Separation of Arsenic from the Antimony-Bearing Dust through Selective Oxidation Using CuO

A pyrometallurgical process of selective oxidation roasting of the antimony-bearing dust using CuO is put forward, in which the antimony component is oxidized to Sb2O4 staying in the roasted residue, and arsenic is volatilized in the form of As2O3. The addition of CuO has an active effect on the arsenic volatilization, because structures of some complicated As-Sb phases in the dust are destroyed after the “Sb” component in them is oxidized to Sb2O4, and this part of arsenic might be transformed to As2O3, which continues to volatilize. However, the arsenic volatilization rate decreases with the CuO amount in a certain range, which is attributed to the greater formation of Cu3 (AsO4)2 and Cu3As. Under the conditions of roasting temperature of 673 K (400 °C), roasting time of 100 minutes, CuO amount of 34.54 mass pct, and N2 flow rate of 30 mL/min, 91.50 pct arsenic and only 8.63 pct antimony go into the smoke.