The post-processing slags containing about 0.8 wt.% of copper were subjected to the treatment of a complex reagent. The chemical composition of the complex reagent has been elaborated and patented in frame of the Grant No. PBS3/A5/45/2015. The slags had an industrial origin and were delivered by the Smelter and Refinery Plant, Głogów, as a product of the direct-to-blister technology performed in the flash furnace assisted by the arc furnace. An agglomeration of copper droplets suspended in the liquid slag, their coagulation, and deposition on the bottom of furnace were observed after the treatment this post-processing slag by the mentioned reagent. The treatment of the post-processing slags by the complex reagent was performed in the arc furnace equipped with some additional electrodes situated at the furnace bottom (additional, in comparison with the arc furnace usually applied in the Smelter and Refinery Plant, Głogów). The behaviour of the copper droplets in the liquid slag within the competition between buoyancy force and gravity was studied from the viewpoint of the required deposition of coagulated copper droplets. The applied complex reagent improves sufficiently the surface free energy of the copper droplets. In the result, the mechanical equilibrium between coagulated copper droplets and surrounding liquid slag is properly modified. Eventually, sufficiently large copper droplets are subjected to a settlement on the furnace bottom according to the requirements. The agglomeration and coagulation of the copper droplets were significantly improved by an optimized tilting of the upper electrodes and even by their rotation. Moreover, the settlement was substantially facilitated and improved by the employment of both upper and lower system of electrodes with the simultaneous substitution of the variable current by the direct current.

The scope of work included the launch of the process of refining slag suspension in a gas oven using a variety of technological additives.

After the refining process (in the context of copper recovery), an assessment of the effect of selected reagents at the level of the slag

refining suspension (in terms of copper recovery). Method sieve separated from the slag waste fraction of metallic, iron - silicate and

powdery waste. Comparison of these photographs macroscopic allowed us to evaluate the most advantageous method of separating

metallic fraction from the slag. After applying the sample A (with KF2 + NaCl) we note that in some parts of the slag are still large

amounts of metallic fraction. The fraction of slag in a large majority of the elements has the same size of 1 mm, and a larger portion of the

slag, the size of which is from 2 to 6 mm. Definitely the best way is to remove the copper by means of the component B (with NaCl ) and

D (with KF2

). However, as a result of removing the copper by means of component C (with CaO) were also obtained a relatively large

number of tiny droplets of copper, which was problematic during segregation. In both cases we were able to separate the two fractions in a

fast and simple manner.

The copper droplets contained in the post-processing liquid slag are subjected to the treatment by the complex reagent. The complex reagent has been recently elaborated and patented in frame of the Grant No. PBS3/A5/45/2015. In particular, the complex reagent is dedicated to the post-processing slags coming from the Smelter and Refinery Plant, Głogów, as a product of the direct-to-blister technology performed in the flash furnace. The recently patented complex reagent effectively assists not only in agglomeration, and coagulation but also in the deposition of the copper droplets at the bottom of crucible / furnace as well. The treatment of the postprocessing slags by the complex reagent was performed in the BOLMET S.A. Company as in the industrial conditions which were similar to those usually applied in the KGHM – Polish Copper (Smelter and Refinery Plant, Głogów). The competition between buoyancy force and gravity is studied from the viewpoint of the required deposition of coagulated copper droplets. The applied complex reagent improves sufficiently the surface free energy of the copper droplets. In the result, the mechanical equilibrium between coagulated copper droplets and surrounding liquid slag is properly modified. Finally, sufficiently large copper droplets are subjected to a settlement on the crucible / furnace bottom according to the requirements.

The paper presents the results of research on the effect of added iron powder from plasma cutting on the mechanical properties and structure of a composite rod based on aluminum powder. The iron powder came from plasma cutting of steel elements and was handed over by the enterprise “AK Anatol” from Żary. One of the ways to dispose of it is to use it as a filler in aluminum composite rods. Research shows that Fe can be distributed in aluminum evenly, and increase in mechanical properties is achieved at the expense of only a slight increase in density. The proposed system does not reduce the amount of waste produced by plasma cutting but finds a use for some of it. The sintering point of the powder required a strongly reducing atmosphere (PO2 < 10–50 atm) which seems virtually unachievable under laboratory conditions. The reinforcing mechanism is related to the fragmentation of the matrix aggregate particles and the uniform distribution of Fe particles in the aluminum matrix.

This paper deals with the subject of high temperature analysis of refining slags originating from a ladle from an actual/industrial secondary refining process. The objective of the conducted research was to learn about the rheological behaviour of the complex industrial slag systems analysed in conditions of variable rheological parameters and temperature, also analyses with a high-temperature microscope. The analysed system seems to be a Newtonian body (with viscosity between 0.1 and 0.8 Pa·s, depend on temperature value, and chemical composition).