1 / 24

The Journey of Copper: From Open Pit Mining to Electrolytic Refining

This detailed overview of copper extraction outlines the five key stages: Open Pit Mining, Pit Crushing, Froth Flotation, Smelting, and Electrolytic Refining. Open pit mining, exemplified by the Bingham Canyon mine, employs explosives to access low-grade copper ore. The process continues with crushing and then froth flotation to concentrate the copper from the ore. Further refinement involves smelting to produce molten copper, which is then purified through electrolytic refining, resulting in copper of 99.98% purity. Each stage plays an essential role in copper production.

kirti
Télécharger la présentation

The Journey of Copper: From Open Pit Mining to Electrolytic Refining

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Copper from deep in the ground. SL M2.

  2. Five stages: • Open Pit mining • Pit crusher 0.6% Cu • Froth floatation 30% Cu • Smelting 90.4% Cu • Electrolytic refining 99.98% Cu

  3. chalcopyrite malachite azurite

  4. CuFeS2 = chalcopyrite. % Cu in pure chalcopyrite?

  5. % by mass = mass of element in 1 mole of compound x 100 Mr of compound % by mass = 64 x 100 = 35% 184 CuFeS2 Mr = 64+56+32+32 = 184

  6. Open Pit mining. Bingham Canyon Low grade copper Quantities huge Dynamite used Shavings tested Waste to tips

  7. Open Pit mining. • Noisy • Dusty • Leaves Open Pits • Waste tips.

  8. Pit crusher

  9. Pit crusher 0.6% Cu 2.5cm pieces

  10. Froth Floatation

  11. Froth Floatation

  12. Froth Floatation • Tailings 0.6% Collector (oil) molecules attach themselves to the chalcopyrite grains. The grains are now water-repellent. Air bubbles attract the grains. Froth produced and is pumped away to smelter. • Detergent • Oil • Water 30% concentrating

  13. Smelting • First stage involves • Silica • Oxygen • Concentrate • Cu2S made • Most important stage involves Cu2S / air / furnace • Cu2S(l) + O2(g)  2Cu(l) + SO2(g)

  14. Oxidised or reduced? Cu2S + O2 2Cu + SO2 reduced Cu +1 0 oxidised S -2 +4 O reduced 0 -2 What mass of copper could be obtained by reducing 1kg of copper (I) sulphide?

  15. What mass of copper could be obtained by reducing 1kg of copper (I) sulphide? Cu2S + O2 2Cu + SO2 Underline 1 mol 2 mol Moles in Mass in 160 128 Mass in question 1kg 0.800kg

  16. Smelting Acid rain Trees Sulphur dioxide made. Lakes H2SO4 30% 99.4%

  17. 99.4% 99.98% Electrolytic Refining The copper anodes are already 99.4% copper! The copper cathodes will be 99.98% copper!

  18. - Cathode Anode + Cu Cu2+ Cu2+ e- e- Cu Cu Cu2+ Cu e- e- Cu2+

  19. Describe what is happening at the anode. • Write an equation. • Is this oxidation or reduction? - Cathode Anode + Cu Cu2+ Cu2+ e- e- Cu Cu Cu2+ Cu e- e-

  20. Describe what is happening at the cathode. • Write an equation. • Is this oxidation or reduction? - Cathode Anode + Cu Cu2+ Cu2+ e- e- Cu Cu Cu2+ Cu e- e- Cu2+

  21. Write an equation. • Cu(s)  Cu2+(aq) + 2e- • Is this oxidation or reduction? • Oxidation - Cathode Anode + Cu Cu2+ Cu2+ e- e- Cu Cu Cu2+ Cu e- e-

  22. Write an equation. • Cu2+(aq) + 2e-  Cu(s) • Is this oxidation or reduction? • Reduction - Cathode Anode + Cu Cu2+ Cu2+ e- e- Cu Cu Cu2+ Cu e- e- Cu2+

  23. Five stages: • Open Pit mining • Pit crusher • Froth floatation • Smelting • Electrolytic refining

More Related