Tom R. Curr
Manager: Pyrometallurgy, Mintek
Tom Curr (52) holds a BSc(Eng) degree in chemical engineering from
Cape Town University and a MSc(Eng) degree in metallurgy from Wits
University. He has over 25 years research and development experience in
the field of pyrometallurgy at Mintek, including the following specific
areas:
- Metallurgical optimization of submerged-arc furnace production of ferrochromium and ferromanganese.
- Development of a process for the smelting of PGM sulphide concentrates high in Cr2O3 from the UG-2 reef.
- Development of a process to smelt chromite fines in a DC arc furnace to various grades and types of ferrochromium.
- Transient, two dimensional modelling of heat transfer in furnace hearths.
- Design, construction, and operation of DC arc furnaces for Mintek's pilot plants, ranging from 100 kVA to 3 MVA.
- Management responsibility for projects in the application of DC arc furnace technology to the production of magnesium, stainless steel, catalyst substrate, zinc, ferromanganese, ferrochromium, PGM recovery, aluminium, titania slag, ferronickel, calcium carbide, and ferrovanadium.
- Involvement in the scale-up of DC arc furnaces to the commercial production of ferrochromium, titania slag, and cobalt recovery.
Copyright © 1997-2005 Tom Curr,
TomC@mintek.co.za.
14 June 2005
Pyrometallurgy Division, Mintek,
200 Hans Strijdom Drive, Randburg, 2125, South Africa
Private Bag X3015, Randburg, 2125, South Africa.
Phone: +27 (11) 709-4642
Fax: +27 (11) 793-6241