TITLE:
Argentinean Copper Concentrates: Structural Aspects and Thermal Behaviour
AUTHORS:
Vanesa Bazan, Elena Brandaleze, Leandro Santini, Pedro Sarquis
KEYWORDS:
Copper Concentrates; Thermal Analysis; Pyrometallurgy; Mineral Phases
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Nonferrous Metallurgy,
Vol.2 No.4,
September
16,
2013
ABSTRACT: In Argentina, there are many sources of copper
concentrates. Some of them are currently in operation, while others are in the
exploration stage. All copper concentrates produced are exported to other
countries for copper refinement and to create various finished products. It is
desirable that in the near future, these copper concentrates be processed in an
Argentinean industrial plant. The aim of this paper was to present the
results of a characterisation study carried out on five different copper
concentrate samples. The thermal decomposition of the copper concentrates was
determined by differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry (DTA TG). The
information was correlated with the chemical composition and the mineralogical
phases of the samples identified by X-ray diffraction. A melting test at
temperatures of up to 1300℃ was performed to complete the study
of the concentrate’s behaviour during heating. After the test, all of the
samples were observed by light and electronic scanning microscopy to identify
the different phases generated under high-temperature conditions.