Method of roasting sulphur ores in suspension

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR OXIDIZING SULPHIDE ORES, INCLUDING THE STEPS: INJECTING A STREAM CONSISTING OF A MIXTURE OF COARSE AND FINE SULPHIDE ORE PARTICLES TOGETHER WITH AIR UPWARDLY INTO A COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND ALLOWING SAID MIXTURE TO FALL FREELY WITHIN SAID CHAMBER; SIMULTANEOUSLY INJECTING A STREAM OF NON-OXIDIZABLE TEMPERATURE CONTROLLING GAS INTO SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS, AND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO, SAID FIRST MENTIONED STREAM; RECEIVING THE PARTIALLY OXIDIZED PARTICLES UPON A MOVING SURFACE IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER AND PROGRESSIVELY REMOVING SAID PARTIALLY OXIDIZED PARTICLES FROM SAID CHAMBER; SIMULTANEOUSLY INJECTING AIR STREAMS INTO SAID PARTIALLY OXIDIZED MATERIAL ON SAID MOVING SURFACE TO FURTHER OXIDIZE SAID PARTICLES, SAID LAST MENTIONED AIR STREAMS PASSING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER TO CONTACT AND OXIDIZE PARTICLES FALLING DOWNWARDLY THEREIN.