REFLECTED LIGHT MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF THE MINERALOGY AND TEXTURES OF EXPERIMENTAL NICKEL CONCENTRATE REACTIONS WITH SLAG

摘要

Reflected light microscopy was used to study thernmineralogy and textures of experimental reactions ofrna nickel concentrate with a slag. Such an interactionrnis an important step in the bath smelting of nickelrnsulfide concentrate. Concentrate particles in therncentral portions of the pellets are rounded andrndevelop vermicular SO2 gas porosity. In the outerrnportions of the pellets, the original minerals of thernconcentrate, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, pyrite,rnchalcopyrite, and violarite have agglomerated andrnreacted to form two intergrown phases: 1) pyrrhotiternsolid solution (Fe0.75 Ni0.18 Cu0.01 S) and pentlandite solidrnsolution (Fe0.58 Ni0.51 Cu0.03 S). Magnetite formedrneuhedral crystals, skeletal crystals, and dendrites atrnthe margins of the matte. Prismaticrnferrohypersthene and octahedral Mg-Al-Fe spinelrncrystals and dendrites are present in the glassy slag.