Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-03-16-.23 - PRIMARY COPPER SMELTERS

(1) Applicability. The provisions of this rule shall apply to the following affected facilities commenced on or after February 9, 1977 in primary copper smelters: dryer roaster, smelting furnace, and copper converter.

(2) Definitions.

(a) "Primary copper smelter" means any installation or any intermediate process engaged in the production of copper from copper sulfide ore concentrates through the use of pyrometallurgical techniques.

(b) "Dryer" means any facility in which a copper sulfide ore concentrate charge is heated in the presence of air to eliminate a portion of the moisture from the charge, provided less than 5 percent of the sulfur contained in the charge is eliminated in the facility.

(c) "Roaster" means any facility in which a copper sulfide ore concentrate charge is heated in the presence of air to eliminate a significant portion (5 percent or more) of the sulfur contained in the charge.

(d) "Calcine" means the solid materials produced by a roaster.

(e) "Smelting" means processing techniques for the melting of a copper sulfide ore concentrate or calcine charge leading to the formation of separate layers of molten slag, molten copper, and/or copper matte.

(f) "Smelting furnace" means any vessel in which the smelting of copper sulfide ore concentrates or calcines is performed and in which the heat necessary for smelting is provided by an electric current, rapid oxidation of a portion of the sulfur contained in the concentrate as it passes through an oxidizing atmosphere, or the combustion of a fossil fuel.

(g) "Copper converter" means any vessel to which copper matte is charged and oxidized to copper.

(h) "Sulfuric acid plant" means any facility producing sulfuric acid by the contact process.

(i) "Fossil fuel" means natural gas, petroleum, coal and any form of solid, liquid, or gaseous fuel derived from such materials for the purpose of creating useful heat.

(j) "Reverberatory smelting furnace" means any vessel in which the smelting of copper sulfide ore concentrates or calcines is performed and in which the heat necessary for smelting is provided primarily by combustion of a fossil fuel.

(k) "Total smelter charge" means the weight (dry basis) of all copper sulfides ore concentrates processed at a primary copper smelter, plus the weight of all other solid materials introduced into the roasters and smelting furnaces at a primary copper smelter, except calcine, over a one-month period.

(l) "High level of volatile impurities" means a total smelter charge containing more than 0.2 weight percent arsenic, 0.1 weight percent antimony, 4.5 weight percent lead or 5.5 weight percent zinc, on a dry basis.

(3) Standard for particulate matter.

On and after the date on which the performance test required to be conducted by paragraph .01(5) of this chapter is completed, no owner or operator subject to the provisions of this rule shall discharge or cause the discharge into the atmosphere from any dryer any gases which contain particulate matter in excess of 50 mg/dscm (0.022 gr/dscf).

(4) Standard for Sulfur Dioxide.

(a) On and after the date on which the performance test required to be conducted by paragraph .01(5) of this chapter is completed, no owner or operator subject to the provisions of this rule shall discharge or cause the discharge into the atmosphere from any roaster, smelting furnace, or copper converter any gases which contain sulfur dioxide in excess of 0.065 percent by volume, except as provided in subparagraphs (b) and (c) of this paragraph.

(b) Reverberatory smelting furnaces shall be exempted from subparagraph (a) of this paragraph during periods when the total smelter charge at the primary copper smelter contains a high level of volatile impurities.

(c) A change in the fuel combusted in a reverberatory smelting furnace shall not be considered a modification under this chapter.

(5) Standard for Visible Emissions.

(a) On and after the date on which the performance test required to be conducted by paragraph .01(5) of this chapter is completed, no owner or operator subject to the provisions of this rule shall discharge or cause the discharge into the atmosphere from any dryer any visible emissions which exhibit greater than twenty (20%) percent opacity.

