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Why is sulfur dioxide recovered during lead ore roasting?
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lead processing
A zinc-lead blast furnace and lead-splash condenser. This technology is utilized mainly for producing zinc while managing both lead and zinc from raw materials, a technique that was highly influential in 20th-century smelting.
During the roasting of lead ore, sulfur is combusted to produce sulfur dioxide gas as a byproduct. This gas is recovered primarily for the commercial production of sulfuric acid.12
By capturing the sulfur dioxide emitted during the roasting process, metallurgical facilities can convert it into sulfur trioxide and subsequently into sulfuric acid, which is often utilized directly within the same metallurgical operations. This recovery process is an important industrial practice that helps manage emissions while providing a valuable chemical commodity.21