Abstract
The distribution of silver between molten metal and matte was determined at temperatures of 1150 to 1250°C. The partition coefficient (KAg-ratio of wt pct silver in matte to wt pct silver in metal) was 0.46 and was essentially independent of silver concentration, temperature, iron content and oxygen and SO2 partial pressures over the ranges studied. Only the presence of nickel significantly affected KAg, causing it to rise from 0.46 to 1.16 within the region of liquid immiscibility. Outside this region all silver was intimately associated with chalcocite, rather than the heazel woodite or metallics, formed during solidification. Studies on other precious metals showed that KAu=8×10−3, KPd=6×10−3 and KPt=4×10−4 in the Cu−S system at 1200°C. Application of these results to actual operations is discussed, as is the chemical behavior of precious metals during matte smelting.
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Schlitt, W.J., Richards, K.J. The distribution of silver, gold, platinum and palladium in metal-matte systems. Metall Trans B 6, 237–243 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02913565
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02913565