Zinc Recovery from Electric Arc Furnace Dust Using Carbon and Ferrosilicon

In this research, a two-step process for recovery of zinc from electric arc furnace dust using carbon and ferrosilicon has been introduced. Results show that substitution of carbon by sufficient amounts of silicon leads to the formation of liquid slag and improves the rate of reduction up to three times. Results also show that local temperature of samples increases up to 1100 °C as a result of exothermic silicothermic reduction reactions. It was concluded that the molten slag phase improves the kinetics of the process by two ways. First by partial dissolution of carbon which leads to the occurring reduction reactions homogenously in the liquid phase. Second by providing extensive interfacial area between the metal oxides and reductants.