1. Non-Ferrous Metal Industries: Present
Status & Proposed standards
Submitted by-
Sooraj Garg
P14EN009
Under the Guidance of:-
Mr. Ajay Aggarwal
Additional Director
Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi

2. Content
• Company Profile
• Introduction
• Production of Non-Ferrous Metals in India
• Primary Copper Industries
– Manufacturing Process
– Environmental Concern
• Primary Lead and Zinc Industries
– Manufacturing process
– Environmental Concern
• Proposed Standards
• Ambient Air Quality Monitoring
2

3. Company Profile
• Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi
 Statutory organization under the Ministry of Environment,
Forests & Climate Change (MoEF & CC).
 Established in 1974 under Water (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act, 1974.
 It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services
to the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the provisions of
the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
 Head office of CPCB divided into 21 divisions, and I worked
under the PCI-II (Pollution Control Implementation Division - II)
division.
• Area of work : Preparing a support document for
drafting the proposed standards for Non-Ferrous
metal Industries (Cu, Pb & Zn)
3

4. Introduction
• Metals that do not contain iron as principle constituent are
called non-ferrous metals.
• Non-ferrous metals have specific advantages over ferrous
metals.
• They can be fabricated with ease, and have high electrical
& thermal conductivities.
• Non-ferrous metals find extensive use on account of their
desirable properties like, low weight, higher conductivity,
non-magnetic property, etc.
• Aluminium, copper, lead and zinc are the most prominent
non-ferrous metals in India which are produced through
both primary and secondary routes.
• Primary non-ferrous metals production is energy intensive
and there are various avenues of pollution from such
industries like mining, refining, smelting and casting.
4

5. Contribution and rank of India in world
production of principal non-ferrous metals
Metals Production (Kilo tonne) India’s
Contribution
(%)
India’s rank in
order of
quantum
of production
World
(during 2011)
India
(during 2011-
12)
Aluminium 45200 1654 3.7 8th
Copper 19500 504 2.6 10th
Lead (refined) 10400 92 0.9 18th
Zinc (slab) 13000 783 6.0 3rd
5
Source: Annual Report 2013-14, Ministry of Mines, Government of India

6. Major Producers of Non-Ferrous Metals
Metal Major Producer Production (tonne)
2013-14
Aluminium NALCO
HINDALCO
VEDANTA GROUP
3,16,492
6,18,286
7,5,355
Copper Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL)
Sterlite Industries Limited
Hindalco India Limited
17005
294433
332842
Zinc Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL)
Binanipuram Zinc Limited (BZL)
783647*
38000*
Lead Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) 185000
* - Data is of 2011-12
Source- Annual Report 2013-14, Ministry of Mines, Indian Minerals Yearbook 2013
(Part- II: Metals & Alloys) 51st & 52nd Edition 6

7. Primary Copper Industries
• Copper is an important non-ferrous base metal having wide industrial
applications, ranging from defence, space program, railways, power
cables, telecommunication cables, construction industries etc.
• Copper is mined from a variety of ores, often containing less than one
per cent copper.
• This copper is typically in the form of mineral compounds with sulphur,
iron, arsenic, and tin.
• To facilitate transportation to smelters, concentration to about 30%
copper content is accomplished at the mine sites via crushing,
grinding, and flotation.
• The resulting "concentrate" is processed in a reverberatory furnace, an
electric furnace, or one of several relatively new oxygen enrichment
flash smelting furnaces to yield "matte" of as much as 65%copper
content.
• The iron in this matte is oxidized in a converter to produce "blister"
copper of 97 to 98.5% purity, which can then be further refined
Pyrometallurgical and/or hydrometallurgical.
7

8. Manufacturing Process
Source - Nonferrous metal, US EPA archive Document, September 1995. 8

9. Copper - Process Material Input and Pollution Output
Source - Nonferrous metal, US EPA archive Document, September 1995.
Process Material Input Air Emissions Process Wastes Other Wastes
Copper Concentration Copper ore, water,
chemical reagents,
thickeners
Flotation wastewaters Tailings containing waste
minerals such as limestone, and
quartz
Copper Leaching Copper concentrate,
sulphuric acid
Uncontrolled leachate Heap leach waste
Copper Smelting Copper concentrate,
siliceous flux,
Sulphur dioxide, particulate
matter containing arsenic,
antimony, cadmium, lead,
mercury, and zinc
Acid plant blow down Slurry/
sludge (K064), slag containing
iron sulphides, silica
Copper Conversion Copper matte, scrap
copper, siliceous flux
Sulphur dioxide, particulate
matter containing arsenic,
antimony, cadmium, lead,
mercury, and zinc
Acid plant blow down slurry/
sludge (K064), slag containing
iron sulphides, silica
Electrolytic Copper
Refining
Blister copper Process wastewater Slimes containing impurities
such as gold, silver, antimony,
arsenic, bismuth, iron, lead,
nickel, selenium, sulphur, and
zinc
9

