or stand-by. Molten materials (copper, matte, slags and white metal) are transported in 8.5 m3 and 11.3 m3 ladles. In relation to gases generated during the smelting-converting process, these are cooled down using an evaporative system, treated in Electrostatic Precipitators for recovering dusts, and subsequently discharged to the atmosphere through two stacks. A minor fraction of the gases is sent to the 100 tpd Acid Plant. There is a new 1,750 tpd Acid Plant under construction, which will be operational by July 1998. The Conceptual Engineering for a second 2,750 tpd Acid Plant is also being prepared and should be operational by the year 2000. TechnoloPical Imwovements The present operational scheme and the projected one in the Caletones Modernization Plans, are products of the continuous technological development that has been under way in this Smelter

Table 2. Annual Estimation of Copper Concentrate Processed in Teniente Converters. YEAR 1977 1984 1984 198.5 1989 1994 1995 1997 1998 SMELTER Caletones Chuiquicamata Ventanas Potrerillos H. Videla Lira Nkana 110 La Caridad Rayong COUNTRY Chile Chile Chile Chile Chile Zambia Per6 Mexico Thailand Total UNITS 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
11

Teniente
K TMF year
12000

Converter World

Participation Market

in the

Copper

DmUyear 1,070,000

10000

1,ooo,ooo 200,000 340,000 70,000 120,000 325,000 320,000 600,000

4,065,OOO
0 -_~
77 78 79 a0 81 4000

orld Production -

_z

eooo -Western

Production

Eastern 2000

Production -

Teniente --82

Converter
83 84 05

Production
86 87 88 89 90 91 92

93 94 95 96 97 98

Figure

No 3

11,000 kt/y, 900 kt!y, equivalent to 8.4% of the world total, was processed with the Teniente Converter Technology. It is expected that this amount will exceed 10% of the world total by the year 2000 as summarized in Figures 3and4. Business ChallenPes Codelcos Mission, is to maximize generation of economical profits and its contribution to the Chilean State. This strategic framework obliges the Caletones Smelter to position itself as a highly efficient and competitive business. In this context, and keeping in mind that in the last period besides the traditional parameters that affect the competitiveness of the smelters such as cost, productivity, quality of products, etc., protection of the environment has been transformed into a key issue that defines the viability of this business. Thus, the Caletones Smelter has prepared an ambitious Decontamination Plan, which will be implemented in the short term.
Environmental Commitment

In 1996, from a World copper production total of approximately

Caletones Smelter, consistent with its commitment to the environment, is developing its Plan and Policy of Integral Decontamination, not only for its gaseous but also for the liquid and solid emissions. To this end, this smelter is considering the operation of two Sulphuric Acid Plants, with the first one in operation from 1998 and the second one programmed for the year 2000, with a total production capacity of 4,500 tpd of sulphuric acid for the abatement of over 92% of the sulphur entering the system. The Sulphuric Acid plants would allow Caletones to comply with

Teniente
s 12.0%

Converter Participation Copper Market

in the World

B
s t 5 t

8.0%

6.0%
Growing
4,0%

Rate

16 % Annual

Average

:! 8
E s D P 8 8 t

Only a few years ago, sulphur capture regulations of 90 to 95% affected only smelters in developed countries. However, this trend has been increasingly extended to the rest of the world. Chile has established government rules for environmental protection and has, in conjunction with its smelters, drawn up Decontamination Plans which have to be completed by established dates within a 5 year time frame.

