The Behaviour of Lead in Silica-Saturated, Copper Smelting Systems

The equilibrium distribution coefficients of lead between the matte, slag and metallic phases in the silica-saturated, copper smelting system were determined. These experiments were carried out by simultaneously equilibrating the various phases in silica crucibles at 1300℃. The conditions investigated in this study ranged from iron and copper alloy saturation at low oxygen potentials to a sulfur dioxide partial pressure of 0.1 atm and up to a matte grade of 75 wt. % Cu. The lead was found primarily in matte except in the presence of the copper alloy phase. The accumulation of lead in the copper alloy phase was pronounced, particularly at low oxygen potentials. Under conventional smelting conditions, the lead content in slag increased with increasing matte grade. The behaviour of lead was explained by proposing metallic and sulfidic species in matte and oxidic and sulfidic dissolution in slag. In this manner, the activity coefficients of the various species were calculated in their respective phases

Experimental Study on the Phase Equilibrium of Copper Matte and Silica-Saturated FeO x-SiO2-Based Slags in Pyrometallurgical WEEE Processing

The effects of the amphoteric and basic oxides alumina and lime on the phase equilibria of copper matte and silica-saturated slags were investigated at 1300 °C and PSO2 = 0.1 atm in a controlled CO-CO2-SO2-Ar gas atmosphere using a high-temperature isothermal equilibration technique followed by rapid quenching. The equilibrium phase compositions were obtained by Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis. The relationship between the copper concentration in matte and the oxygen partial pressure, iron, and sulfur in matte was quantified. The pure iron-silicate slag exhibited the highest copper loss in slag, although the addition of alumina and lime decreased its value by approximately a quarter and a half, respectively, at a matte grade of 65 wt pct Cu. In contrast, copper and sulfur were highly distributed in the matte phase, and their deportment to the matte was favored by addition of alumina and lime.Peer reviewe