Lead Ore Smelting

Primary lead processing or smelting from lead ore.(Pbs)

The most important lead ore is galena (lead sulphide). Other important ores such as cerrusite (lead carbonate) and anglesite (lead sulphate) may be regarded as weathered products of galena.

Step -1Lead ore is initially analyzed in lab .

After analyzing its contents,

Step-II Roasting or heating for some time .

PbS is converted into Pb through some following reactions:

PbS + Fe . Pb +FeS

or

PbS + 2 PbO . 3 Pb + SO2

PbS + PbO2 . 2 Pb + SO2

The above mentioned chemical reaction are sum reaction. That means that there are intermediate steps in between. The reactions take place in the melting furnace at high temperature (1000-1200 C) and need additives, which are . carbon (in the form of coal) and iron (in the form of iron swarf). Impurities are collected in the slag

which requires for example soda ash as liquidifying and slag forming constituent.

It requires, however, a much higher furnace operation temperature of approximately 1250C to1400C.

Some times for melt the slaging it requires more than 1400C.