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–Fe2O3–SiO2–CaO–Al2O3–Cu2O–NiO system and are found to be prone to saturate trevorite (NiFe2O4)-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 (SiO2+CaO). It is found that these slags are homogeneous in the range of SiO2/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 SiO2/CaO ratio is characterised by a minimum at 1325°C with SiO2/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.
Borisov,A. A.. 2001. Noble metals solubility in silicate melts: experimental and astrochemical studies, Abstract of thesis for a Doctor's degree, Moscow.
2.
Galvarino Vera,B. and Rolando Campos,B.. 1985. Codelco Chile copper concentrate smelting technologies, Symposium ‘Extraction metallurgy 85’, 117–147, London, England, The Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
3.
Genevsky,K. V.. 1998. Procedure of the determination of copper losses forms with commercial slags, Tsvetn. Metall., 1, 22–26.
4.
Goto,M., Oshima,E. and Hayashi,M.., 1998. Control aspects of the Mitsubishi continuous process, JOM, 65, 60–63.
5.
Kimura,H., Endo,S., Yayima,K. and Tsukihashi,F.. 2004. Effect of oxygen partial pressure on liquidus for the CaO-SiO2-FeOx system at 1573 K, ISIJ Int., 44, (12), 2040–2045.
6.
Kimura,H., Ogawa,T., Kakiki,M., Matsumoto,M. and Tsukihashi,F.. 2005. Effect of Al2O3 and MgO additions on liquidus for the CaO-SiO2-FeOx system at 1573 K, ISIJ International, 45, (4), 506–512.
7.
Kojo,I. V. and Lahtinen,M.. 2007. Outokumpu blister copper smelting processes – clean technology standards, Cu 2007, The Carlos Diaz Symp. on Pyrometallurgy, MetSoc, Canada, Vol. III, Book 2, 183–190.
8.
Kongoli,F.. 2003. Slags and fluxes pyrometallurgical processes, Yazawa Int. Symp. on ‘Metallurgical and materials processing: principles and technologies, materials processing fundamentals and new technologies, TMS, 199–210.
9.
Kongoli,F., McBow,I. and Yazawa,A.. 2011. Phase relations of ferrous calcium silicate slag and its possible application in the industrial practice, TMS High Temp. Mater. Proc., 30, (4–5), 491–504.
10.
Kongoli,F.. 2006a. Phase relations of ferrous calcium silicate slag and its possible application in the industrial practice, Sohn Int. Symp. on ‘Advanced processing of metals and materials, Vol. 8: International Symposium on ‘Sulfide Smelting’, TMS, 367–385.
11.
Kongoli,F., McBow,I., Yazawa,A., Takeda,Y., Yamaguchi,K., Budd,R. and Llubani,S.. 2006b. Liquidus relations of calcium ferrite and ferrous calcium silicate slag in continuous copper converting, Sohn Int. Symp. on ‘Advanced processing of metals and materials, Vol. 8: International Symposium on Sulfide Smelting’, TMS, 69–87.
12.
Kongoli,F. and Yazawa,A.. 2001. Liquidus surface of FeO-Fe2O3-SiO2-CaO-slag containing Al2O3, MgO and Cu2O at intermediate oxygen partial pressures, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 32, (4), 583–592.
13.
Kupryakov,Y. P.. 1976. Reverberatory smelting of copper concentrates, Metallurgy, Metallurgia, Moscow, (in Russian) 352.
14.
Mackey,P. J.. 1982. The physical chemistry of copper smelting slags – a review, Can. Metall. Q., 21, (3), 221–260.
15.
Mantsevich,N. M., Ganevsky,K. V. and Zaitsev,V. Y.. 1994. Copper loss with slag and possibilities of their cleaning in the production of rich matte by flash smelting, Tsvetn. Metall., 4, 29–31.
16.
Matsuura,H., Kurashige,M., Naka,M. and Tsukihashi,F.. 2009. Melting and solidifying behaviors for the CaO-SiO2-FeOx slags at various oxygen partial pressures, ISIJ Int., 49, (9), 1283–1289.
17.
Matusewicz,R., Hughes,S. and Hoang,J.. 2007. The Ausmelt continuous copper converting (C3) process, Cu 2007, The Carlos Diaz Symp. on ‘Pyrometallurgy’, Toronto, Canada, MetSoc Vol. III, Book 2, 29–46.
18.
