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<p>Copper converter slag, a significant byproduct of copper smelting, is rich in iron, copper, precious metals, and other valuable resources. Its efficient recovery is crucial to mitigating the supply constraints of precious metals and promoting the valorization of solid waste. However, existing pyrometallurgical recovery processes predominantly target base metals such as copper and iron, while the concurrent loss of precious metals is frequently overlooked. More critically, single-collector smelting methods—due to thermodynamic and physicochemical constraints—are inherently incapable of simultaneously enriching of precious metals. To overcome this limitation, this study is aimed at the targeted enrichment of precious metals from copper converter slag via a carbothermic reduction‑induced copper–iron cocapture strategy. Copper (inherently present in the slag) is exploited for its strong affinity toward Au and Pt, while iron enhances the capture of Ir. The effects of slag basicity, reductant dosage, and holding time on precious metals collection efficiency are systematically investigated. Results showed that at 1400&#xa0;°C with basicity 0.56, reductant mass fraction 4.6% and 60-min holding, Ir and Au collection efficiency reached 99%, and Pt over 94%. By leveraging the inherent metal values in the slag and requiring no external collector, this method offers a simple and environmentally friendly route for the comprehensive valorization of copper converter slag—one that prioritizes precious metals recovery while concurrently reclaiming base metals.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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An Efficient Smelting Process for Recovering Precious Metals, Copper, and Iron from Copper Converter Slag

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月1日

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  • Hongyi Zhou,
  • Chenyang Huang,
  • Fei Wang,
  • Bin Yang

摘要

Copper converter slag, a significant byproduct of copper smelting, is rich in iron, copper, precious metals, and other valuable resources. Its efficient recovery is crucial to mitigating the supply constraints of precious metals and promoting the valorization of solid waste. However, existing pyrometallurgical recovery processes predominantly target base metals such as copper and iron, while the concurrent loss of precious metals is frequently overlooked. More critically, single-collector smelting methods—due to thermodynamic and physicochemical constraints—are inherently incapable of simultaneously enriching of precious metals. To overcome this limitation, this study is aimed at the targeted enrichment of precious metals from copper converter slag via a carbothermic reduction‑induced copper–iron cocapture strategy. Copper (inherently present in the slag) is exploited for its strong affinity toward Au and Pt, while iron enhances the capture of Ir. The effects of slag basicity, reductant dosage, and holding time on precious metals collection efficiency are systematically investigated. Results showed that at 1400 °C with basicity 0.56, reductant mass fraction 4.6% and 60-min holding, Ir and Au collection efficiency reached 99%, and Pt over 94%. By leveraging the inherent metal values in the slag and requiring no external collector, this method offers a simple and environmentally friendly route for the comprehensive valorization of copper converter slag—one that prioritizes precious metals recovery while concurrently reclaiming base metals.

Graphical Abstract