Optimization of Synergistic Reduction of Copper Smelting Slag and Chromite for Production of Cu-Cr-Fe Master Alloys

Xi, Yaoan; Qu, Yi; Xie, Sui; Liao, Jinfa; Zhao, Baojun

doi:10.3390/met16010052

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Synergistic Reduction of Copper Smelting Slag and Chromite for Production of Cu-Cr-Fe Master Alloys

by

Yaoan Xi

^1,2,

Yi Qu

³

,

Sui Xie

^1,2,*

,

Jinfa Liao

^1,2

and

Baojun Zhao

^1,2

¹

School of Metallurgical Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China

²

Gannan Laboratory, Ganzhou 341000, China

³

Jinxin Copper Branch of Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group Co., Ltd., Tongling 244000, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Metals 2026, 16(1), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16010052

Submission received: 11 December 2025 / Revised: 25 December 2025 / Accepted: 30 December 2025 / Published: 31 December 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient Utilization of Metal Mineral Resources and Low-Carbon Metallurgy)

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Abstract

Cu and Cr are the essential alloying elements for low-Ni stainless steels. An effective and economical method has been developed for the direct production of Cu-Cr-Fe master alloys through the synergistic reduction of chromite and copper smelting slag. The smelting conditions for synergy reduction were systematically investigated by combining thermodynamic calculations and high-temperature experiments. The results indicate that synergistic reduction drives the reactions of Cr₂O₃, FeO, and Cu₂O with carbon in a positive direction, which can increase their recovery and decrease the flux and fuel costs. The optimum slag composition was identified to control the (CaO + MgO)/(SiO₂ + Al₂O₃) ratio between 0.62 and 0.72, where the slag is fully liquid, resulting in an efficient separation of the alloy from the slag. At 1550 °C, with 50 wt% chromite and 50 wt% copper smelting slag as raw materials, a Cu-Cr-Fe alloy containing 5.2 wt% Cu, 28.6 wt% Cr and 57.9 wt% Fe was produced, while the contents of FeO, Cu₂O, and Cr₂O₃ in the final slag were 0.057 wt%, 0.059 wt%, and 0.23 wt%, respectively.

Keywords: Cu-Cr-Fe master alloy; chromite; copper smelting slag; synergies reduction; FactSage

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MDPI and ACS Style

Xi, Y.; Qu, Y.; Xie, S.; Liao, J.; Zhao, B. Optimization of Synergistic Reduction of Copper Smelting Slag and Chromite for Production of Cu-Cr-Fe Master Alloys. Metals 2026, 16, 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/met16010052

AMA Style

Xi Y, Qu Y, Xie S, Liao J, Zhao B. Optimization of Synergistic Reduction of Copper Smelting Slag and Chromite for Production of Cu-Cr-Fe Master Alloys. Metals. 2026; 16(1):52. https://doi.org/10.3390/met16010052

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xi, Yaoan, Yi Qu, Sui Xie, Jinfa Liao, and Baojun Zhao. 2026. "Optimization of Synergistic Reduction of Copper Smelting Slag and Chromite for Production of Cu-Cr-Fe Master Alloys" Metals 16, no. 1: 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/met16010052

APA Style

Xi, Y., Qu, Y., Xie, S., Liao, J., & Zhao, B. (2026). Optimization of Synergistic Reduction of Copper Smelting Slag and Chromite for Production of Cu-Cr-Fe Master Alloys. Metals, 16(1), 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/met16010052

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Optimization of Synergistic Reduction of Copper Smelting Slag and Chromite for Production of Cu-Cr-Fe Master Alloys

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