10. Environmental impacts of copper production
Source: Copper: Technology and Competitiveness, September 1988, congress of the
United states, office of the technology and assessment
10

11. Treatment
• Fabric filters are used to control particulate emissions.
Dust will need to be disposed of in a secure landfill or
other acceptable manner
• Effluent treatment by precipitation, filtration, and so
on of process
• Bleed streams, filter backwash waters, boiler blow
down, and other streams may be required to reduce
suspended and dissolved solids and heavy metals.
• Slag should be landfilled or granulated and sold.
• Modern plants using good industrial practices should
set as targets total dust releases of 0.5–1.0 kg/t of
copper and SO2 discharges of 25 kg/t of copper
11

12. Sulphur Dioxide treatment
• Sulphur that is not captured is usually present as
SO2 and can be recovered as elemental sulphur,
liquid SO2, gypsum or sulphuric acid
• Sulphur dioxide is produced during the drying
and smelting of sulphide concentrates and other
material
• A distinction can be made between techniques
applied to reduce SO2 emissions from off-gases
with less than 1% SO2 and for gases with a higher
SO2 content
• Acid plants convert the sulphur dioxide in
emissions to sulphuric acid (H2SO4).
12

13. SO2 Gas cleaning mechanism
13

14. Sulphuric acid plants
• Single contact/single absorption (SC/SA) plants
– The gas goes through the system once
– such plants average conversion (SO2 to H2S04)
efficiencies of 96 to 98%
• Double contact/double absorption (De/DA)
plants
– maximize S02 capture by returning the gas stream to
the converters through an intermediate absorption
tower.
– These plants are capable of 99.7 to 99.8% conversion
efficiencies.
14

15. Sulphuric acid plant
15

16. Primary Lead and Zinc Industries
• The most important and abundant lead and zinc minerals are Galena (PbS)
and Sphalerite or Zinc Blende (ZnS), respectively
• The world's reserves of lead were estimated at 89 million tonne. Australia
leads with 40% of world's reserves of lead, followed by China (16%),
Russia (10%), Peru (9%), and USA & Mexico (about 6% each).
• The world's reserves of zinc were estimated at 250 million tonne. Australia
accounts for 28% of world's zinc reserves, followed by China (17%), Peru
(7%), Mexico (6%), India (5%) and USA and Kazakhstan (4% each).
• Rajasthan is endowed with the largest resources of lead-zinc ore
amounting to 607.53 million tonne (88.61%), followed by Andhra Pradesh
22.69 million tonne (3.31%), Madhya Pradesh 14.84 million tonne (2.16%),
Bihar 11.43 million tonne (1.67%) and Maharashtra 9.27 million tonne
(1.35%). Resources are also established in Gujarat, Meghalaya, Odisha,
Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal
16

17. Manufacturing Process
• Beneficiation
– Separation of lead concentrates and zinc
concentrates
– The compounds of zinc, copper, arsenic, silica
antimony, bismuth, etc. are deleterious impurities in
lead metallurgy
– Compounds of lead, copper, arsenic bismuth, iron,
silica, etc. are the deleterious impurities as far as zinc
smelting is concerned
• Smelting
– Pyrometallurgical process
– Hydrometallurgical process
17

18. Environmental Concern
Location Impact
Mining Tailing water, tail dumps creates water pollution;
dust and gases during blasting, transportation of
ores results in air pollution
Crushing, , grinding Fugitive emission, solid and liquid effluents,
tailings
Beneficiation Solid and liquid effluents, tailings result in water
pollution
Roaster Dust, gases, acid mist, fine zinc dust
Leaching plant Water pollution due to solid and liquid effluents
Electrolytic cell house Water pollution due to solid and liquid effluents,
acid mist.
Melting Dust and gases, fine dust of heavy metals
*Standard for SPM 150 mg/NM3
Source: VISWANATHAN P.V. et al. 1998. 18

