Non-Ferrous Extractive Metallurgy

At the end of the course, students will: 1. be skilful in the use of Periodic Table to study the behaviour of metals; 2. Upgrade their knowledge in the three fields of extractive metallurgy: pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy and electrometallurgy; 3. properly grasp the theory and application of Ellingham Diagram in pyrometallurgy, McCabe Thiele Diagram in hydrometallurgy and Pourbaix Diagram in electrometallurgy; 4. be capable of developing process flow sheets for extraction of common metals like aluminium, tin, copper, nickel, lead and zinc from their ores; and 5. be conversant with techno-economic and environmental challenges in non-ferrous metal extraction industry with a view to proffering appropriate solutions.

This course is mounted with the goal of removing the misconception that metallurgical and materials engineering centres around iron and steel, highlight the most important industrial metal/alloy and underscore the importance of non-ferrous metals like gold, silver, aluminium, copper, lead, nickel, chromium and lithium, hence its content are intentional. Review of the Periodic Table; Classification and sub-classification of extractive metallurgy; Pyro-metallurgy: Theory and application; flow sheet development for lead, zinc, tin, gold and nickel; Hydrometallurgy Review: Theory and application flow sheet development for aluminium, copper, gold, silver, and platinum group of metal (PGM); Electrometallurgy: Theory and application; flow sheet development for gold and silver; Application of Ellingham diagram, McCabe Thiele diagram and Pourbaix diagram in pyro-metallurgy, hydrometallurgy and electrometallurgy processing of minerals/metals respectively; Refining of metals with particular reference to gold, silver, copper and tin; Techno-economic and environmental issue in the design and operation of metal extraction and refining plants. Minimum Academic Standards List of Minimum Equipment List of Required Laboratories and Equipment The laboratories in the mineral processing & extractive metallurgical engineering programmes are as follows: Laboratory I: MPE 305 Mineralogical Analysis and Mineral Processing Laboratory The required equipment for characterization and preliminary process design of minerals included but not limited to the following: i. Set of sieves ii. Vibrating shakers iii. Ore microscope for petrographic investigation iv. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) with Au, Ag, Pb, Cu, Zn, Pt lamps for chemical analysis of precision metals. v. X-ray diffractometer (with box file) for mineralogical assemblage of an ore. vi. X-ray florescence for chemical analysis of base metals. vii. Scanning electron microscope. viii. PH meter ix. PH electrodes x. Laboratory sample divider The required equipment in this laboratory and their accessories include but not only limited to the following: for beneficiation study of iron and process design study of non-ferrous metals. i. Top loading balance Comminution and Particle Size Analysis Equipment and accessories ii. Crushers of various categories iii. Grinders of various categories iv. Set of sieves of all sizes with sieving machine for particle size analysis v. Vibrating shakers vi. Particle size analyser Physical Concentration Equipment and accessories vii. Gravity separation equipment which includes a) Shaking Table b) Air float c) Jig d) Dense media separation e) Spiral f) Gravity concentrator g) Viscometer viii. Magnetic separator. ix. Electrostatic separator. Physico-chemical concentration equipment and accessories x. Froth flotation cell. xi. Coal gold agglomeration apparatus Laboratory II: MPE 306: Ferrous Extractive Metallurgy Research Laboratory Pyrometallurgical Laboratory i. his laboratory should have equipment and accessories for roasting, calcination and agglomeration (nodulizing, sintering, pelletizing and briquetting) ii. Functional Induction furnace for melting of iron and steel iii. Laboratory pelletizing drum iv. ISO drum tester v. Pellet Hardness apparatus vi. Permeability testing equipment vii. Gas analysers for CO, H2, CO2 among others viii. Reducing furnace with accompanying chemical balance ix. Softening testing apparatus x. Sinter grate machine xi. Digital temperature indicators reading - 250°C to 1600°C (or other appropriate temperature range) xii. Induction furnaces Coal and Coke-Making Laboratory This laboratory is meant for assessment of coals for metallurgical coke-making and relevant equipment and their accessories will be needed to carry out the following functions: i. The following qualities of coals will be determined: petrography, coking and caking. ii. For petrography equipment will be needed for reflectogram, macenal analysis and rank determination. iii. For coking, relevant equipment will be required for gray-king coke type, Geeseller, plastometer and dilatometer iv. For caking, equipment will be required for Roga index (RI) and free-swelling index (Psi) v. Bomb calorimeter (for measuring ash contents of coal and coke) 3. Laboratory III: MPE 413: Non-Ferrous Extractive Metallurgical Research Laboratory Equipment for the following speciality of non-ferrous extractive metallurgy: i. Pyrometallurgy equipment and accessories including furnaces and crucibles ii. Analysis of gold by fire-assay gravimetric method equipment and accessories iii. Hydrometallurgy equipment and accessories iv. Electrometallurgy equipment and accessories This laboratory will be dedicated to process design for: i. Precious metals like gold, silver, and Platinum group of metals ii. Base metal like Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Sn iii. Most important non-ferrous industrial metal: Al, iv. Radioactive metals like uranium, plutonium and monazite Rare earth elements like lithium and cerium Laboratory IV: MPE 506: Facilities for Metallography Studies and Microscopy 1. Olympus Microscope, BHT 312 with PM 10 photomicrographic outfit, Ref. No. N- MKH-340-E with facilities for dark field and bright field. 