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Experimental Investigation and Thermodynamic Modeling of the Distributions of Ag and Au Between Slag, Matte, and Metal in the Cu–Fe–O–S–Si System

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Abstract

To assist in improving the recoveries of gold and silver in both primary production and metals’ recycling, the distributions of Ag and Au between slag, matte, and metal in the Cu–Fe–O–S–Si system have been investigated using an integrated experimental and thermodynamic modeling approach. The experimental technique involved high-temperature equilibration at selected temperatures and gas atmospheres, and rapid quenching followed up by measurement of phase compositions using microanalysis techniques. Electron probe X-ray microanalysis was used to measure the major element concentrations in the condensed phases. The laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrum technique was used to measure the concentrations of Ag and Au in slag. The experimentally determined distribution coefficient of Ag between matte and slag decreases with the increasing matte grade below approximately 70% Cu, but then increases with the increasing matte grade between 70 and 80% Cu. The experimentally determined distribution coefficient of Au between matte and slag decrease from log L = − 2.8 for approximately 63% Cu to approximately log L = − 3.8 at 76% Cu. Thermodynamic model parameters describing Ag and Au distributions have been derived following consideration of available data on slag/matte, slag/metal, and slag/matte/metal systems.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully appreciate the financial and technical support for this research from the consortium of metallurgical companies: Altonorte Glencore, Atlantic Copper, Aurubis, BHP Billiton Olympic Dam Operation, Kazzinc Glencore, PASAR Glencore, Outotec Oy (Espoo), Anglo American Platinum, Umicore, Rio Tinto Kennecott, and Boliden through Australian Research Council Linkage program LP140100480. The authors acknowledge the contribution of the AMMRF at the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis at The University of Queensland. The authors value greatly the scientific and technical assistance of Dr Charlotte Allen at the Centre of Analytical Research Facilities at the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. The authors offer their thanks to Mr Hong Wee Kor for technical support in the preparation of this article.

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  1. Jiang Chen

    Present address: Centre for Advanced Microscopy, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering, Pyrometallurgy Innovation Centre (PYROSEARCH), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Denis Shishin, Taufiq Hidayat, Peter C. Hayes & Evgueni Jak

  2. Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Jiang Chen

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  1. Denis Shishin
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Correspondence to Denis Shishin.

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The contributing editor for this article was Hiromichi Takebe.

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Shishin, D., Hidayat, T., Chen, J. et al. Experimental Investigation and Thermodynamic Modeling of the Distributions of Ag and Au Between Slag, Matte, and Metal in the Cu–Fe–O–S–Si System. J. Sustain. Metall. 5, 240–249 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-019-00218-w

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