19. Existing Standards for Aluminium Industries
Sl. No. Source Parameter Standards
(a) Alumina plant
(i) Raw material handling (Primary and
secondary crusher)
Particulate matter 150 mg/Nm3
(ii) Precipitation areas: Calcination Particulate matter 250 mg/Nm3
Carbon monoxide 1% max.
Stack height H=14 (Q)0.3 Where Q is emission rate of SO2
in kg/hr and H is stack height in meter
(b) Smelter plant
(i) Green anode shop Particulate matter 150 mg/Nm3
(ii) Anode bake oven Particulate matter 50 mg/Nm3
Total fluoride (F) 0.3 kg/tonne of aluminium produced
(iii) Pot room Particulate matter 150 mg/Nm3
Total fluoride For Soderberg
Technology
2.8 kg/tonne by 31st December 2006
Total fluoride For Pre-baked
Technology
0.8 kg/tonne by 31st December 2006
(c) Standards for forage fluoride Twelve consecutive months
average
40 ppm
Two consecutive months
average
60 ppm
One month average 80 ppm
19

20. Proposed Standards for Aluminium Industries
Sl. No. Source Parameter Proposed standards*
(a) Alumina plant
(i) Raw material handling (Primary and
secondary crushers)
Particulate matter 50 mg/Nm3
(ii) Precipitation areas: Calcination Particulate matter 50 mg/Nm3
Carbon monoxide 1% max
Stack height H=14 (Q)0.3 Where Q is emission rate of SO2 in
kg/hr and H is stack height in meter
(b) Smelter plant
(i) Green anode shop Particulate matter 50 mg/Nm3
(ii) Anode bake oven Particulate matter 50 mg/Nm3
Total fluoride (F) 0.01 kg/tonne of green anode produced
Polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbon (PAH)
0.025 kg/tonne of green anode produced
20

21. Continue….
(iii) Pot room Particulate matter 50 mg/Nm3
Total fluoride For
Soderberg Technology
Pot lines with Soderberg Technology does
not exist now. The EC for new pot lines to be
given only with pre-baked technology.
Total fluoride For Pre-
baked Technology
0.3 kg/tonne of Al produced
Fugitive fluoride emission 0.3 kg/tonne of Al produced
(c) Standards for forage fluoride Twelve consecutive
months average
40 ppm
Two consecutive months
average
60 ppm
One month average 80 ppm
(d) Fluoride consumption Fluoride 10 kg/tonne of aluminum produced (as F)
(e) Discharge of effluent ------ No effluent shall be discharged outside the
premises
* The existing aluminium manufacturing units shall achieve the limits, whichever modified, within a period of one year
from the date of notification of the standards.
21

22. Standards for Copper, Lead & Zinc Industries
Plant segment Parameters Plant capacity for 100%
convertible concentration
of sulphuric acid
Existing
unit
New
unit
1(a). Concentrator Particulate Matter ----- 100 mg/Nm3 75 mg/Nm3
1(b). Sulphur Dioxide Recovery
Unit*
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) Up to 300 t/day
Above 300 t/day
1370 mg/Nm3
1250 mg/Nm3
1250 mg/Nm3
950 mg/Nm3
Acid Mist/ Sulphur Trioxide Up to 300 t/day
Above 300 t/day
90 mg/Nm3
70 mg/Nm3
70 mg/Nm3
50 mg/Nm3
Note :
1. Capacity in above stipulation means the installed capacity of Sulphuric Acid Plant.
2. Scrubbing units shall have on-line pH meters with auto recording facility.
3. Plant commissioned on or after the date of notification, shall be termed as 'New Unit'.
4. The height of the Stack emitting Sulphur Dioxide or acid mist shall be a minimum of 30 metres or as per the formula H = 14(Q)0.3 (whichever
is more), where "H" is the height of stack in meters; and "Q" is the maximum quantity of SO2, in kg/hr, expected to be emitted through the
stack at 110 per cent rated capacity of the Tail Gas plant(s) and calculated as per the norms of gaseous emission.
5. Tail Gas plants having more than one stream or unit of sulphuric acid at one location, the combined capacity of all the streams or units shall
be taken into consideration for determining the stack height and applicability of emission standards.
6. Tail Gas plants having separate stack for gaseous mission for the scrubbing unit, the height of this stack shall be equal to main stack or 30
metres, whichever is higher".
2. Load/Mass Based Standards Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) Up to 300 t/day
Above 300 t/day
2.5 kg/tonne
2.0 kg/tonne
2.0 kg/tonne
1.5 kg/tonne
22

