Reduction of Molten Copper Slags with Mixed CO-CH4-Ar Gas

• DOI: 10.1007/s11663-013-9981-y
• Publication Date: 2013-10-25T17:53:33Z
• Authors: Zhang Huaiwei; Shi Xiaoyan; Zhang Bo; Hong Xin
• Keywords: Fayalite; Wüstite; Slag (welding)

The reduction of magnetite from slags plays an important role in many metallurgical operations. It has been found that the losses of copper metals generally increase with the increasing magnetite content in the slag. The main objective of the current article was to study the reduction process of iron oxides by mixed CO-CH4-Ar gas from commercial copper slags. The magnetite content decreased gradually, while fayalite phase increased during the reduction process. The reduction rates of the oxides were found to be of the first-order kinetics. The rate-limiting step was the interfacial mass transfer between the gas and liquid phase which fitted the penetration model. The effects of reduction temperature and injection gas flow on the deoxidation rate are also mentioned in the study.