EuroWire March 2022

Technology News

Tenova Pyromet selected to upgrade PGM furnace

According to Bennie du Toit, Sibanye-Stillwater’s vice presi- dent – smelting, “We selected Tenova Pyromet for the Furnace no. 1 upgrade based on their

Tenova Pyromet, a specialist in the design and supply of submerged arc furnace technology for the metals industry, has been selected by Sibanye-Stillwater as technology partner for the upgrade of its largest PGM (platinum group metals) smelting furnace. Sibanye-Stillwater awarded a feasibility study in November 2020 to Tenova Pyromet to develop the up-front engi- neering and budget estimate for the upgrade of the crucible of its Furnace no. 1 at Marikana, North West Province, South Africa. Subsequently, in July 2021, Tenova Pyromet was awarded the contract for the detail design, supply and construction of the furnace crucible upgrade. The detail engineering and procurement phase is underway, and the construction phase is due to start during the second quarter of 2022. The main objectives of the furnace upgrade are to improve reliability, campaign life and availability in the long term.

Tenova Pyromet will carry out the upgrade of Sibanye- Stillwater’s Furnace no. 1

helps to protect the copper cooler from the corrosion caused by free sulphur present in the furnace sidewall adjacent to the concentrate feed layer. “Tenova Pyromet is honoured to be selected by Sibanye-Stillwater and it is a privilege to continue our relationship with their highly competent smelter team,”said Hugo Joubert, Tenova Pyromet manager for base metals and copper products. “They continually challenge us to improve our technology and products.” To date, Tenova Pyromet has designed and supplied eight circular PGM smelting furnaces in South Africa.

innovative technical offering as well as our positive experience with Furnace no. 2, which has been reliable and stable for almost a decade.” Furnace no. 2 was designed, supplied and constructed by Tenova Pyromet, and started up in 2012. Tenova Pyromet’s composite graphite- copper sidewall coolers will be employed in the upgraded furnace sidewall. The design represents the next iteration of the copper plate cooler design used on Furnace no. 2 combined with Tenova Pyromet’s composite graphite-copper Maxicool high-intensity coolers, already in operation on another PGM smelter. Tenova developed a patent that covers the use of graphite in combination with copper cooling to prevent the sulphide corrosion of the copper cooling elements in a furnace sidewall. The use of graphite

Tenova Pyromet www.tenova.com Sibanye-Stillwater Ltd www.sibanyestillwater.com

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March 2022