 



 

 
 

   


 

  
 

 

 
 
 
  

  

  

 

  

  
   
   
   

      

     

  








  




  
   
 







  
 WesTech’s AirLift™ Dilution System uses an
airlift pump to draw clarified water evenly from the
thickener surface into the feedwell. An even draw
from multiple points prevents flow disturbances in
the quiescent settling zone while ensuring proper
dilution and feed mixing inside the feedwell. Dilution
flow can be regulated with precision by operator
adjustment of the airflow to the system.

Zinc Processing In a typical refinery flowsheet, zinc concentrate

Zinc (Zn) is the fourth-most widely used metal, is converted to zinc calcine (ZnO) by burning the
following iron, aluminum and copper. It is mined concentrate in fluid bed roasters. Zinc calcine is the
mostly in Canada, the former USSR, Australia, Peru, soluble zinc form which is the primary feed for the
Mexico and the US. The US is the world’s largest leaching plant. After leaching, the acid leach slurry
consumer of zinc. is thickened and dewatered to recover residues
which go to the lead smelter for further processing.
Zinc is a metallic element that has only moderate After neutralization, clear zinc sulfate solution flows
hardness and can be made ductile and easily from thickeners to the zinc dust purification circuit.
worked at moderate temperatures. Its most
important use, as a protective coating for iron Removing Impurities
known as galvanizing, derives from two of its Trace impurities are removed from the solution by
outstanding characteristics: it is highly resistant adding slurried zinc dust through three purification
to corrosion, and, in contact with iron, it provides stages. The solution is filtered in the first two stages
sacrificial protection by corroding in place of the iron. with filter presses. In the third stage, the solution
is cooled and then directed to a gypsum clarifier.
Most zinc is used in the galvanizing steel process. The purified clarifier effluent is then pumped to the
Other uses include the automotive, construction, electrolytic plant.
electrical, and machinery industries. Zinc
compounds include agricultural chemicals, paints, Other byproducts produced in this process
pharmaceuticals, and rubber. can include fertilizers, lead, cadmium, indium,
germanium, and elemental sulfides. Wastewater
Refining from the lead and zinc operations is treated by
Zinc concentration is usually done at the mine liming in the effluent treatment plant. Heavy metals
site, prior to reaching the zinc processing plant are precipitated in reaction tanks and separated
(refinery). The concentration includes crushing, from the clean water by thickening and dewatering.
flotation, and thickening. The most common process The solids are recycled back to the plant and the
in the refining is electrowinning, which uses an clean water is discharged to the river.
electrolytic cell to reduce the zinc. An electric
current is run from a lead-silver anode through a
zinc solution. The zinc deposits on an aluminum
cathode and is harvested. The zinc is then melted
and cast into ingots.