Influence of MgO on the phase equilibria in the CuxO–FeOy–MgO –SiO2 system in equilibrium with copper alloy – Part II: Results and discussion

Abstract

Abstract Phase equilibria in the ‘Cu2O’–‘Fe2O3’–MgO – SiO2 system in equilibrium with copper alloy have been investigated at temperatures between 1 075 and 1 250 °C. A high-temperature equilibration/quenching/electron probe micro-analysis technique has been used to accurately determine the liquid and solid compositions. Results on phase equilibria in the pyroxene and olivine primary phase fields are reported, providing new data on the effect of MgO on the liquidus temperatures in these fields. It was found that increasing MgO concentrations increases the liquidus temperatures in the olivine and pyroxene primary phase fields. The cuprite–delafossite–tridymite–pyroxene eutectic temperature of the quaternary system was determined to be between 1 075 and 1 080 ± 5 °C.