Enhancement of in-plant recycling of integrated steel mill offgas solid wastes by reallocating crucial zinc-bearing materials

High zinc concentration in offgas solid wastes of integrated steel mills' is one of the major barriers hindering in-plant recycling of the solid wastes. How to economically mitigate the zinc issue in the steel manufacturing process remains a challenge. In this paper, the authors present an attempt to significantly increase in-plant recycling of the offgas solid wastes using the strategy of reallocating crucial zincbearing materials. Zinc-containing steel scrap is the major zinc source to basic oxygen furnaces and to the whole integrated steel mills. Sinter is the major zinc source to blast furnaces. A case study has shown that reallocating zinc-containing steel scrap, sinter and the offgas solid wastes can significantly enhance in-plant recycling of the offgas solid wastes not only economically, but also in harmony with environment, production, products and facility, toward 100% recycling of the offgas solid wastes. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.