The properties of dust collected from electric arc furnace of ferro manganese production units was investigated, and also the metallic manganese was recovered from the dust by aluminothermy process.
The ferromanganese dust collected from electric arc furnace contained about 15% of manganese oxide (Mn3O4) and 9% of carbon as the contaminant, and have a 5um of 50% median diameter and irregular particle shape. The carbon contaminant in the dust could be reduced until about 0.1~0.5% level by roasting in the air at a temperature of 600~900C for 60minutes.
The recovery of manganese could not be carried out using only ferromanganese dust from electric arc furnace by aluminothermy process, but the ferromanganese which contained manganese of about 92% and iron of about 5% could be obtained from the mixture of ferromanganese dusts from electric arc furnace and converter. The best mixing condition of dust fixed at electric arc furnace dust / converter dust ratio of 1:9 and 2:8, and the mixing rato of 3:7 or more could not separated the metal and slag from the reactant after aluminothermy reaction.
In this study the optimum conditions for recovery of valuable metal in Electric Arc Furnace Dusts were investigated. 2M of H2SO4, 1~5 of solid/liquid ratio, 0~180 min of leaching time has been established for leaching condition, and for electrowinning, each of Pt, C, Zn, Pb anode and Zn, Cu cathode was compared respectively at pH 2, 4 and 6. The result of elemental analysis of Zn crystal, a lagre quantity of Fe and H has been observed with Zn and other heavy metal, therefore, impurities removing process would be requir for enhancing purity of Zn. As the result, about 60% of Zn has been recovered under condition of 2 M of H2SO4, 1:2 of S/L ratio at 120 min, and Pt or Pb for anode, Zn for cathode has been shown the highest efficiency of electrowinning at pH 6.