23. Air Quality Monitoring
• On 1st July 2015, I visited ambient air quality
monitoring station, located at Pragati Maidan, New
Delhi
• Under N.A.M.P., four air pollutants viz., Sulphur Dioxide
(SO2), Oxides of Nitrogen as NO2 and Suspended
Particulate Matter (SPM) and RSPM/PM10, have been
identified for regular monitoring at all the locations
• The monitoring of pollutants is carried out for 24 hours
(4-hourly sampling for gaseous pollutants and 8-hourly
sampling for particulate matter) with a frequency of
twice a week, to have 104 observations in a year
• National air quality standards given by CPCB, Delhi has
been applied on these monitoring stations 23

24. Monitored Parameters
S.
No.
Parameter Testing method Absorbing media Sampling
time in
Hours
1. Sulphur dioxide Modified West
& Gaeke Method (IS 5182 Part 2
Method of Measurement of Air
Pollution: Sulphur dioxide)
Potassium
tetrachloromercurate (TCM)
4
2. Nitrogen oxides as NO2 Modified Jacobs & Hochheiser Method
(IS 5182 Part 6 Methods for
Measurement of Air Pollution: Oxides
of nitrogen)
sodium hydroxide and sodium
arsenite
4
3. Ozone Method 411, Air Sampling and Analysis,
3rd Edition (Determination of oxidizing
substances in the atmosphere)
(1% KI in 0.1 m Phosphate
Buffer)
1
24

25. Result
S.
No.
Parameter Concentrati
on in
Ambient Air
1 Sulphur dioxide* µg/m3 10
2 Nitrogen dioxide* µg/m3 52
3 Ozone** µg/m3 18
* These values were monitored at 4 hour interval for Sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen dioxide and
averaging the values for 8 hours and 24 hours.
** values for Ozone were monitored at 1 hour interval
All the parameters monitored at ambient air monitoring station were within the limit, it
may be due to the monsoon season in Delhi during the monitoring period.
25

26. Discussion
• For Aluminium Industries major concern is
Fluoride, CPCB also included the fugitive fluoride
emission limits in standards
• For Copper, Lead and Zinc Industries, SO2 is a
major concern, in CREP Report it is mandatory to
covert SO2 in to H2SO4
• Standards of H2SO4 plant apply on these plants
• Due to water scarcity Zero liquid discharge
concept also included in these standards
26

27. References
1. Annual Report 2013-14, Ministry of Mines, Government of India.
2. Indian Minerals Yearbook 2013 (Part- II: Metals & Alloys), 52nd Edition copper (advance release), Government of India
Ministry of mines Indian bureau of mines, December, 2014, 5-21.
3. Background Report, AP-42 section 12.3, “primary copper smelting”, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
OAQPS/TSD/EIB, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.
4. Nonferrous metal, US EPA archive document, September 1995.
5. Annual Report 2013-14, Hindustan Copper Limited.
6. AP 42, Fifth Edition, Volume-I, Chapter 12: Metallurgical Industry, section- 12.3, primary copper smelting, final section,
October 1986.
7. An overview of environmental issues and protection measures in Indian non-ferrous plants, Viswanathan P.V. and Sankaran
C., 1998, Environmental and Waste Management ISSN: 0971-9407, pp. 197-208.
8. Copper: Technology and Competitiveness, September 1988, congress of the United states, office of the technology and
assessment
9. Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook, World bank group, July 1998
10. Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Non-Ferrous Metals Industries, October 2014, joint research
centre, European IPCC bureau.
11. Market survey on lead & zinc, Mineral Economics Division, Indian Bureau of mines, Nagpur, June 2011, market survey
series No. MS-34.
12. Indian Minerals Yearbook 2013 (Part- II: Metals & Alloys), 51st edition “lead and zinc (final release), Government of India
Ministry of mines Indian bureau of mines, January, 2014.
13. Background Report on “Primary zinc smelting”, AP-42 section 12.7 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
OAQPS/TSD/EIB, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.
27

28. 28