In the paper, a new technology was developed to improve the beneficiation of copper and iron components from copper slag, by modifying the molten slag to promote the mineralization of valuable minerals and to induce the growth of mineral grains. Various parameters, including binary basicity, dosage of compound additive, modification temperature, cooling rate and the end point temperature of slow cooling were investigated. Meanwhile, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS) was employed to determine the mineralogy of the modified and unmodified slag, as well as to reveal the mechanisms of enhancing beneficiation. The results show that under the proper conditions, the copper grade of rougher copper concentrate was increased from 6.43% to 11.04%, iron recovery of magnetic separation was increased significantly from 32.40% to 63.26%, and other evaluation indexes were changed slightly, in comparison with unmodified copper slag. Moreover, matte and magnetite grains in the modified slag aggregated together and grew obviously to the mean size of over 50 μm, resulting in an improvement of beneficiation of copper and iron.

While numerous studies have explored the mineralogical characteristics and purification techniques of high-purity quartz (HPQ), discussions on impurity control during various purification processes and their applications in photovoltaics, electronics, and optics remain limited. This review delves into the adverse effects of impurities such as aluminum, iron, and sodium in the manufacturing processes of these industries, emphasizing their critical role as these impurities can degrade material performance. This paper focuses on analyzing the types of impurities found in quartz and evaluates existing purification technologies such as acid washing, ultrasonic acid washing, chlorination roasting, and calcination quenching. It highlights the limitations of current technologies in processing quartz ore and discusses the advantages of different impurity types under various technological treatments. Moreover, it explores the environmental and economic impacts of these high-purity processes, underlining the necessity for more environmentally friendly and cost-effective purification techniques. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive technical and strategic framework for the use of high-purity quartz in high-tech applications, supporting future research and industrial applications in this critical material field.