Use of Alternative Fuel at Onahama

Since 1965, a green-charged reverberatory furnace has been operating at Onahama Smelting and Refining Co., Ltd., Fukushima-Ken, Japan. Oil consumption has decreased steadily with increased through-put by use of combustion air preheating, an oxygen-fuel burner, and a computerized ore-blending calculation technique. Increasing oil prices, however, have caused Onahama to introduce alternative fuels, such as coal and waste tires. About 46,000 metric tons/month of copper concentrate was smelted using 3,000 metric ton/month waste tires through October 1979 and 8,500 metric ton/month coal through September 1980. At present, oil consumption is reduced to 2,000 kl/month.