A Mineralogical Investigation on Volatilization of Impurity Elements from Cu-Rich Polymetallic Concentrates During Roasting in Inert Atmosphere

Abstract Four different Cu-rich polymetallic concentrates are tested for volatilization of Sb and As during laboratory-scale roasting. The experiments performed between 200 °C 700 °C, at intervals 100 in an inert atmosphere. is much less (maximum approximately 45 pct) than 95 these conditions °C. however limited from the concentrate having mainly a tetrahedrite solid solution ((Cu,Ag,Fe,Zn) 12 (Sb,As) 4 S 13 ). retained roasted calcine found low-melting liquid phase, formed 500 This melt phase gets enlarged enriched with increase temperature. However, there noticeable this temperature approaching Furthermore, early relatively high substantially as gudmundite. Micron-scale elemental redistribution gudmundite 350 confirms its transformation Other minerals did not undergo any detectable temperature, suggesting that significant starting 300 400 was primarily benign attribute featured work context roasting should also be relevant geometallurgical perspective production, where bearing considered substandard further Cu extraction irrespective mineralogy.