(b) On and after the date on which the performance test required to be conducted by paragraph .01(5) of this chapter is completed, no owner or operator subject to the provisions of this rule shall discharge or cause the discharge into the atmosphere from any affected facility that uses a sulfuric acid plant to comply with the standard set forth in paragraph (4) of this rule, any visible emissions which exhibit greater than twenty percent (20%) opacity.

(6) Monitoring of Operations.

(a) The owner or operator of any primary copper smelter subject to subparagraph (4)(b) of this rule, shall keep a monthly record of the total smelter charge and the weight percent (dry basis) of arsenic, antimony, lead and zinc contained in this charge. The analytical methods and procedures employed to determine the weight of the total smelter charge and the weight percent of arsenic, antimony, lead and zinc shall be approved by the Technical Secretary and shall be accurate to within plus or minus ten percent.

(b) The owner or operator of any primary copper smelter subject to the provisions of this rule shall install and operate:

1. A continuous monitoring system to monitor and record the opacity of gases discharged into the atmosphere from any dryer. The span of this system shall be set at 80 to 100 percent opacity.

2. A continuous monitoring system to monitor and record sulfur dioxide emissions discharged into the atmosphere from any roaster, smelting furnace or copper converter subject to subparagraph (4)(a) of this rule. The span of this system shall be set at a sulfur dioxide concentration of 0.20 percent by volume.

(i) The continuous monitoring system performance evaluation required under paragraph .01(8) of this chapter shall be completed prior to the initial performance evaluation. During the performance evaluation the span of the continuous monitoring system may be set at a sulfur dioxide concentration of 0.15 percent by volume if necessary to maintain the system output between 20 percent and 90 percent of full scale. Upon completion of the continuous monitoring system performance evaluation, the span of the continuous monitoring system shall be set at a sulfur dioxide concentration of 0.20 percent by volume.

(ii) For the purpose of the continuous monitoring system performance evaluation required under paragraph .01(8) of this chapter, the reference method referred to under the Field Test for Accuracy (Relative) in Performance Specification 2 of Appendix B (Federal Register, Vol. 40, No. 194) to this part shall be as specified by the Technical Secretary. For the performance evaluation, each concentration measurement shall be of one hour duration. The pollutant gas used to prepare the calibration gas mixtures required under paragraph 2.1, Performance Specification 2 of Appendix B (Federal Register,

Vol. 40, No. 194), and for calibration checks under paragraph .01(8) of this chapter, shall be sulfur dioxide.

(c) Six-hour average sulfur dioxide concentrations shall be calculated and recorded daily for the four consecutive 6-hour periods of each operating day. Each six-hour average shall be determined as the arithmetic mean of the appropriate six contiguous one-hour average sulfur dioxide concentrations provided by the continuous monitoring system installed under subparagraph (b) of this paragraph.

(d) For the purpose of reports required under subparagraph .01(7)(c) of this chapter periods of excess emissions that shall be reported are defined as follows:

1. Opacity. Any six-minute period during which the average opacity, as measured by the continuous monitoring system installed under subparagraph (b) of this paragraph, exceeds the standard under subparagraph (5)(a).

2. Sulfur dioxide. Any six-hour period, as described in subparagraph (c) of this paragraph, during which the average emissions of sulfur dioxide, as measured by the continuous monitoring system installed under subparagraph (b) of this paragraph, exceeds the standard under paragraph (4).

(7) Test Methods and Procedures:

(a) Sulfur dioxide concentrations shall be determined using the continuous monitoring system installed in accordance with subparagraph (6)(b). One 6-hour average period shall constitute one run. The monitoring system drift during any run shall not exceed 2 percent of span.

(b) For determining the concentration of particulate matter and associated moisture content, the sampling time for each run shall be at least 60 minutes and the minimum sampling volume shall be 0.85 dscm (30 dscf) except that smaller times or volumes, when necessitated by process variables or other factors, may be approved by the Technical Secretary.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-03-16-.23

Original rule filed January 10, 1977; effective February 9, 1977.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 68-25-105 and 4-5-202.