Chemical and mineralogical characterizations of a copper converter slag

A copper converter slag was examined chemically and mineralogically to determine its existing phases, in particular those containing Co and Cu. The slag consists predominantly of fayalite and magnetite, together with some glass, chalcocite, and metallic copper. Copper is entrapped in the slag mostly as chalcocite and metallic copper, as well as trace copper oxide. There was no indication of any independent Co mineral in the slag, but Co was found to be enriched in fayalite and megnetite as solid solution, although Co was detected in all the phases of the slag by SEM-EDX (scanning electron microscopy equipped with model EDAX-9100 energy dispersive spectrometer) and WDS (model WDX-2A X-ray wave-length dispersive spectrometer).