Modelling of antimonate capacity in copper and nickel smelting slags

Abstract

The thermodynamic Reddy-Blander (RB) model was extended for deriving antimonate capacity and antimony distribution ratio between the slag and the copper and nickel matte a priori. In this study, the antimonate capacities in the FeO–FeO_1.5–MgO–NiO–SiO₂, FeO–FeO_1.5–MgO–CuO_0.5–SiO₂ and FeO–FeO_1.5–MgO–NiO–CaO systems and the antimony distribution ratio for the FeO–FeO_1.5–MgO–NiO–SiO₂ slag/Ni matte, FeO–FeO_1.5–MgO–CuO_0.5–SiO₂ slag/Cu matte and FeO–FeO_1.5–MgO–NiO–CaO/Ni matte equilibrium systems were evaluated at 1523 K and 1573 K. In general, good agreement was found between the calculated RB model data and the reported experimental data for both antimonate capacity and antimony distribution ratio. The antimony distribution ratio model developed here can be extended for prediction in multicomponent base metal slags and copper and nickel mattes and, thereby, may lead to develop and/or improve the efficiency of antimony removal from the base metal smelting, converting and refining processes.