Investigation of plumbum-containing slags and ways for their reclaiming

Abstract

The paper deals with analysis and findings of investigation of technogenic plumbum-zinc slag residuals that involve a great deal of poisonous compounds such as cadmium, osmium, plumbum, zinc, hazardous origins of environmental contamination. In connection with the outdoor storing of slags, an excess of the plumbum critical concentration was derived. Technogenic slag residuals’ reclamation is crucial for minimizing the detrimental effect on health and safety, improving the region’s ecological setting. At that, slags are high-value crude materials involving rare-earth and non-ferrous metal compunds. The paper demonstrates the findings of laboratory tests of slags to specify the quantitative and qualitative composition of high-value components in the plumbum residuals, the ability of their subsequent treatment and reclamation. The heavy slag fraction material was investigated on JEOL IXA-8230 Electron Probe microanalyzer. The running slag sample’s X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out on DRON-4 diffractometer with graphite monochromator, Cu radiation. Heavy fractions were separated from the samples, artifactural polished microsections (briquets) were made. The polished microsections were investigated in index-matching fluids and under LEICA DM 2500P microscope. The findings identified that plumbum slags involve a considerable body of non-ferrous metal compounds, which allow to make the reclamation of poisonous plumbum residuals functional and cost-effective.