Sulfide capacities of fayalite-base slags

Abstract

The sulfide capacities of fayalite-base slags were measured by a gas-slag equilibration technique under controlled oxygen and sulfur potentials similar to those encountered in the pyrometallurgical processing of nonferrous metals. The oxygen pressure range was from 10−9.5 to 10−11 MPa and the sulfur pressure range from 10−3 to 10−4.5 MPa, over a temperature range of 1473 to 1623 K. The slags studied were FeO-SiO2 at silica saturation and those with addition of CaO, MgO, and Al2O3 to determine their effect on sulfide capacities. For these slags, the sulfide capacities were found to vary from 10−3.3 to 10−5. The sulfide capacities increased with increasing temperature from 1473 to 1623 K. A comparison of the reported plant data on sulfur content of industrial slags shows good agreement with the present experimental results. The present data will be useful in estimating metal losses in slag due to metal sulfide entrainment in nonferrous smelters.