Reduction Kinetics between Coke and Slag in the Lead Blast Furnace

This work has lead to the development of two novel experimental techniques for a high temperature reduction study of slag dripping through a bed of carbon-based reductant, in order model a fundamental reaction in many pyrometallurgical processes, such as lead smelting. The focus was on the reduction of lead-rich slags with metallurgical coke. Fundamental insights into the reaction mechanisms were discovered. New laboratory scale techniques were tested and their potential was assessed. These developed tests can be used for industrial testing on slag-coke reduction reactions, or to evaluate potential other reductants such as bio-based materials.