Experimental phase equilibria study and thermodynamic modelling of the PbO-“FeO”-SiO2-ZnO, PbO-“FeO”-SiO2-Al2O3 and PbO-“FeO”-SiO2-MgO systems in equilibrium with metallic Pb and Fe

Phase equilibria of the PbO-"FeO"-SiO2-ZnO, PbO-"FeO"-SiO2-Al2O3 and PbO-"FeO"-SiO2-MgO slags with liquid Pb metal, solid or liquid Fe metal and solid oxides (cristobalite and tridymite SiO2, willemite (Zn,Fe)2SiO4, wustite (Fe,Al)O1+x, spinel (Fe,Al)3O4, olivine Fe2SiO4, corundum (Al,Fe)2O3, mullite Al6Si2O13 and pyroxene (Mg,Fe)SiO3) were investigated at 1125–1670 °C. These conditions correspond to the minimum solubility of PbO in slag in presence of Pb and Fe metals at reducing conditions and represent the limit of lead smelting and slag cleaning process. High-temperature equilibration on silica, corundum or iron foil substrates, followed by quenching and direct measurement of Pb, Fe, Si, Zn, Al and Mg concentrations in the liquid and solid phases with the electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) was used. Present data can be used to improve the thermodynamic models for all phases in this system.