Metso and Kosaka Smelting & Refining hosted Ausmelt TSL Licensees Congress in Japan

This event provided a unique opportunity for technical exchange between Ausmelt licensed operations and Metso Ausmelt TSL smelting specialists. The program included presentations by licensees on technical performance of their smelters, improvement initiatives, historical issues and ongoing challenges.

This was complemented by presentations from Metso on the latest technology developments and relevant industry trends, such as:

1. Process decarbonization enabled by increased use of oxygen and operation with low-carbon fuels including gaseous hydrogen
2. Lance life optimization achieved with Metso’s patented fluid-cooled lance design
3. Metallurgical process control simulation through use of digital platforms.
4. Refractory life optimization and best practice furnace relining
5. Improvements in molten product handling practices, furnace temperature monitoring and smelter building hygiene

Takagi Hiromitsu, who is Dowa Metals & Mining Co. Ltd. , presented the history of Dowa’s operations in Japan. This included the integration of their smelting and waste management businesses to recover zinc, copper, lead, PGMs and a range of minor metals. Central to Dowa’s operating strategy is the Ausmelt TSL smelter in Kosaka, which is used to process a wide range of metallurgical feedstocks. 

Exploring the advanced operations of Ausmelt smelter

Prior to Ausmelt TSL technology implementation, the Kosaka Smelter processed locally mined black ore (polymetallic copper, lead and zinc ore) with a Flash smelting process technology package from Outokumpu, which was used to produce copper lead and zinc metal. Today, the Kosaka Ausmelt smelter treats recycled materials including eScrap and leach residues from their zinc smelter in Akita, with main products being gold, silver, copper, lead, tin, antimony and nickel sulfate.

Dowa is a world-class example of turning an existing smelter into a sustainable metals recycling business, where materials that would have either been stockpiled or disposed of are treated to recover contained metal values. Dowa has installed large feed preparation and waste management plants to prepare recycled materials and local municipal waste using state-of-the-art environmental management practices.

Dowa’s Kosaka smelter team opened their plant for a technical tour of their operations. Throughout the congress, the presentations, plant tour and social activities provided a sound foundation and environment for open dialogue and successful technical exchange.

Everyone also had the chance to hold a solid high purity gold ingot and inspect the range of other products extracted at DOWA, including Cu, Pb, Sn, Sb, Bi, Se, Te, and Ag.

Positive feedback fuels excitement for the next Ausmelt smelting congress

We have received positive feedback for Metso’s next Ausmelt TSL smelting congress. Many topics were suggested for the next congress, including:

• Process decarbonization
• Operational monitoring and control
• Process offgas handling
• Impurity management
• Automation and mechanization

We are already eagerly anticipating the next congress in three years’ time, and have begun exploring potential themes and locations.

This article is part of our Smelting Newsletter 2024. Visit the issue front page for all articles and greetings from Jyrki Makkonen - VP, Smelting.