This article is devoted to basalt reprocessing together with magnetite concentrate in order to obtain ferrous alloy and calcium carbide. The studies have been based on thermodynamic simulation and electric smelting in arc furnace. The thermodynamic simulation has been performed using HSC-5.1 software based on the principle of minimum Gibbs energy. The blend was smelted in arc furnaces. On the basis of the obtained results of combined processing of basalt, it has been established that under equilibrium conditions, the increase in carbon content from 36 to 42 wt % of basalt and concentrate mixture makes it possible to increase the aluminum extraction into the alloy up to 81.4%, calcium into calcium carbide – up to 51.4%, and silicon into the alloy – up to 78.5%. Increase in the amount of lime to 32% allows to increase the content of calcium carbide to 278 dm3/kg. Electric smelting of the blend under laboratory conditions in the presence of 17-32% of lime makes it possible to extract ferrous alloy containing 69.5-72.8% of silicon, 69.1-70.2% of aluminum, and to obtain ferrous alloy containing 49-53% of ΣSi and Al and calcium carbide in the amount of 233-278 dm3/kg. During large-scale laboratory smelting of blend comprised of basalt (38.5%), magnetite concentrate (13.4%), lime (15.4%), and coke fines (32.7%), the ferrous alloy has been produced containing 48-53% of ΣSi and Al, calcium carbide in amount of 240-260 dm3/kg. Extraction of Si and Al into the alloy was 70.4 and 68.6%, respectively; Ca into carbide – 60.3%; Zn and Pb into sublimates – 99.6 and 92.8%, respectively.

Production processes at KGHM are complex and require from customers products of constantly higher quality at relatively lowest prices. Such situation results in an increase of the importance of optimisation of processes. As products and technologies change rapidly, technologists at the plant in Głogów have less time to achieve optimisation basing on own experiences. Analysing a particular process, we can e.g. detect occurring disturbances, find factors having an influence on quality problems, select optimal settings or compare various production procedures. Analysis of the course of production process is the basis of process optimisation. One optimisation in case of the process of decopperisation of flash slag can be a change of a technological additive to a less energy-consuming one, and its final result can be an improvement of the productivity index, a change of the relation between final effects and born expenditures, as well as optimisation of production costs.

The paper presents results of floristic investigation conducted within the territory of post-industrial spoil heaps connected with zinc and lead products manufacturing. The flora of specific technogenic habitats was analyzed with regard to geographical-historical groups and syntaxonomic classification. For each species, the following characteristics were determined: a life form according to the classification of Raunkiaer, means of seed spreading and types of mycorrhiza for each species based on the literature. On the two heaps, a total of 257 species of vascular plants belonging to 59 families were found. Only 92 species occurred on both sites, which is 36% of all plants recorded. The most numerous families are: Asteraceae (45 species) and Poaceae (28 species). Apophytes dominate in the flora of spoil heaps (70.9%). Hemicryptophytes are the most numerous group and therophytes are also abundant. Ruderal (belonging to Artemisietea vulgaris and Stelarietea mediae) and meadow species (belonging to Molino-Arrhenatheretea) dominate on both post-industrial dumps. Xerothermal species (belonging to Festuco-Brometea) are also fairly numerous (6.7%). Their presence is related to the specific habitat conditions. The anemochoric species dominate in the flora of dumps. The high proportion of mycorrhizal plants was recorded. Finally, reclamation interventions which were carried out on the H2 spoil heap are discussed.

The aim of research was creation of a furnace for aluminum alloys smelting “in a liquid bath” in order to reduce metal loss. In the paper,

the author demonstrates the results of research on smelting of aluminum alloys in a shaft-reverberatory furnace designed by the author. It

has been shown that smelting aluminum alloy in a liquid bath was able to significantly reduce aluminum loss and that shaft-reverberatory

design provided high efficiency and productivity along with lower energy costs. Ensuring continuous operation of the liquid bath and

superheating chamber, which tapped alloy with the required texture, was achieved by means of the optimal design of partition between

them. The optimum section of the connecting channels between the liquid bath of smelting and the superheating chamber has been

theoretically substantiated and experimentally confirmed. The author proposed a workable shaft-reverberatory furnace for aluminum

alloys smelting, providing solid charge melting in a liquid bath.

The article describes the trend towards increased use of induction crucible furnaces for cast iron smelting. The use of gas cupola’s duplex

process – induction crucible furnace – has been proved the effective direction of scientific and technical advance in the foundry industry.

Gas cupolas and induction furnaces are used for cast iron smelting at the Penza Compressor Plant where in the 1960s the author developed

and introduced gas cupolas for the first time in the world. In the article, the author represents the findings of the investigation on

thermodynamics of crucible reduction of silicon, which is pivotal when choosing the technological mode for cast iron smelting in

induction furnaces. The author proposes a new reaction crucible diagram with due account of both partial pressure and activity of the

components involved into the process. For the first time ever, the electrochemical mechanism of a crucible reaction has been studied and

the correctness of the proposed diagram has been confirmed.