OBTAINING METALS FROM CU/NI SLAGS

The present invention relates to a method for treating iron-bearing slags containing precious metals, particularly slags created in copper and nickel smelting processes, by reducing the slag so that by means of adding a possible sulphidizing agent, the composition of the molten slag is regulated in solidified state to fall within the area where the metallicized, iron-bearing molten copper sulphide is in balance with the metallic copper and the iron-base metal alloy. By means of controlled cooling, the precious metals contained in this molten sulphide having an advantageous liquidus temperature are concentrated into the iron-base metal phase, whereafter the phase containing the precious metals can be separated by means of magnetic separation. After the magnetic separation, a selective hydrometallurgic treatment is carried out in order to recover the precious metals.