Copper processing is a complicated process that begins with mining of the ore (less than 1 copper) and ends with sheets of 99.99 pure copper called cathodes, which will ultimately be made into products for everyday use.The most common types of ore, copper oxide and copper sulfide, undergo two different processes, hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy, respectively, due to the different.
Uses of Copper. Native copper was probably one of the early metals worked by ancient people. Nuggets of the metal could be found in streams in a few areas, and its properties allowed it to be easily worked without a required processing step. Copper's metallic luster attracted people's attention. Today most copper is produced from sulfide ores.
These mines have now closed and today the biggest copper mines are in Chile (Escondida mine) and Indonesia (Grasberg mine). These produce many millions of tonnes of copper ore per year. The main ores of copper are sulfides and oxides. From their chemical formulas you can calculate the percentage of copper in each mineral.
Aug 26, 2015 This flowchart made of machinery icons explains or expresses in simple but clear terms the step of the Copper Mining and Copper Extraction Process Starting from either open-pit or underground mining and using a different relevant treatment method for oxide or sulphide copper mineral.
There were no active nickel mines in the United States in 2011, although small amounts of nickel were recovered as a byproduct from processing copper and palladium-platinum ores. Several deposits in Minnesota and Michigan have potential for development Recycled nickel is an extremely important source of supply. In 2011, recycled nickel accounted for approximately 43 percent of U.S. nickel.
They are refractory ores like the copper ores. By refractory ore is meant one that requires roasting before amalgamation will take place. The heavy sulfides as copper, lead and antimony require this method of treatment, that is the condition of the gold in the mineral will not allow of its immediate union with mercury upon the amalgamation plates.
Tailings produced from the milling of sulfide ores — primarily copper, lead, and zinc ores — may have concentrations of pyrite that are greater than those common in waste rock. Also, because tailings are composed of small mineral particles the size of fine sand and smaller, they can react with air and water readily than waste rocks.
The barren rock, or gangue has to be separated from the sulfide minerals in order to smelt the metallic copper from the ore. By far the greatest proportion of copper is extracted from the sulfides of copper, iron and sometimes other metals. Such ores originate from sulfur-bearing volcanic magmas, which have separated into metal sulfides and siliceous melts.