A study on the equilibrium between copper matte and slag

Abstract

Experiments on the equilibrium between copper matte and fayalite type slag were carried out under the condition of metallic copper (or y-iron) and silica double saturation at 1473 K. It has been found that the solubilities of copper and sulfur in the slag show characteristic changes with increasing matte grade (wt % Cu in matte). The solubility of sulfur in the slag decreases with increasing matte grade. The solubility of copper in the slag free of CaO and Al2O3 has a small peak at about 35 wt% Cu in matte and sharply increases when matte grade approaches 80wt%Cu. The dissolution behaviour of those elements has been consistently explained by applying the ionic theory of solutions to the matte and the slag. The effects of gangue materials CaO and Al2O3 on the solubilities of copper and sulfur in the slag were also examined. It has been found that at constant matte grade they lower both the solubilities of copper and sulfur in the silica-saturated slag. © 1986 Maney Publishing.