Characterization of Calcination Process of Electric Arc Furnace Dust with Lime: A Behavior of Zinc, Lead, and Iron

A behavior of zinc, lead, and iron during the processing of EAFD (electric arc furnace dust from steelmaking) by the promising method based on its calcination with lime was studied. The chemical and mineralogical composition of the EAFD were analyzed in detail by X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and Mossbauer analyses, as well as using methods of chemical phase analysis. It was found that EAFD contains 29.95% Zn consisting of 15.9% of ferrite and 13.81% of free oxide, as well as 0.77% Pb, which is mainly in silicate form. It was shown that calcination of EAFD with CaO in the mass ratio of 1:0.3 at 1000 degrees C for 120 min led to the conversion of 90.2% Zn into the highly soluble form of ZnO and the removal of 95% Cl and 87% Pb that resulted to obtaining the calcine suitable for further leaching and electrolysis in zinc plants. Based on the obtained thermodynamic, kinetic, and analysis data, the behavior of zinc, lead, and iron during the calcination was discussed. [GRAPHICS] .