Ghsjak
Crushing and Milling (reducing ore size)
Cu2S(s) + H20 (l)
Water is added to make a pumpable slurry.
Flotation (separation of valuable content)
Cu2S(s) + H20 (l)
CaCO3(s) (added to give a basic PH level) pine oil or C2H5OH (liquid called a frother)
C3H5KOS2 (potassium amyl xanthate to make the copper particles cling to the bubbles as they rise to the surface) O2 (pumped into bottom of tank, agitates soloution and starts to froth, bringing bubbles to the surface)
Cu2S particles adhere to the bubbles, which is separated from the liquid, tailings fall to bottom of tank
Tailings SMELTING (REMOVING IRON AND SULFUR) Cu2S(s) + flux solution + O2 (g) + heat (furnace) Fe(s) +flux slag (silica flux chemically binds with Fe, and removed) Slag O2(g) +S(g) SO2 (g)(S combines with O2 and is released through exhaust) SO2(g) Cu2S(s) +FeS(s) Cu2SFeS(s) (60% copper sulphide 40%iron sulphide)
CONVERTING (removing of remaining traces of Iron and Sulfur) Cu2SFes(s) + flux +O2 (g) +Heat (furnace) Fe(s) +silica flux slag (remaining traces of Fe chemically combines with flux, removed) slag S(g) + O2(g) SO2(g) (O2 reacts with S, goes to acid plant to be processed) SO2 Cu(s)(99% copper) REFINING Cu Heat Cu +O2 CuO2 (to oxidise some impurities) Cu (99.5% copper) ELECTROREFINING A sheet of copper is placed on the opposite end of the tank to act as the cathode, or negative terminal. The tanks are filled with an acidic copper sulfate solution, which acts as an electrical conductor between the anode and cathode. When an electrical current is passed through each tank, the copper is stripped off the anode and is
Cu2S(s) + H20 (l)
Water is added to make a pumpable slurry.
Flotation (separation of valuable content)
Cu2S(s) + H20 (l)
CaCO3(s) (added to give a basic PH level) pine oil or C2H5OH (liquid called a frother)
C3H5KOS2 (potassium amyl xanthate to make the copper particles cling to the bubbles as they rise to the surface) O2 (pumped into bottom of tank, agitates soloution and starts to froth, bringing bubbles to the surface)
Cu2S particles adhere to the bubbles, which is separated from the liquid, tailings fall to bottom of tank
Tailings SMELTING (REMOVING IRON AND SULFUR) Cu2S(s) + flux solution + O2 (g) + heat (furnace) Fe(s) +flux slag (silica flux chemically binds with Fe, and removed) Slag O2(g) +S(g) SO2 (g)(S combines with O2 and is released through exhaust) SO2(g) Cu2S(s) +FeS(s) Cu2SFeS(s) (60% copper sulphide 40%iron sulphide)
CONVERTING (removing of remaining traces of Iron and Sulfur) Cu2SFes(s) + flux +O2 (g) +Heat (furnace) Fe(s) +silica flux slag (remaining traces of Fe chemically combines with flux, removed) slag S(g) + O2(g) SO2(g) (O2 reacts with S, goes to acid plant to be processed) SO2 Cu(s)(99% copper) REFINING Cu Heat Cu +O2 CuO2 (to oxidise some impurities) Cu (99.5% copper) ELECTROREFINING A sheet of copper is placed on the opposite end of the tank to act as the cathode, or negative terminal. The tanks are filled with an acidic copper sulfate solution, which acts as an electrical conductor between the anode and cathode. When an electrical current is passed through each tank, the copper is stripped off the anode and is