Short Courses 2023

We invite you to join us at COM 2023 Short Courses. Courses are presented prior to the Conference at the host hotel.

These courses are set to complement the content offered at COM 2023- 62nd Annual Conference of Metallurgists. It is not mandatory to register for the conference to purchase a registration for any of the Short Courses. Contact us at metsoc@cim.org if you are interested in registering for one of the short courses only.

Course #1

Furnace Refractory Design and Management

VIEW COURSE

Course #2 NEW SPOTS ADDED!

Pressure Hydrometallurgy – Theory, Design and Safety in Operation

VIEW COURSE

Course #3

Additive Manufacturing of Advanced Engineering Materials

CANCELLED

Furnace Refractory Design and Management

One-day course | 6 hours

Monday, August 21 ($500 Professional/$250 Student)


A journey through refractory design development – how to evaluate the best techno-economical solution for my process?

Scope: Refractories are ceramic products designed for the application in high temperature processes up to 1800°C. In our daily life’s it is considered to be just “a brick” or “a mix” for most of us but a refractory solution for a furnace consists of a complex interaction of mechanical, chemical and thermal factors and their trade-off in terms of the expected service life for a furnace. This short course provides a unique opportunity to deepen the knowledge into the refractory world. Participants are enabled to assess refractories and lining concepts with respect to their suitability for pyrometallurgical processes in the non-ferrous industry. They also become familiar with common wear mechanisms, possible failure types and strategies to mitigate them during the design process.


Furnace Refractory Management Based on Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and Continuous Monitoring

Scope:  As furnace lining concepts and designs have improved over the last century, the smelter management and maintenance approach has also changed significantly within this period. One of the fundamental approaches that have changed is the view of the furnace lining. In traditional thinking, the lining was viewed as a consumable with unpredictable service life, but a new and modern idea is to see the furnace lining as equipment that should be maintained. Simply burning through the lining and hoping for the best is no longer acceptable or economically and environmentally viable. To manage and understand the condition of the lining we need data; reliable data that continuously provides knowledge about the thickness and structural integrity of the lining. Throughout the campaign life of a furnace, successful refractory maintenance procedures will ultimately reduce relining costs, furnace downtime, waste disposal volume, and carbon footprint of the smelter.

Participants will learn about various techniques to inspect and monitor metallurgical process vessels, such as electric furnaces, flash furnaces, reactors, and blast furnaces. In addition, they learn about case studies, data comparisons between NDT and physical measurments, detection of chemical attacks within the lining during furnace operation, extension of furnace campaign life, and unique cases.

Time

Lecture

Presenter

7:30

Pre-course coffee

08:00-08:10

Opening comments (welcome, safety – emergency exit, muster points, etc, housekeeping, introduce first presenter)

08:10 – 08:30

Raw materials for production of refractories

Dr. Dean Gregurek

08:30 – 09:00

Shaped refractory products

Dr. Dean Gregurek

9:00-10:00

Refractories and lining concepts for primary & secondary NF vessels and furnaces

Dr. Dean Gregurek

10:00-10:15

Coffee Break

10:15 – 11:15

Typical refractory wear in NF vessels and furnaces (selected case studies)

Dr. Dean Gregurek

11:15-12:00

Selected refractory testing methods

Dr. Dean Gregurek

12:00 – 13:00

Lunch

13:00 – 15:00

Furnace Refractory Management Based on Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and Continuous Monitoring

Dr. Afshin Sadri

Dean Gregurek, RHI Magnesita GmbH

Dean Gregurek has been working as a Senior Mineralogist at the RHI Magnesita Technology Center Leoben, Austria since 2001.

Dean received his master of science degree from the University of Graz in 1995, his doctorate degree in Applied Mineralogy from the University of Leoben in 1999 and degree of assoc. Prof. in 2019.

His current research interests and technical expertise are focused on chemical and mineralogical studies related to interactions between refractories, molten metals and slags from pyrometallurgical furnaces.

Afshin Sadri, Senior Consultant, Hatch

Afshin is a senior consultant in non-destructive testing and evaluation (NDT & E) of coarse-grained materials and structures such as concrete, refractories, wood, and rocks. He has been working in applied geophysics and NDT of materials and structures since 1988. 

He has been involved in the research, development, and design of various stress and electromagnetic wave propagation NDT & E techniques and instrumentation including ultrasonic, impact-echo, miniature seismic reflection (MSR), acoustic emission (AE), and short pulse radar.

Pressure Hydrometallurgy – Theory, Design and Safety in Operation

One-day course | 6-8 hours

Monday, August 21 ($500 Professional/$250 Student)

The short course will cover the thermodynamic and kinetic theory of pressure hydrometallurgy, pressure hydrometallurgical flow sheets for the extraction of base and precious metals, materials of construction and corrosion, refractory linings and golden rules of pressure vessel operational safety.

Audience
The intended audience is students and professionals new to pressure hydrometallurgy who would like to gain a base understanding of the theory, design and practical operating considerations of pressure hydrometallurgy circuits. This is an introductory-level course.

