Experimental studies have been carried out to determine the phase equilibria for the ternary MgO-"FeO"-SiO 2 in equilibrium with metallic iron. Liquidus isotherms have been determined in the temperature range from 1 578 to 1 898K in the silica and pyroxene primary phase fields using high temperature equilibration, modified quenching and electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) techniques.KEY WORDS: slag; liquidus; phase equilibria; MgO-"FeO"-SiO 2 system. study by Bowen and Schairer 1) and to extend the investigated range of compositions and temperatures.
ExperimentalThe experimental procedure used in this investigation has been described in detail in previous publications by the authors. [16][17][18][19][20] The slag samples were prepared from the following chemicals, obtained from Sigma-Aldrich Pty. Ltd. (Australia): 99ϩ% MgO, 99.9ϩ% SiO 2 , 99.9ϩ% iron powder and 99.98ϩ% Fe 2 O 3 . The chemicals were mixed in an agate mortar to the required compositions. 15 % excess Fe powder (Ͻ10 mm in size) was added to the slag samples to ensure that free metallic iron is always present in and dispersed throughout the slag. About 0.3 g of the mixture was pelletized and placed in molybdenum foil (over 99.9 % Mo, 0.025-mm thick) or iron foil (over 99.9 % Fe, 0.1-mm thick) envelopes. Equilibration experiments were carried out in a vertical lanthanum chromite furnace (PYROX, France) having a recrystallised alumina reaction tube. The furnace temperature was controlled within Ϯ1 K. A B-type Pt/30wt% Rh-Pt/13wt% Rh thermocouple was inserted into the hot zone within the reaction tube. The thermocouple was calibrated against a reference thermocouple supplied by National Measurement Laboratory (CSIRO, Melbourne, Australia). The overall temperature accuracy was estimated to be within Ϯ2 K.The sample was first placed in a Mo dish suspended by a Mo wire, and positioned in the low temperature zone at the bottom end of the furnace, and the bottom end of the reaction tube was sealed with a thin polymer film. Ultra high purity Argon gas (total impuritiesՅ5 ppm, O 2 Յ1 ppm) was passed through the reaction tube for 30 min to remove air; the sample was then raised into the hot zone adjacent to the thermocouple. The experiments were carried out in two steps. The first step was to completely premelt the sample; heating the slag above the liquidus temperature to ensure the sample is homogeneous. The second step was to equilibrate the sample at the desired temperature. After equilibration the suspension wire was released and the sample quenched directly into stirred bath of cold water. Using this rapid cooling approach the liquid molten oxide phase at the equilibration temperature is retained as a glass of the same composition at room temperature. The solid phases present at the equilibration temperature are also retained in the same crystal structure and compositions by rapid cooling to room temperature.The quenched samples were mounted and polished for analysis. The polished samples were initially examined using optical microscopy and scanning...