Improvement of Oxidizing Roasting of Molybdenite Concentrate by Addition of Magnesite

Abstract

The results of the thermodynamic modeling are presented for oxidizing roasting of refractory molybdenite (MoS₂) with magnesite (MgCO₃). The phase and chemical compositions of the MoS₂–MgCO₃–O₂ system and its changes are determined depending on the temperature and quantity of the additive agent. The modeling reveals feasibility of thermochemical decomposition of molybdenite with the formation of waterand soda-soluble compounds MgMoO₄ and MgSO₄, which is an evidence of efficiency of magnesium carbonate in the capacity of an additive agent. The optimal conditions of the thermochemical decomposition of molybdenite determined theoretically from thermodynamic calculations are proved experimentally.