Time Lecture Presenter
7:30 Pre-course coffee
08:00 Opening comments (welcome, safety – emergency exit, muster points, etc, housekeeping, introduce first presenter)
08:10 – 09:10 Pressure Hydrometallurgy Fundamentals Dr. Edouard Asselin
09:20 – 10:20 The Commercial Practice of Autoclaving for Copper, Nickel, Zinc and Gold Ores Dr. David Dreisinger
10:20 – 10:40 Coffee Break
10:40 – 11:40 Materials of Construction Selection and Corrosion Prevention for Pressure Hydrometallurgical Circuits Murray Pearson and Dr. Masoumeh (Masi) Naghizadeh
11:40 – 12:50 Lunch
12:50 – 13:50 Refractory Lining System Applications in Pressure Hydrometallurgy Mr. Jeremy Heestand
14:00 – 15:00 10 Golden Rules of Pressure Autoclave Operation and “What Good Looks Like” Mr. John O’Callaghan

Pressure Hydrometallurgy Fundamentals
Dr. Edouard Asselin
UBC Materials Engineering 

Ed Asselin is a Professor in the Department of Materials Engineering at The University of British Columbia (UBC).  He is also co-Director of UBC’s Pipeline Integrity Institute.  Dr. Asselin is an applied electrochemist: he teaches and conducts research in aqueous metal extraction, thermochemistry, electro-metallurgy, corrosion and coatings.  Dr. Asselin has published over 140 peer-reviewed journal articles and over 40 conference publications.  He is a co-inventor of two licensed technologies including the Jetti copper leaching process and a family of sensors for pressure hydrometallurgy applications. 

This short course presents fundamental aspects related to the thermochemistry and kinetics of pressure hydrometallurgical operations. The course includes a refresher on calculating chemical equilibria at 298K followed by a presentation of the most common methods used to predict activity and equilibria at elevated temperatures in pressurized aqueous systems. Examples of model applications to industrial systems such as ZPL and HPAL will be presented, as will a discussion of Fe control under hydrothermal conditions. The course will then discuss the principles behind some measurement techniques used in pressure hydrometallurgical systems.

The Commercial Practice of Autoclaving for Copper, Nickel, Zinc and Gold Ores
Dr. David Dreisinger
UBC Materials Engineering 

David completed his B.A.Sc. and Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering at Queen’s University at Kingston.  Since 1984, David has worked at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada and holds the position of Professor and Chair, Industrial Research Chair in Hydrometallurgy.  David and his students and colleagues have published over 300 technical articles and have actively taught short courses and seminars to the metallurgical community over the last 35 years. 

David has worked closely with industry to develop and commercialize technology.  Significant developments include the Mt. Gordon Copper Process, the first plant to treat whole ore using an autoclave leaching – SX – EW process and the Sepon Copper Process where a combination of atmospheric ore leaching and concentrate autoclaving was utilized to extract copper from a chalcocite/pyrite/clay ore.  David is currently working on commercialization of technology in the extraction of battery materials and other critical materials with a focus on carbon negative processing and production of by-products that contribute to decarbonization of other industrial sectors. 

David has received a number of professional awards including the Sherritt Hydrometallurgy Award (METSOC), the EPD Science Award (TMS), the Wadsworth Award (TMS) and the INCO Medal (CIM).  David is a Fellow of CIM, Engineers Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering.  David was recently elected to the United States National Academy of Engineering as an International Member. 

David will draw upon more than 35 years of experience working with industry and in commercializing technology to present examples of the commercial practice of autoclaving for Copper, Nickel, Zinc and Gold ores in summary form with examples of flowsheets. 

Materials of Construction Selection and Corrosion Prevention for Pressure Hydrometallurgical Circuits
Mr. Murray S. Pearson, P.Eng.
Director, High Pressure Metallurgy, Hatch

Murray has over 30 years of experience in mechanical engineering and design of specialty chemical and metallurgical process plants, including a diverse background in piping, instrumentation, estimating, procurement, and project engineering. His project assignments include feasibility studies, basic engineering and detailed design of autoclave facilities & related processes for the oxidation & extraction of non-ferrous metals such as gold, silver, nickel, cobalt, and copper.  His assignments have included extensive site work on a variety of projects for sulphide oxidation, high pressure acid leaching, sulphide precipitation, strontium refining, titanium dioxide purification, as well as nylon-6 polymer, automotive paint, antioxidants, and organic acids production.

Murray graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, and an MBA from Queens University, Smith School of Business. As Director of Technology Development for Hatch’s High-Pressure Metallurgy practice, his responsibilities include research & development of new technologies for hydrometallurgical applications, patents, and intellectual property related to pressure hydrometallurgy.

Murray is an industrial supporter of the Green Surface Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (Green-SEAM) Network, and member of its Scientific Committee.

