matte smelting
Quick Summary
Matte smelting is a metallurgical process used to extract metals like copper, nickel, and lead from their sulfide ores. Instead of directly smelting to metal, the ore is first smelted into a crude mixture of molten sulfides called matte. This matte, typically containing a significant percentage of the desired metal along with iron and sulfur, is then further treated.12
In the subsequent converting stage, air is blown through the molten matte. This process oxidizes the iron into a slag that is removed, and the sulfur is converted into sulfur dioxide gas. This leaves the desired metal in a more purified, metallic state. Matte smelting is a key step in pyrometallurgy, a branch of metallurgy that uses high temperatures to extract and refine metals.12
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