Mechanism of debismuthizing with calcium and magnesium

In order to further understand the debismuthizing mechanism with calcium and magnesium, the influence of adding amount of calcium on the bismuth removal from lead was examined. A part of the debismuthizing dross samples were studied by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The results show that the calculated bismuthide governing debismuthizing process is Ca3Mg7Bi8, which may be a mixture of Ca3Bi2, CaBi, CaBi3 and Mg3Bi2. And the bismuthide formed during the debismuthizing process exists in two states: one is free bismuthide in the matrix of dross, and the other is symbiotic with Pb-Ca phase.