One of the key aspects to develop sustainable metallurgical production is to ensure that the
predictive power of thermodynamic tools is brought up to a new level of accuracy and reliability.
Exploring new polymetallic processes, integrating primary and recycled materials, means utilising
the uncharted areas within the Cu-Pb-Zn-Fe-Ca-Al-Mg-Si-O (major) – Cr-Na (slagging) – As-Sn-Sb-
Bi-Ag-Au-Ni-Co (minor) slag-solids-metal-matte-speiss-sulfate system. This requires extensive
integrated experimental and thermodynamic modelling study, which is underway at PyroSearch at
the University of Queensland (UQ).