Study on interfacial phenomena in phase separation of copper smeltiog. (3rd Report). Floating behaviour of molten copper and copper matte drops on slag surface.

Floating behaviour of molten copper and matte droplets on slag surface has beeninvestigated using X-ray radio photograph technique in order to clarify the mechanism of the mechanical copper loss. It was experimently found that copper matte droplets of which density is higher than that of slag stably floated on surface of the slag by a surporting force of surface tension of the slag. About 1×10-3kg of matte droplets floated on an fayalite slag and the profile of it was not spherical but flat because of low interfacial tension between the matte and slag.The quantitative analysis of floating behaviour was carried out. The profile and amount of floating droplets were calculated using interfacial properties such as surface tensions of the slag and matte and interfacial tensions between the slag and matte. The floating model in this study could explain the floating behaviour of copper matte droplet on an fayalite slag and copper droplet on a sodium silicate slag.