Abstract
The activity of As in a molten copper smelting matte of composition 35.0 mass pct Cu, 35.8 mass pct Fe, and 29.9 mass pct S has been derived from vapor pressure measurements at 1336 K. The initial As doping level was 1.6 mass pct. Mass spectrometry showed the principal vapor phase species to be As2; smaller amounts of AsS and S2 were also present. The activity coefficient of As in the matte, γ (As), was found to have the value 0.7 ±0.2 (mole fraction)-1 in the composition range studied. Activity values found in the present study were an order of magnitude smaller than those determined by an isopiestic method, and were about two orders of magnitude greater than those derived from measurements of As distribution between copper and white metal. The vapor pressure method is believed to be more direct and reliable; sources of error in the various methods are discussed.
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Lau, K.H., Lamoreaux, R.H. & Hildenbrand, D.L. Vapor pressure determination of arsenic activity in a molten Cu-Fe-S matte. Metall Trans B 14, 253–258 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02661021
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02661021