The application of petroleum coke in the zinc smelting process

Petroleum coke, a byproduct of crude oil processing, possesses high carbon content, low ash content (＜2%), and high calorific value (up to 8,000 kcal/kg), making it an important material in the zinc smelting industry. In pyrometallurgical zinc smelting, petroleum coke primarily serves as a reductant and fuel. In the Waelz process using rotary kilns, petroleum coke can be pelletized together with zinc oxide materials to reduce zinc oxide to zinc vapor through carbothermal reduction, enabling efficient zinc recovery. Research indicates that petroleum coke can partially ｒｅｐｌａｃｅ traditional breeze coke (at replacement ratios of 10%–20%), effectively reducing production costs while maintaining process efficiency. Furthermore, petroleum coke can be applied in the treatment of zinc-bearing dust and other metallurgical solid wastes; under microwave-enhanced heating conditions, the zinc metallization rate can reach 96.78%, with a dezincification rate as high as 99.58%. The application of petroleum coke offers an energy-efficient, highly effective, and sustainable pathway for low-carbon development in the zinc smelting industry.