CASE STUDY
FUMER TECHNOLOGY:
FINDING SILVER LINING IN WASTE
CHALLENGE
The most advanced global zinc production technology, hydro-metallurgical, generates jarosite as waste which is part of the metallurgical process to produce zinc. Due to generation of jarosite, there is a significant loss of metals like zinc, lead, copper, silver and other minor metals in the waste. Recovery of metals from waste is a challenge. As per estimates, Hindustan Zinc loses about 27,000 MT of metal per annum in this waste.
ACTION
The most successful process for recovery of metals, without the formation of jarosite, is Zinc Fumer Plant. It not only deviates from the process of formation of jarosite, instead, recovers the metals from the waste. Hindustan Zinc is commissioning a fumer plant at Chanderiya with a cost of
INR 570 crore to improve recovery of zinc from 96.8% to 97.5% (from MIC) that would add about 3,000 tonnes of zinc from just one smelter per annum. The plant will be commissioned by FY 2019. While treating waste, the Zinc Fumer Plant will also produce a large quantity of slag that would be
fully utilised by the cement industry.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The major recovery from the Zinc Fumer Plant would be in lead and silver, an increase of lead production by about 4,700 tonnes and silver by 33 tonnes per annum.
The Chanderiya Hydro-II Smelter of Hindustan Zinc has a capacity to produce 210,000 tonnes of zinc. The Fumer technology will save 4 hectares per annum of land which till now was required for dumping waste.
GOING AHEAD
The Zinc Fumer Plant is not commissioned yet, and the benefits it will yield are estimated ones at this time. Hindustan Zinc plans to set up Zinc Fumer Plants at its other smelting complexes - at Hydro-I in Chanderiya and Rajsamand at Dariba Smelting Complex.
Once the commissioning is completed at all the three locations, the capacity of zinc, lead and silver is likely to increase significantly, which would ultimately add to overall volumes, revenue and value for stakeholders.