Abstract：Main imported copper concentrate and copper smelting slag samples in China were collected by countries. The properties of copper concentrate and copper smelting slag were determined by combined method with X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), X-ray diffraction spectrometry (XRD), metallographic microscope, scanning electronic microscope (SEM), etc. to determine whether there was significant difference between the two. The results showed that the main physical phase of copper smelting slag was ferrous silicate featured by the appearance of air pores with homogeneous distribution and same size; while the main physical phase of imported copper concentrate was ferrous copper sulfide or copper oxide featured by smooth appearance with random-distributed and various-shaped air pores. The significant difference in physical phase and particle characteristics between copper smelting slag and copper concentrate were provided as basis for identification. Eleven mixture samples containing gradient-concentration copper smelting slag were prepared by mixing copper smelting slag into copper concentrate at certain ratio, and determined by the above four methods. It was found the XRF method cannot determine whether there was copper smelting slag in the samples; while SEM, metallographic microscope and XRD could discover there was copper smelting slag mingled in the copper concentrate smelting at the detection limit of 1%, 5% and 10%. The final method for identifying copper smelting slag from copper concentrate was determined: XRD was used for preliminary determination; XRD, metallographic microscope and SEM were used for determining the characteristic physical phase and particles of copper smelting slag. This identification method could prevent renaming copper smelting slag as copper concentrate and copper concentrate dopped with copper smelting slag during the import process at the source, thus providing technical support for custom supervision and resource utilization.