Miroevsky,G. P., Miroevsky,A. N., Golov,L. B., Tsymbulov. 2001. Method of copper concentrate continuous processing for blister copper, Patent RF 2169202 of 20·06·2001.
19.
Morachevsky,A. G., Tsemekhman,L. S. and Tsymbulov,L. B.. 2009. Thermodynamics of copper-oxygen system, 13th edn, 148, Saint Petersburg, Polytechnical University Publishing House, MetSoc.
20.
Nagamori,M.. 1974. Metall loss to slag. Part 1. Sulfide and oxide dissolulite slag from low grade matte, Metal. Trans. B, 5, (3), 531–538.
21.
Newman,C. J., Collins,D. N. and Weddick,A. J.. 1999. Recent operation and environmental control in the Kennecott Smelter, Copper 99 – Cobre 99 International Conference, TMS, Vol. 5, 29–45.
22.
Nikolic,S., Henao,H., Hayes,P. C. and Jak,E.. 2008a. Phase equilibria in ferrous calcium silicate slags, part I: intermediate oxygen partial pressures in the temperature range 1200°C–1350°C, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 39, (2), 178–188.
23.
Nikolic,S., Henao,H., Hayes,P. C. and Jak,E.. 2008b. Phase equilibria in ferrous calcium silicate slags, part II: evaluation of experimental data and computer thermodynamic models, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 39, (2), 189–199.
24.
Nikolic,S., Hayes,P. C. and Jak,E.. 2008 c. Phase equilibria in ferrous calcium silicate slags, part III: copper saturated slag at 1250°C and 1300°C at an oxygen partial pressure of 10−6 atm., Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 39, (2), 200–209.
25.
Raddl,R.. 1955. Physical chemistry of copper pyrometallurgy, 167, Moscow, Publishing House Foreign Literature.
26.
Rutledge,P.. 1975. Mitsubishi metal previews its promising new continuous copper smelting process, Eng. Min. J., 176, (12), 88–89.
27.
Shibasaki,T., Hayash,M. I. and Nishiyama,Y.. 1993. Recent operation at Naoshima with a larger Mitsubishi furnace line, Proc. Paul E. Queneau Int. Symp. on ‘Extractive metallurgy of copper, nickel and cobalt’, TMS, Vol. II, 1413–1428.
28.
Sibashsaki,T., Kanamori,K. and Hayashi,M.. 1992. Development of large scale Mitsubishi Furnace at Naoshima, Paper presented at the Savard/Lee Int. Symp. on ‘Bath smelting’, Montreal, Canada.
Starykh,V. B., Tsemekhman,L. S. and Rusakov,M. R.. 1979. About the possibility of sulfide beads precipitation from silicate solution in the process of slag melt hardening, Proc. Inst. Higher Educ. Non-Ferrous Metall., 2, 27–31.
31.
Tsemekman,L. S., Tsymbulov,L. B., Knyazev,M. V., Kaytmazov,N. G. and Fomichev,V. B.. 2009. Continuous converting of copper and copper-nickel matte. Current situation and results of investigations, Tsvetn. Metall., 9, 43–48.
32.
Tsukihashi,F.. 1999. Proc. Advanced approach to intelligent agglomeration, Iron Steel Inst Jpn, 135–145.
33.
Tsymbulov,L. B., Knyazev,M. V. and Tsemekman,L. S.. 2008. Method for processing copper sulfide materials for blister copper production, RF Patent 2359046 of 09·01·2008.
34.
Tsymbulov,L. B., Knyazev,M. V., Tsemekman,L. S. and Golov,A. N.. 2007. Pilot testing of a process treatment of Ni-containing copper concentrate after high-grade matte separation resulting in blister copper production in two-zone Vaniukov furnace, Proc. 6th Int. Copper – Cobre Conference, The Carlos Diaz Symposium on Pyrometallurgy, Toronto, ON, Canada, Metsoc, Vol. III, Book 1, 397–409.
Vanyukov,A. V. and Zaitsev,V. Y.. 1969. Slags and mattes of non-ferrous metallurgy, Metallurgy, Metallurgia, Moscow, (in Russian), 408.
37.
Yayima,K., Matsuura,H. and Tsukihashi,F.. 2010. Effect of simultaneous addition of Al2O3 and MgO on the liquidus of the CaO-SiO2-FeOx system with various oxygen partial pressures at 1573 K, ISIJ Int., 50, (2), 191–194.
