Pyrometallurgical Treatment of a Nepheline Charge Using Additives of Natural and Technogenic Origin

Abstract

Prospects for developing the domestic raw material mineral base for producing aluminum and alumina are connected to a significant extent with the development of low-grade resources of natural and technogenic origin. There is considerable potential in unused tailings of apatite-nepheline ore flotation enrichment, natural aluminum silicate within the composition of urtite, ristschorrite and other alkaline rocks. Features are established for a change in indices for opening ore resources during pyrometallurgical treatment of a limestone-nepheline charge and subsequent leaching of sinter in relation to process temperature, nature and amount of raw material additions that make it possible to suggest a fundamental production scheme for inclusion into existing alumina production, i.e., the main raw material for electrolytic primary aluminum production.