ISASMELT™ TSL – Applications for nickel

The ISASMELT™ process is a top submerged lance (TSL) bath smelting technology which has been developed and optimised over the last 25 years. By the end of 2011, the total installed capacity of the ISASMELT™ technology will exceed 9,000,000 tonnes per year of feed materials in copper and lead smelters around the world. The technology is equally effective for smelting nickel sulfide concentrates, converting nickel mattes, and producing ferronickel from lateritic ores. This paper demonstrates how the features that make ISASMELT™ attractive for copper and lead smelting may be applied equally to nickel smelting and converting operations. Conceptual flowsheets are presented, supported by results from recent pilot plant and bench-scale testwork.