Flash smelting is a pyrometallurgical process which can use for nickel, copper and other metals smelting. Pyrometallurgical processes is a way to extract and purify of metals by processes involving the application of heat. The most important operations are refining, roasting and smelting.
Flash Smelting Process is the cleanest way and most common method available with the highest efficiency. Flash smelting technology is a method which decreases operating costs and increases the recovery of metals at the same time. The method is very energy efficient due to utilize the internal energy of the feed material for smelting so the need for external fuel will be minimized.
Flash smelting merges melting and roasting in a specific furnace. Oxidization of Iron with Sulphur in the concentrate feed causes the most of the heat with the requirement of low amount of hydrocarbon fuel. It accounts for ~ 3/4 of Ni sulfide smelting.
Necessary parameters for flash smelting are:

• Air
• Continuously blowing oxygen
• Dried particulate sulfide concentrate
• Silica flux into a 1300 °C

Production of molten matte which is richer in Ni and other metals than the original concentrate is the most important goal for flash smelting.
The enrichment is accessed by:

• Oxidization of much of the concentrate’s Fe and remove it in molten Fe silicate slag with SiO2 flux.
• Oxidization most of the concentrate’s S and remove it as SO2 gas.  
• Removal of the concentrate’s oxide rock by dissolving it into the molten slag.   

Also the advantages of flash smelting:

• Increase in production rate
• Improvement of the concentrate combustion
• Increase in furnace service life   
• Enhancement of the access to furnace system   
• Increasing safety   
• Reduction of the operating costs   
• Decrease in environmental pollutants   
• Reduction of the flash furnace feed interruption  
• Betterment of the maintenance practices   
• Obtaining higher metal recoveries   

Mineser as an engineering company can provide efficient solutions to optimize and troubleshoot various faults in a specific flash smelting plant.