Critical assessment and thermodynamic modeling of the Cu–Fe–O system

Critical evaluation, thermodynamic modeling and optimization of the Cu–Fe–O system are presented. The model for the liquid phase is developed within the framework of the Quasichemical Formalism. It describes liquid over the whole composition range from metal alloy to oxide melt. The model for spinel is developed within the framework of the Compound Energy Formalism. The spinel solution expands from magnetite, Fe3O4, to cupric ferrite, CuFe2O4. A small solubility of copper in wüstite is described by a simple Bragg–Williams model. Parameters of thermodynamic models have been optimized to reproduce all available thermodynamic and phase equilibrium data within experimental error limits. The thermodynamic optimization of the Cu–Fe–O system performed in the present study lays the groundwork for modeling the solubility of oxygen in sulfide liquid (matte) and in liquid metal alloys, which is of particular importance for simulation of copper smelting and converting.