C14.4 - Extracting metals from ores Flashcards
Where is most copper extracted from?
Most copper is extracted from copper-rich ores
Most copper is extracted from copper-rich ores.
What are copper-rich ores?
Copper-rich ores are a finite resource and are in danger of running out
Most copper is extracted from copper-rich ores.
What are there used to obtain the copper metal from the ore?
There are 2 main methods used to obtain the copper metal from the ore
There are 2 main methods used to obtain the copper metal from the ore.
What happens in 1 method?
There are 2 main methods used to obtain the copper metal from the ore
In 1 method:
Sulfuric acid is used to produce copper sulfate solution, before extracting the copper metal
There are 2 main methods used to obtain the copper metal from the ore.
In 1 method:
Sulfuric acid is used to produce copper sulfate solution, before extracting the copper metal.
What is the other process called?
There are 2 main methods used to obtain the copper metal from the ore:
Sulfuric acid is involved in the 1st method
The other process is called smelting (roasting):
Copper ore is heated to a high temperature in a furnace with air, to produce impure copper
In smelting (roasting): Copper ore is heated to a high temperature in a furnace with air, to produce impure copper. Where do we use the impure copper?
We use the impure copper as the positive electrode in electrolysis cells to make pure copper
How much copper is still produced by smelting?
About 80% of copper is still produced by smelting
What does smelting and purifying copper ore use?
Smelting and purifying copper ore uses huge amounts of energy and electricity
Smelting and purifying copper ore uses huge amounts of energy and electricity.
What does this cost?
Smelting and purifying copper ore uses huge amounts of energy and electricity
This costs a lot of money and will cause pollution of the environment
What can mining copper ores leave?
Mining copper ores can leave huge scars on the landscape
Mining copper ores can leave huge scars on the landscape.
What is this quarrying of ores called?
Mining copper ores can leave huge scars on the landscape
This quarrying of ores is called open-cast mining
Mining copper ores can leave huge scars on the landscape.
This quarrying of ores is called open-cast mining.
How much copper comes from open-cast mines?
Mining copper ores can leave huge scars on the landscape
This quarrying of ores is called open-cast mining
About 90% of copper comes from open-cast mines
Mining copper ores can leave huge scars on the landscape.
This quarrying of ores is called open-cast mining.
About 90% of copper comes from open-cast mines.
What are our supplies of copper-rich ores?
Mining copper ores can leave huge scars on the landscape
This quarrying of ores is called open-cast mining
About 90% of copper comes from open-cast mines
Our supplies of copper-rich ores are a limited, finite resource
What are metal ions always?
Metal ions are always positively charged
Metal ions are always positively charged.
Therefore, in electrolysis what are they attracted to?
Metal ions are always positively charged
Therefore, in electrolysis they are attracted to and deposited at the negative electrode
Metal ions are always positively charged.
Therefore, in electrolysis they are attracted to and deposited at the negative electrode.
In industry, what is carried out in many cells running at once?
Metal ions are always positively charged
Therefore, in electrolysis they are attracted to and deposited at the negative electrode
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once
Metal ions are always positively charged.
Therefore, in electrolysis they are attracted to and deposited at the negative electrode.
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once.
What does this method give?
Metal ions are always positively charged
Therefore, in electrolysis they are attracted to and deposited at the negative electrode
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once
This method gives the very pure copper needed to make electrical wiring
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once.
This method gives the very pure copper needed to make electrical wiring.
Why is electrolysis also used?
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once
This method gives the very pure copper needed to make electrical wiring
Electrolysis is also used to purify the impure copper extracted by smelting
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once.
Describe the anode
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once
The impure copper anode gets smaller
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once.
The impure copper anode gets smaller.
Describe the solution
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once
The impure copper anode gets smaller
The solution contains copper ions
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once.
The impure copper anode gets smaller.
The solution contains copper ions.
Describe the left of the bottom of the cell
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once
The impure copper anode gets smaller
The solution contains copper ions
To the left of the bottom of the cell, there is sludge containing precious metals
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once.
The impure copper anode gets smaller.
The solution contains copper ions.
To the left of the bottom of the cell, there is sludge containing precious metals.
Describe the cathode
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once
The impure copper anode gets smaller
The solution contains copper ions
To the left of the bottom of the cell, there is sludge containing precious metals
The cathode is very pure copper
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once.
The impure copper anode gets smaller.
The solution contains copper ions.
To the left of the bottom of the cell, there is sludge containing precious metals.
The cathode is very pure copper.
How often are the cathodes removed?
In industry, the electrolysis of copper is carried out in many cells running at once
The impure copper anode gets smaller
The solution contains copper ions
To the left of the bottom of the cell, there is sludge containing precious metals
The cathode is very pure copper
The cathodes are removed about every 2 weeks
What happens at the negative copper electrode (cathode)?
At the negative copper electrode (cathode), we get reduction - The copper ions gain 2 electrons to become atoms
What happens at the positive copper electrode (anode)?
