Research of the dissolving capacity of molybdenite in the white matte

• Molybdenite can dissolve in the white matte to form the molybdenum matte.
• The dissolving capacity of molybdenite in the white matte was evaluated.
• The dissolved amount of MoS2 reached 14.95 at 1250 °C in the white matte.
• Fe and Cu will reduce the dissolving capacity of molybdenite.

The matte smelting method was developed to treat molybdenite using the white matte as the dissolvent. The key for achieving the process depended on whether or not molybdenite can form the molybdenum matte. The dissolving capacity of molybdenite in the white matte was evaluated in this study. The effects of the ratio of molybdenite and white matte and the melting temperature on the matte melting were investigated. In addition, given that white matte and molybdenite contained various kinds of impurities, the effects of the Fe content and the grade of matte on the solubility of molybdenite were also researched. The research results showed that with 0–20% MoS2 addition at 1250 °C, the MoS2 content within the matte increases with the MoS2 addition reaching a maximum content of 14.95%. A higher level of 20% of MoS2 addition resulted in a steep decline in the MoS2 content. The increase of Fe contents in the white matte will cause the reduction of the solubility of MoS2 in the matte. In addition, an excessive Cu content in the white matte reduced the dissolving capacity of molybdenite in the copper matte. As the copper content of white matte reached 20%, the dissolved Mo was only 9.33%.