National University of Science and Technology “MISIS” (MISIS), Moscow, Russia:

V. P. Bystrov, Professor, phone: 8 (499) 237-21-17
I. E. Gladyuk, First Category Engineer, Chair of Non-Ferrous Metals and Gold

Processing of complex sulphide polymetallic ores and concentrates is a feature of heavy nonferrous metals industry. Therefore, an urgent task is the increasing of the complexity degree with usage of raw materials and extraction of valuable components. Industrial exploitation, pilot testings and technical and engineering calculations have shown the significant efficiency of Vanyukov smelting, which was established in Russia. However, the accumulated experience and theoretic materials have not been sufficient for a proper understanding and operational management of formation processes of the major metallurgical products during the working on a rich matte. There should be significantly increased the knowledges about the properties of substances, which were involved into the interactions, the intermediate and final ware. During the oxidizing fusions of the sulfide raw materials of heavy nonferrous metals, the crucial importance has been the optimization of the oxidation conditions of iron sulfide and the formation of slag and matte. In this article, the investigation of rate is considered along with a mechanism of oxidation of copper matte by oxygen gas through a layer of slag. It was established that according to the thickness of the slag layer by 2–5 mm, the iron sulfide of matte is oxidized to magnetite with a concentration of oxygen in the gas above 20 %. In the presence of the matte, there is the substantial increasing of the rate of oxygen digestion by slag. The accumulation of magnetite in the slag is above the solubility limit, all other things being equal, is accompanied by a thickening of the slag and decreasing of the oxidation rate of matte by gase`s oxygen through the overoxidized slag.

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