At the positive copper electrode (anode), we get oxidation
How can copper be extracted in industry?
Copper can be extracted in industry from copper sulfate solution by adding scrap iron
Copper can be extracted in industry from copper sulfate solution by adding scrap iron.
Why is scrap iron added?
Copper can be extracted in industry from copper sulfate solution by adding scrap iron
Scrap iron is added because iron can displace copper from its solutions
Copper can be extracted in industry from copper sulfate solution by adding scrap iron.
Scrap iron is added because iron can displace copper from its solutions.
Iron + copper(II) sulfate —>
Iron + copper(II) sulfate —> iron (II) sulfate + copper
What are scientists developing?
Instead of extracting copper from our limited copper-rich ores, scientists are developing ways to get copper from low-grade ores
Instead of extracting copper from our limited copper-rich ores, scientists are developing ways to get copper from low-grade ores.
What would this be using traditional methods?
Instead of extracting copper from our limited copper-rich ores, scientists are developing ways to get copper from low-grade ores
This would be uneconomical using traditional methods
Instead of extracting copper from our limited copper-rich ores, scientists are developing ways to get copper from low-grade ores.
This would be uneconomical using traditional methods.
What do new techniques use?
New techniques use: 1. Bacteria (bioleaching) Or, 2. Plants (phytomining) to help extract copper
What happens in phytomining?
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore.
Where could this be?
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore
This could be on slag heaps of previously discarded waste from the processing of copper-rich ores
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore.
This could be on slag heaps of previously discarded waste from the processing of copper-rich ores.
Then what happens?
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore
This could be on slag heaps of previously discarded waste from the processing of copper-rich ores
Then the plants are burnt and copper is extracted from copper compounds in the ash
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore.
This could be on slag heaps of previously discarded waste from the processing of copper-rich ores,
Then the plants are burnt and copper is extracted from copper compounds in the ash.
What can happen to the copper ions?
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore
This could be on slag heaps of previously discarded waste from the processing of copper-rich ores
Then the plants are burnt and copper is extracted from copper compounds in the ash
The copper ions can be ‘leached’ (dissolved) from the ash by adding sulfuric acid
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore.
This could be on slag heaps of previously discarded waste from the processing of copper-rich ores.
Then the plants are burnt and copper is extracted from copper compounds in the ash.
The copper ions can be ‘leached’ (dissolved) from the ash by adding sulfuric acid.
What does this make?
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore
This could be on slag heaps of previously discarded waste from the processing of copper-rich ores
Then the plants are burnt and copper is extracted from copper compounds in the ash
The copper ions can be ‘leached’ (dissolved) from the ash by adding sulfuric acid
This makes a solution (leachate) of copper sulfate
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore.
This could be on slag heaps of previously discarded waste from the processing of copper-rich ores.
Then the plants are burnt and copper is extracted from copper compounds in the ash.
The copper ions can be ‘leached’ (dissolved) from the ash by adding sulfuric acid.
This makes a solution (leachate) of copper sulfate.
What makes pure copper metal?
In phytomining, plants that can absorb copper ions are grown on soil containing low-grade copper ore
This could be on slag heaps of previously discarded waste from the processing of copper-rich ores
Then the plants are burnt and copper is extracted from copper compounds in the ash
The copper ions can be ‘leached’ (dissolved) from the ash by adding sulfuric acid
This makes a solution (leachate) of copper sulfate
Displacement by scrap iron and then electrolysis makes pure copper metal
What happens in bioleaching?
In bioleaching, bacteria feed on low-grade metal ores
In bioleaching, bacteria feed on low-grade metal ores.
How can a solution of copper ions (leachate) be obtained from waste copper ore?
In bioleaching, bacteria feed on low-grade metal ores
By a combination of biological and chemical processes, a solution of copper ions (leachate) can be obtained from waste copper ore
In bioleaching, bacteria feed on low-grade metal ores.
By a combination of biological and chemical processes, a solution of copper ions (leachate) can be obtained from waste copper ore.
What is used to extract the copper from the leachate?
In bioleaching, bacteria feed on low-grade metal ores
By a combination of biological and chemical processes, a solution of copper ions (leachate) can be obtained from waste copper ore
Scrap iron and electrolysis is used to extract the copper from the leachate
How much copper comes from bioleaching?
About 20% of copper comes from bioleaching
About 20% of copper comes from bioleaching.
What is this likely to do?
About 20% of copper comes from bioleaching
This is likely to increase as sources of copper-rich ores run out
What is bioleaching?
Bioleaching is a slow process, so scientists are researching ways to speed it up
Bioleaching is a slow process, so scientists are researching ways to speed it up.
At present, how long can it take to extract 50% of the metal from a low-grade ore?
Bioleaching is a slow process, so scientists are researching ways to speed it up
At present, it can take years to extract 50% of the metal from a low-grade ore
