Thermodynamic Assessment of Slag–Matte–Metal Equilibria in the Cu-Fe-O-S-Si System

Equilibria among the slag, matte and metal phases in the Cu-Fe-O-S-Si system are critically assessed using thermodynamic modeling. The relationships among matte grade, temperature, partial pressure of SO₂, Fe/SiO₂ in the slag, and the copper concentration in the slag are described by the model, as well as the concentrations of other elements in all phases. A thermodynamic database is created, which can be used for understanding and improving the pyrometallurgical production of copper. An extensive experimental dataset includes the most recent results obtained by the equilibration/quenching/EPMA analysis technique. These data allow to distinguish the physical entrainment of the matte and solid phases in the slag from chemical solubility. As a result, it is possible to describe the copper solubility in the slag with high accuracy and establish the relationship between copper and sulfur in the slag. The thermodynamic database of the present study is consistent with previously reported thermodynamic evaluations of binary, ternary and quaternary subsystems. The slag phase is modeled using the two-sublattice modified quasichemical model in the quadruplet approximation. The matte and metal liquid phases are modeled as one solution using the single-sublattice modified quasichemical model in the pair approximation.