The distribution of cobalt between Co‐Cu alloys and Al2O3‐FeO‐Fe2O3‐SiO2 slags

Abstract

The solubility of cobalt in alumina‐containing iron silicate slags (0.092–3.365 wt % Co) in equilibrium with cobalt‐copper‐iron alloys (0.070–6.351 wt% cobalt) and oxygen pressures of 1.125 · 10−8, 2.396 · 10−9 and 4.536 · 10−10 atm has been studied at 1673 K. It has been found that: (i) the solubility of cobalt in the slag increased with increase in concentration of cobalt in the alloy, and also increased with increasing oxygen partial pressure in the atmosphere at a fixed concentration of cobalt in alloy; and (ii) the activity coefficient of cobalt oxide in the slag increased with increasing cobalt oxide in the slag and/or decreasing oxygen partial pressure in the system.