News

Glencore Technology’s ISASMELT^TM team have introduced the world’s first portable furnace using the same unique top-submerged lance technology of a full-scale ISASMELT^TM.

The ISASMELT™ F600 will enable operations and universities to test in a day and on location, what used to take months using an external provider.

Operation is straightforward.  Oxygen enriched air is injected from the lance to produce a turbulent bath in which the feed is reacted. When required, the lance is removed and the furnace tilted to remove the product through the front spout.  The off-gas from the vessel and any fume from the tapped product is drawn away using a bespoke off-gas system.

Shipment and installation are also simplified. The F600 arrives in a shipping container, pre-tested and partially disassembled into five crates.  Once assembled, it’s just three metres at its highest point, so it can be installed anywhere.

Unusually for what is essentially a furnace, Glencore Technology have announced the F600 is available for purchase at USD $450,000 and that hire options are also available.

ISASMELT™ Technology Manager Dr. Stanko Nikolic said, “The F600 is a big enabler for operations all around the world.  It’s been designed to be easy to use yet highly flexible.  It’s pre-commissioned, so there are no surprises.  And yet it’s customisable, so it’ll perform R&D test work on any process.”

He suggested that clients, as an owner-operator, could now replicate their existing smelter and test sustainable operation with new feed materials, reducing risk and keeping all the know-how.

“The F600 is flexible enough to enable a lot of objectives to be achieved.  For example, you can create a new flowsheet.  You can replicate your smelter.  You can test new ore bodies and feeds, like tailings and slags.  Or you can easily enhance a university’s capabilities”, said Dr Nikolic.

The key factors, he said were that it allows sites to test new processes and feeds, it provides clarity before and during various stages of a project and it’s affordable and easy to use.

The F600 is available now through Glencore Technology. 

For any enquiries, please contact the ISASMELT™ team.