Composition and characteristics of slags from continuous converting of copper matte and concentrate. (March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tsymbulov, Leonid; Kongoli, Florian; McBow, Ian; Pigarev, Sergey
• Is Part Of: Transactions. Volume 123:Number 1(2014)
• Page Start: 10
• Page End: 20
• Publication Date: 2014-03
• Subjects: Ore-dressing -- Periodicals; Metallurgy -- Periodicals; Mineral industries -- Periodicals; 622.7
• DOI: 10.1179/0371955313Z.00000000073
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0371-9553

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>The investigation results of the slags obtained in a newly developed process of continuous converting to blister copper of a mixture of nickel-containing copper matte and concentrates are presented. X-ray, SEM, EPMA and other methods were used to obtain the results. The slags are within the FeO–Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>–SiO<sub>2</sub>–CaO–Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>–Cu<sub>2</sub>O–NiO system and are found to be prone to saturate trevorite (NiFe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>)-based spinels whose content depends significantly on the consumption of fluxing components and on the changes of total concentration in the slag of (Fe+Ni) and (SiO<sub>2</sub>+CaO). It is found that these slags are homogeneous in the range of SiO<sub>2</sub>/CaO ratios from 0⋅25 to 1⋅0 under the condition that (Fe+Ni) total concentration in slag are 25–27%. It is shown that the dependence of the liquidus temperature on the SiO<sub>2</sub>/CaO ratio is characterised by a minimum at 1325°C with SiO<sub>2</sub>/CaO of 2. It is determined that the increase in the slag liquidus temperature reaches the maximum (1330°C) with copper content in matte of 60%. It is demonstrated that copper in these slags is mainly present in a soluble form and that copper dissolved in a silicate melt is present both in association with oxygen (oxide solubility) and outside this association (metallic solubility). Based on the obtained results, several guiding, practical industrial conclusions are drawn for a successful operation of a new continuous process.</p> </abstract>