Materials selection is a complex process that requires careful consideration of various factors. This short course provides an overview of materials selection and its application in the high-pressure hydrometallurgical industry. The session covers key topics related to materials selection, common metal groups, special metals for oxygen services, non-metallic materials, refractory and ceramic materials, common corrosion-related failure mechanisms, materials testing, and corrosion mitigation and repair strategies. By providing an understanding of these critical aspects, the course equips professionals in the hydrometallurgical industry with the basic knowledge needed to make decisions on materials selection that ultimately lead to improved operational efficiency and reduced costs.

This session also addresses common corrosion degradation mechanisms including general corrosion, pitting corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, crevice corrosion, and intergranular corrosion. It focusses on the effect of halides, presence of secondary phases, and alloying elements on corrosion performance of materials and briefly describes the use and limitations of iso-corrosion curves in estimation of corrosion rate.

Materials of Construction Selection and Corrosion Prevention for Pressure Hydrometallurgical Circuits
Dr. Masoumeh (Masi) Naghizadeh
Lead Materials Specialist, Hatch Ltd.

Dr. Naghizadeh is a corrosion and materials specialist within the NDT and Corrosion team at Hatch, holding a B.Sc. in metallurgical engineering and M.Sc. in materials engineering. She completed her Ph.D. in physical and analytical chemistry and developed a corrosion model for copper coating of used nuclear fuel containers under deep geological conditions by utilizing her combined knowledge of materials, electrochemistry, chemistry, and surface science.
Dr. Naghizadeh has 10+ years of industrial and research experience. She is expert in materials (metal and non-metal), lining, and coating selection, materials testing, corrosion modelling, corrosion risk registry and audits, failure analysis, and materials trade-off study. She also develops asset’s inspection and maintenance plans, and strategy plans for repair and corrosion mitigation.
She has performed several projects in the design and maintenance stage in various sectors including mining, mineral processing, and energy.

Materials selection is a complex process that requires careful consideration of various factors. This short course provides an overview of materials selection and its application in the high-pressure hydrometallurgical industry. The session covers key topics related to materials selection, common metal groups, special metals for oxygen services, non-metallic materials, refractory and ceramic materials, common corrosion-related failure mechanisms, materials testing, and corrosion mitigation and repair strategies. By providing an understanding of these critical aspects, the course equips professionals in the hydrometallurgical industry with the basic knowledge needed to make decisions on materials selection that ultimately lead to improved operational efficiency and reduced costs.

This session also addresses common corrosion degradation mechanisms including general corrosion, pitting corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, crevice corrosion, and intergranular corrosion. It focusses on the effect of halides, presence of secondary phases, and alloying elements on corrosion performance of materials and briefly describes the use and limitations of iso-corrosion curves in estimation of corrosion rate.

Refractory Lining System Applications in Pressure Hydrometallurgy
Jeremy Heestand
Knight Material Technologies

Jeremy is the Senior Project Manager with Knight Material Technologies. He joined Knight in 2012 with responsibilities of project engineering and project management of process vessels with chemical resistant linings. He has been responsible for managing the design, supply and installation of linings in chemical processing and hydro-metallurgical process vessels.

As senior project manager, he manages and mentors personnel on the lining supply and installation for anti-corrosive materials for the mineral processing, chemical processing, sulfuric acid and environment RTO markets. The Knight team offers a full-service package, from complex projects to simple re-line installations throughout the world. Knight provides process evaluation, custom engineering and design, manufacturing, construction management and field installation.

In this short course lecture, refractory lining systems and their application will be presented as follows:

  • Refractory brick types, composition and use in high-pressure process equipment.
  • Mortar types, composition and use in high-pressure process equipment.
  • Refractory lining system design considerations – process chemistry considerations (detrimental chemistry), thermal design considerations, pressure considerations, chemical swell design considerations, stress considerations, etc.
  • Commissioning, acid curing, and internal inspection after commissioning
  • Operations and maintenance best practice.

Golden Rules of Pressure Autoclave Operation and “What Good Looks Like”
Mr. John O’Callaghan, Head of Directional Studies–Metallurgy, Newcrest Mining Limited

John O’Callaghan has over 35 years’ experience in the mining industry across a range of commodities including nickel, cobalt, gold, alumina, rare earths, and copper.  Experience in Operations, R&D, Engineering and in equipment and process technology design and selection

+20 years designing and operating HPAL and POX autoclaves in nickel/cobalt and in refractory gold application.

  • 4 years nickel matte leach POX at Kwinana Nickel Refinery
  • 8 years Technical Manager at Murrin Murrin Nickel/Cobalt Operations
  • 3 years Principal Process Engineer and Projects Manager at Bulong Nickel (HPAL) Operations

4 years POX plant design for projects in Russia and Turkey

The operation of pressure hydrometallurgical processes is complex. In this short course, John will summarize years of experience in HPAL and pressure oxidation (POX) operational experience to describe what good operation looks like. He will provide examples from his experience and a list of golden rules for the operation of pressure hydrometallurgy circuits.