Development of a Mini-mill Concept for the Recycling of Steel Mill Dusts in a TBRC Recovery of Zinc and Iron from Steel Mill Dusts by the Use of a TBRC: A Possible Mini-mill Solution?

The search for an effective mini-mill solution to treat zinc containing filter dusts from steel industry or also from cupola furnaces has a long history but has not been very successful yet due to several reasons. Some of them are: unavailable technologies, the not well known and not developed product market by the steel producers, still relatively low treatment charges for the landfilling, and no effective solution for an additional iron recovery. The present paper describes a process where, in two subsequent steps by the use of a Top Blown Rotary Converter technology, a simultaneous recovery of zinc, iron, and other valuable metals should be possible. Investigations done in an advanced technical scale have given satisfying results. These data have allowed the calculation of a mass and energy balance. First economic considerations underline that, with such a concept, a feasible mini-mill solution could be established for the mentioned residues. © 2013, Springer-Verlag Wien.