Melting Relations of CaO-Manganese Oxide and MgO-Manganese Oxide Mixtures in Air

Melting relations in the systems CaO-manganese oxide and MgO-manganese oxide in air have been determined at temperatures up to 1705°C. In the system CaO-manganese oxide four crystalline phases have stable existence in equilibrium with liquids: lime (approximate composition CaO-MnO), spinel (approximate composition Mn₃O₄-CaMn₂O₄), and two ternary solid solution phases in which Ca/Mn ratios as well as oxygen contents vary over considerable ranges. One of these ternary solid solution phases may for the sake of simplicity be represented approximately by the formula CaMnO₃ and the other by the formula CaMn₂O₄. Three isobaric invariant situations exist, with temperatures and phase assemblages as follows: At 1588°± 10°C the two crystalline phases lime and CaMnO₃ coexist in equilibrium with liquid (40 wt% CaO, 60 wt% manganese oxide) in a peritectic situation. Another peritectic at 1455°± 5°C is characterized by the equilibrium coexistence of CaMnO₃, CaMn₂O₄, and liquid (25 wt% CaO, 75 wt% manganese oxide). A eutectic situation exists at 1439°± 5°C with CaMn₂O₄, spinel, and liquid (18 wt% CaO, 82 wt% manganese oxide) present together in equilibrium. In the system MgO-manganese oxide in air periclase-manganosite solid solution (approximate composition MgO-MnO) and spinel (approximate composition Mn₃O₄-MgMn₂O₄) are the only crystalline phases present in equilibrium with liquids. Liquidus and solidus temperatures increase with increasing MgO content. A peritectic situation exists at 1587°± 10°C, with the two crystalline phases coexisting in equilibrium with liquid (1 wt% MgO, 99 wt% manganese oxide).