| abstract |
A process for reducing a metal-containing material, the process comprising: providing a metal-containing material (5), heating said metal-containing material by convective and/or conductive and/or radiative means (2), exposing said metal-containing material to microwave (MW) energy (3 ), exposing said metal-containing material to radio frequency (RF) energy (4), and exposing said metal-containing material to a reducing agent (8). The method, which does not involve dielectric heating during exposure to MW and RF energy, enables more energy-efficient chemical reduction of metal-containing ores and ore concentrates and increases metallization yield. |