Application of Thermodynamic Calculations to the Pyro-refining Process for Production of High Purity Bismuth

The present work has been performed with the aim to optimize the existing process for the production of high purity bismuth (99.999 pct). A thermo-chemical database including most of the probable impurities of bismuth (Bi-X, X = Ag, Au, Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, S, Sb, Sn, Si, Te, Zn) has been constructed to perform different thermodynamic calculations required for the refining process. Thermodynamic description for eight of the selected binaries, Bi-Ca, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, S, Sb, and Sn, has been given in the current paper. Using the current database, different thermodynamic calculations have been performed to explain the steps involved in the bismuth refining process.