The thermodynamic properties of copper-nickel mattes

The thermodynamic properties of the components in the Cu-Ni-S ternary system have been measured by means of the H₂S/H₂ ratio in a gas phase equilibrated with the molten matte at 1200°C. The measured sulphur potentials were integrated to establish the activities in the Cu₂S-Ni₃S₂ pseudobinary and the isoactivity lines over the ternary system. The resultant activity pattern suggests the presence of a pseudocomponent at approximately the composition 0.02 N Ni, 0.63 NCu, and 0.35 NS . The influence exerted by the pseudocomponent causes the activity of Cu₂S to be nearly constant in the miscibility gap. In this same region the activity of Ni₃S₂ is restricted to low values.Applied Science, Faculty ofMaterials Engineering, Department ofGraduat