El medio ambiente en la minería

EL MEDIO AMBIENTE EN LA MINEAIA 90 From figure 3 it can be seen, that the production ofbase melals from 1900 on has been considerably increased on a continuous basis. The production of the lraditional "old" metals such as lead and tin has increased by lhe factor 3 and 6, whilst the production of the typicaI consumption metals such as zinc and copper has been even ¡nereased by the factor 15 and 10. No doubl, lhat this development asks for specific legislations in order to proteet our natural environment. Despite considerably improvements lo the classical process routes in the non-ferrous metallurgy over the last few deeades, the strong demands of compliance with the most stringent pollution control regulations while achiev– ing high plant performance al reasonable capital and investment costs, call for a step-by-step replacement ofthe classical processes or individual process steps by new and environmental friendly technologies in the near future. Engineering and operating companies have spenl and are further spending a 10t of efforts on developing new leehnologies using a high degree of meehanization and automatization in order to reduce the occupationaI risk of plant operators. A good example for a real need of technology improvement is the production of lead. More than 95% of the wodd production, based on primary raw materials, is still produced in the classical two steps route consistingofsintering and blast fumance reduction. Due to the maturity of this c1assical process and equipment involved, tbis classical process cannot be further improved effi– ciently and economical1y. Hence, it will have to be replaced al short term by other processeswhich are able to meet modem environmental and technologi– cal requirements. The development of a new process from the first thought until its successful industrial application takes between five and tenyears and in most ofthe cases, the development is paved with painful setbacks. Lurgi as process orientated engineering company, founded in the 1900's and devoled from its very beginning to the pollulion control, has contributed with its own R&Dwork during tbe last decades to the development and implemen– tation of new technologies in the fieId of the non-ferrous metallurgy and related areas such as beneficiation of ores, sintering, stationary and circulating fluid bed roasting, wates heat recovery, c1eaning of S02-gases, treatment of industrial effluents, sulphuric aeíd production and many others. In this article, we would like to introduce you lo a few selected modem and environmcntal teehnologies lo challenge fulure environmental trends in the non-ferrous industry.