DISTRIBUTION OF METALS BETWEEN HIGHLY BASIC SLAG AND NICKEL MATTE IN CaO - FeOx – FeS - Ni3S2SYSTEM

摘要

The experimental results have demonstrated that, in the process of contacting of matte and ferrite-calcium slag, redistribution of nickel, cobalt, sulfur and iron between the phases took place and, at the same time, the number of phases changed. In tests with feed mattes containing from 15.0% to 57.9% Ni, the concentrations of non-ferrous metals in the bottom phase (sulfide- sulfidemetal alloy) increased, while the iron and sulfur concentrations decreased. This fact was also metal confirmed by changes in the ferrite-calcium slag composition, I.e., increasing concentrations of sulfur and ferrous iron (along with a simultaneous decrease in the content of ferric iron). When converter matte (75.4% Ni) was used as feed sulfide material, then iron was probably transferred from slag to matte. The new equilibrium state reached by the matte-slag system was to a substantial degree dependent on the oxidizing ability of the initial slag, I.e., the ratio of ferric to ferrous iron ions and the iron content in relation to the matte. The data obtained indicates that nickel losses can be reduced in the process of upgrading of matte with respect to non-ferrous metals by decreasing the degree of sulfidization (by increasing the metallization) of matte and by increasing the concentrations of calcium and aluminum oxides in the slag.