The converting of copper matte after the smelting process is one of the main steps in the copper-making industry. This work used microstructural analyses of samples collected at different stages of converting and thermochemical calculations to study a real converting batch in a Peirce-Smith converter at Atlantic Copper. The transformation of matte and slag produced during the converting was studied. The use of thermochemical calculations allowed a simulation of non-standard process conditions that provides valuable additional information on converting. The examined non-standard conditions were slag blow carried out in a single blow, the influence of the Fe/SiO2 slag ratio and over-oxidation at the end of the copper blow in the converting process. The micrographical investigation showed two predominant phases formed in the matte matrix after slow cooling, and their proportion varied along the slag blow. The slag presented two fayalitic olivine phases with different Fe/SiO2 ratios, the most abundant being the one with a higher Fe/SiO2 ratio. Magnetite crystals were identified in slags, and some of them were surrounded by fayalitic olivine. The analytical data of samples show that the measured copper in the slag is higher than in the theoretical thermochemical calculations. This indicates that the physical entrainment of matte/copper droplets in slag prevents a complete separation of the matte from the slag (residence time, agitation by blowing and viscosity). The final slag produced at the end of converting contains a high copper content, wherein copper is distributed after slow cooling into cuprite (Cu2O) and delafossite [(Cu,Fe)O] phases.

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使用显微照相和热化学计算的工业铜锍转化研究

冶炼后冰铜的转化是炼铜工业的主要步骤之一。这项工作对在转化和热化学计算的不同阶段收集的样品进行微观结构分析，以研究大西洋铜业公司 Peirce-Smith 转炉中的真实转化批次。研究了在转换过程中产生的锍和炉渣的转化。热化学计算的使用允许模拟非标准工艺条件，从而提供有关转化的有价值的附加信息。检查的非标准条件是单次吹渣、Fe/SiO2 渣比的影响以及转炉过程中吹铜结束时的过氧化。显微研究表明，缓慢冷却后在无光泽基体中形成了两个主要相，它们的比例随着吹渣而变化。炉渣呈现出两种不同 Fe/SiO2 比的铁橄榄石相，最丰富的是具有较高 Fe/SiO2 比的一种。在矿渣中发现了磁铁矿晶体，其中一些被铁橄榄石包围。样品的分析数据表明，测得的炉渣中铜含量高于理论热化学计算值。这表明炉渣中冰铜/铜液滴的物理夹带阻止了冰铜与炉渣的完全分离（停留时间、吹气搅拌和粘度）。转化结束时产生的最终炉渣含有高铜含量，