Experience of graphite-containing dust of metallurgical plants processing

Graphite is a component of graphite-containing dust – one of wastes, formed at metallurgical plants. From the other side, it is a scare resource for the Russian industry. Involvement of graphite-containing wastes into processing can contribute to solving actual problems of resource, economic and ecological significance. Study of the graphite wastes utilization possibility showed an absence of constant practice of their processing at domestic metallurgical plants. The work of graphite department of Magnitogorsk steel-works (MMK) can be one of not numerous examples of the graphite dust processing at the same plant. At the department the processing of graphite-containing dust of accomplished, the dust being collected from 90 kg/h productivity gas cleaning systems of BOF shop. As a result of processing graphite concentrate obtained after flotation and iron powder – after magnetic separation. At the Department “Minerals enrichment” of the Magnitogorsk State Technical University after G.I. Nosov, the theory of graphite flotation is being elaborated under the direction of Professor V.B. Chizhevsky for many years. Besides study of graphite ores washability, which are difficult to be enriched is also carried out. Based on the gained extensive experience on perfection of reagent flotation modes for the graphite ores, it was recommended to use first VKP reagent at the MMK graphite department, and next – RAS foam formation agent, which is a refined sodium alkylartile-sulfonate. At the industrial tests, the RAS foam formation agent consumption was two times as lower comparing with industrial reagent mode, resulting in obtaining higher technological flotation indices. The experience of metallurgical plant graphite-containing dust processing can be used at both the MMK graphite department re-operation and at other plants of the industry for obtaining marketable products of high quality, that can meet requirements not only metallurgical plants, but also used for production of state-of-the-art carbon materials.