Iron removal from copper-based alloy scraps through oxidation slagging process

Abstract

A process of removing iron from copper-based alloy scraps using oxidation slagging method is researched, in which the iron is oxidized to FeO and then reacted with SiO2 forming Fe2SiO4 and enter into the slag phase. The addition of SiO2 could restrict the Fe3O4 generation through the transformation of FeO to 2FeO·SiO2 in a certain O2 pressure, which is favorable to decreasing the melt viscosity and increasing the separation efficiency of Cu and Fe. Under optimized conditions of O2 flow rate of 40 ml/min, temperature of 1 673 K, oxygenation time of 8 min, and SiO2 amount of 2.17 mass%, Fe content in the metal phase is decreased to 0.0030 mass% with Cu loss rate being of 1.14%.