The Partitioning Behaviors of Au, Ag, and Sn in the Cu-FeOX-SiO2-CaO-Al2O3 Smelting System in the Presence of Halogen Elements

Halogen-containing organic components in waste electrical and electronic equipment have an obvious influence on the distribution behaviors of valuable metals during the smelting processes. However, the mechanism is still incomplete in the literature. The equilibration-quenching-(ICP+EPMA) experimental technique has been applied in studying the partitioning behaviors of Au, Ag, and Sn in the Cu-FeO x -SiO 2 -CaO-Al 2 O 3 smelting system in the presence of halogen elements (F, Cl, Br). The obtained results showed that: (1) 93% Au terminated into the alloy phase in CaF 2 adding experiments, and a maximum of 32% Au reported to the gas phase in CaCl 2 or CaBr 2 adding experiments; (2) 22–49% Ag entered the gas phase when adding CaF 2 into the system, and 3–34% Ag entered into the gas phase when adding CaCl 2 or CaBr 2 ; and (3) halogen elements influenced Sn dramatically, and portions of Sn in the gas phase and slag phase increased along with increasing temperature or halides dosage.