Phase Equilibria and Trace Element Deportments in Fe–O–Al2O3–SiO2 Slags and Molten Copper Matte at 1473 K (1200 °C), Fixed p(O2) and p(SO2), and Silica/Magnetite Saturation

Abstract Understanding the role of major components of electric waste during smelting of these materials to recover valuable trace metals is poorly constrained by experimental data. In this study, phase equilibria and trace element deportments were studied at 1473 K (1200 °C) in conditions of combined sulfide concentrate and electric and electronic equipment waste processing in batchwise submerged lance smelting. In this system, liquid slag domain is limited by silica and magnetite saturation boundaries or primary phase fields at all alumina concentrations from alumina-free slags to silica-spinel double saturation. The impact of alumina concentration in slag at fixed oxygen and sulfur dioxide partial pressures on the distributions of Ag, Cu, In, Pb, and Sn was studied. Elemental concentrations in slag, matte, and solid magnetite (a Fe–Al spinel solid solution) were measured using electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation-ICP-mass spectrometry techniques. The observed impact of alumina on the distribution coefficient of silver, copper, and indium favored the matte phase at silica and magnetite saturation but lead and tin behaved differently within different primary phase fields as a function of alumina concentration.