A correlation of oxygen in industrial Ni, Cu mattes with metal dissolved in slag

Callaghan, Brian John (1976) A correlation of oxygen in industrial Ni, Cu mattes with metal dissolved in slag. Other thesis, Murdoch University.

Abstract

Twelve sets of granulated mattes and slags from the W.M.C. nickel smelter at Kalgoorlie, and four sets from the copper smelter at Mt. Isa, were analysed for oxygen in matte by a hydrogen reduction technique, and slags analysed for Fe3+ /Fe2+ ratio and the amount of dissolved metal (either copper or nickel).

Copper mattes containing between 36.2 and 39.7 per cent Cu contained dissolved oxygen of between 2.8 and 6.4 per cent, and these levels correlated well with those previously reported for similar mattes, as did the levels of between 0.25 and 0.31 per cent copper dissolved in the slags.

In the case of nickel mattes and slags, for which little previous data had been reported, mattes with between 41 and 51 per cent nickel, contained between 1.71 and 9.8 per cent oxygen, with the levels of dissolved nickel in slags ranging from 0.14 to 2.10 per cent, and the Fe3+/Fe2+ ratios in such slags from between 0.06 to 0.31. It was predicted that an equilibrium was approached between matte and slag within the smelting furnaces, since in agreement with thermodynamic calculations (1), the Fe3+/Fe2+ in slag increased as oxygen in matte increased and (2), the nickel dissolved in slag (as Ni0) increased as oxygen in matte increased for a given matte grade or alternatively, as matte with constant oxygen level increased in grade. The latter relationship was suggested as a possible basis for the prediction of nickel solubility in industrial smelting slags, at the smelter site.

Item Type:	Thesis (Other)
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Notes:	Note to the author: If you would like to make your thesis openly available on Murdoch University Library's Research Repository, please contact: repository@murdoch.edu.au. Thank you.
Supervisor(s):	Grimsey, Eric
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/52729

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