The SO2 abatement project

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 83, No. 933, 1990

M.C. Bell, J.A. Blanco, H. Davies, and P. Garritsen, Inco Limited, Ontario Division

By 1994, Inco Limited will lower sulphur dioxide emissions from the Copper Cliff smelter by 60% to 265 000 tonnes/year, primarily through implementing two key process changes. First, new milling technology will permit economic rejection of ad-ditonal pyrrhotite prior to smelting. Second, a bulk copper-nickel concentrate will be oxygen flash-smelted, thereby eliminating the existing multi-hearth roasters and reverberato-ry furnaces. All copper will be recovered in the matte separation plant as a nickeliferous chalcocite, and will be oxygen flash-smelted for blister production. This paper outlines the development of the project and describes the process, including the flash furnaces, new sulphuric acid plant and additional oxygen plant.

Mots Clés: Inco Limited, Sulphur dioxide emissions, Acid rain, Mining methods, Emission control