2.0%

0.0%

I 77

I 79

I 82

I a3 a4 a5 a6 a7 aa a9 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98

78

a0 ai

Figure

No 4

498

499

existing Chilean rules on SO, emission to the atmosphere. In relation with the arsenic, there is also a Plan that defines the policy and rules for the short term. For this reason, the new Acid Plants will have the necessary equipment to precipitate this hazardous element. The perspective of the acid business is not always favourable, because it depends mainly on the existence of nearby consumers. In the Chilean case, acid demand has experienced an important rise in the last few years due to increased copper oxide ore exploitation. However, these consumption centers are very far from the Caletones Smelter which anticipates that the acid sales will at best cover the operational costs of acid production, including transportation costs, but will not repay the investment costs.
Modernization Plan

Converter, it is projected to attain productivities higher than 1,000 t/Furnace-day. Based on the results obtained in experiments carried out at industrial levels during 1997, it is expected to decrease reduction time and increase reduction efficiency, obtaining slags with 0.6% copper. With relation to White Metal Conversion to Blister Copper, during the first period of the Modernization Plan, Caletones projects to continue operating the four Peirce-Smith Converters. In the medium term period, this process will be replaced by the White Metal Continuous Conversion, which according to the present development level under experimental stage on industrial level, during the last years. Other interesting aspects included in the Caletones Modernization Plan, due to effects on productivity as well as worker safety, are continued mechanization and automatization of some activities, pointing out those related with casting and copper handling, which are under study.
Conclusions

In virtue of the aforementioned technological challenges and keeping in mind the highly competitive nature of the copper concentrate smelting business, Caletones has continued developing Modernization Plans, stressing actions in the field of Research and Technological Innovation. The present Modernization Plan considers the shutting down the Reverberatory Furnace by the year 2000 while simultaneously increasing its annual concentrate processing capacity from 1,2 15 to 1,600 ktpy. To date, the Teniente Process of concentrate Smelting-Converting will be sustained with the following facilities: two Fluidized Bed Dryers (4,800 dry tpd), two 5 m diameter by 22 m long Teniente Converters, four 4.5 m diameter by 10.7 m long Peirce-Smith Converters, five 4.5 m diameter by 12.7 m long Slag Cleaning Furnaces and three Oxygen Plants (1,200 tpd). With these facilities, in addition to the equipment necessary for the refining processes (anodic and/or fire) and the operation of two Acid Plants of high capacity (4,500 tpd), Caletones projects an annual copper production of 480,000 tpy and a sulphur capture of no less than 92%. The whole production will be cast as anodic copper and Fire Relined Copper, discontinuing casting and commercialization of blister copper. To reach projected capacities, each Teniente Converter should process 2,400 tpd of concentrate and the whole fine cold dope generated in the productive process. These capacities will be achieved increasing the blast rate and oxygen-enrichment, their availabilities, and substantially improving process control of the reactors. For that condition, expected in-stack times over 97% and campaigns of 500 days are expected. To increase the current 3600 tpd capacity of the two Fluidized Bed Dryers, different alternatives are being analysed, including decreasing oxygen levels in fluidization air which will permit increased operating temperatures in this equipment. Relevant installations in the future operational scheme projected in the Modernization Plan are the Slag Cleaning Furnaces. When working with bigger furnaces (4.5 m diameter by 12.7 m long) which under normal conditions will be directly charged trough launders from the Teniente

The present operational scheme of the Caletones Smelter, defined as transitional, combines traditional equipment (reverberatory furnace) with modem technological equipment (Teniente Converter). However, it does not permit successfully facing, in the short term, the challenges of the modem world with relation to the operational competitivity and environmental control. The Modernization Plan to be developed in Caletones, which considers the shut down of the Reverberatory Furnace by the year 2000, will defmitively place the Teniente Process as a modem pyrometallurgical alternative and Caletones as a highly competitive copper smelter. The Teniente Converter is a flexible and consolidated technology, that requires a minor level of investment with respect to alternative technologies to be implemented at smelters subject to strict environmental regulations. The Slag Cleaning Technology, after six years of operation in Caletones has reached a high consolidation level, demonstrating it to be an efficient alternative for the conversion slags treatment, and obtaining a discard product with copper content lower than 0.85% and a molten metallic phase with 72-75% Cu. The incorporation of two Sulphuric Acid Plant of high capacity in the short term will permit Caletones to comply with governmental regulation on gaseous environmental control, assuring the long term operational viability. The emphasis on the research and development by the Caletones Smelter will ensure continuous technological development, which will contribute to maintaining or improving the competitive positioning of this smelter in the world smelter business.

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501