2. Photomicrographic outfit, Olympus PM6, No. N-NMX-450-030F 3. Adapter for use of PM6 with stereoscopic microscope No. N-NMX-4520-502B 4. Illuminator, Olympus Model LSG-2 NO N-NMC0-200-010T 5. Illuminator, Olympus Model LSG-2 NO N-NMC0-215-010F 6. Achromatic objectives magnifications X4, X10, X20, X40, X100, X250, X500 7. Nikon Photomicrographic Attachments, microflex FX-Series (Complete with 35mm camera, mechanical shutter mechanism-photocell and direct reading exposuremeter) 8. Extra lenses for Nikon system: CF objectives Lenses, M.PLAN 50X, 100X and 200X 9. Standard Buehler Metallograph (or Versmet – 2 Metallograph, Unitron Instruments) 10. Belt grinder for rough grinding of metallographic specimens 11. Buehler metallographic rotary polishing wheels (ECOMET I and ECOMET II) 12. Wet grinding deck (to take 4 trips of emery paper) 13. Buehler polishing cloth (Selvyt and Nylon types) 14. Buehler moulding compound (specimen mounting compound); plastic kit (plastic liquid and powder type) required 15. Alumina polishing powder (1.0μm and 0.6 μm) 16. Buehler emery paper rolls or strips for use on a 4-deck land polisher (sequence of 240, 320, 400 and 600 grits) 17. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) complete with accessories 18. Ion beam thinning equipment (for etching/thinning of TEM specimens) 19. Chemical thinning equipment (for etching/thinning of TEM specimens) 20. Films, plates and related auxiliary facilities for optical microscopy, SEM and TEM 21. Transmission Scanning Microscope (TEM) complete with accessories 22. Metallurgical microscopes 23. Enlarger 24. Metal enlargement easel mask 25. Dryer cabinet 26. Darkroom timer 27. Darkroom lamp Laboratory V: General Metallurgical Laboratory Facilities i. Instron Universal Testing machine complete with accessories (floor and table types) with load cells and jaws for polymers and fibres. ii. Automated X-ray powder diffraction system with all accessories iii. X-ray Quantometer with all accessories iv. Chemical Analysis Equipment: Emission Spectrometer equipped with all accessories v. Metascope: Fluorescent analyser for quick composition analysis vi. Electron microprobe analyser vii. Charpy Impact test equipment with all accessories viii. High temperature and room temperature creep testing machines complete with accessories ix. Fatigue testing machine complete with accessories x. Pneumatic mounting press xi. Controlled atmosphere sintering furnace (Tem. up to 1450°C) xii. Single crystal growing furnace complete with accessories (Tem. up to 1550°C) xiii. Vacuum equipment for vapour deposition plating xiv. Potentiostat/Galvanostat complete with all accessories Staffing Academic and Non-Academic Staff The NUC guidelines on staff/student ratio of 1:15 for Engineering and Technology departments shall apply. However, there should be a minimum of six full-time equivalent of Staff in the department. There is need to have a reasonable number of Staff with doctoral degrees as well as sufficient industrial experience. With a minimum load of 18 credits per semester for students and a minimum of six full-time equivalent of staff in each programme, staff should have a maximum of 15 contact hours per week for lectures, tutorials, practical and supervision of projects. Each workshop or laboratory should have adequate number of staff with the right mix, so that each unit or section in that workshop or laboratory can run efficiently. Academic and Administrative Equipment To achieve the benchmark statements for any programme, there should be: i. A minimum number of identifiable laboratories for each discipline which should be in accordance with the NUC recommended space requirements which can be found below and, in addition, be reasonably equipped. ii. At least one large and reasonably equipped central workshop for teaching and research. iii. Drawing and design studios, which should be well equipped and in accordance with the NUC recommended space requirements. It is important that equipment should be acquired in sufficient number to enable adequate implementation of the benchmark statements as they relate to Mathematics, Science, Design, Information and Communications Technology, Business and Professional Practice. Library There must be adequate library facilities to cater for the interest of all the programmes in the faculty. These include current journals, handbooks, textbooks, manuals, codes of practice, standards and specifications in sufficient numbers. Minimum Standards for Classroom, Laboratories, Workshops and Offices Academic and Non-Academic Spaces The NUC recommends the following physical space requirement: Academic m2 Professor’s Office 18.50 Head of Department’s Office 18.50 Tutorial Teaching Staff Space 13.50 Other Teaching Staff Space 7.00 Technical Staff Space 7.00 Science Staff Research Laboratory 16.50 Engineering Staff Research Laboratory 14.50 Seminar Space per student 1.85 Drawing Office Space (A.O. Board) (Per Student) 4.60 Drawing Office Space (A.I. Board) (Per Student) 3.70 Laboratory Space 7.50 Non-Academic Secretarial Space 7.00 Office Accommodation The requirements for office accommodation are: 1. 13 academic offices on paper 2. 1 professorial type in the department. Size: each of the office is about 13.5 m S/No Office No in Room Facilities 1. HOD 1 Table, chairs, A/C, filing cabinet, bookshelves, computer unit, Secretary and facilities. 2. Professor 1 Table, chairs, A/C, filing cabinet, bookshelves, computer unit, Secretary and facilities. 3. Reader 1 Table, chairs, A/C, filing cabinet, bookshelves, computer unit. 4. Senior 1 Table, chairs, A/C, filing cabinet, bookshelves, Lecturer computer unit. 5. Lecturer I 2 Table, chairs, fan, filing cabinet, bookshelves. 6. Lecturer II 3 Table, chairs, fan, filing cabinet, bookshelves