COPPER, COPPER, THE STORYTHE STORY

BY KATY NUNN &

CHRIS NEWBOLD

SALTLAKE CITY COPPER MINE

SMELTER

CONCENTRATOR

PIT CRUSHER

ELECROLYTIC REFINING

COPPERCOPPER

OPEN PIT

WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE

IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4

GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM

THE FLOW CHART SHOWS A

SIMPLIFIED

MODEL OF COPPER

PRODUCTION

SMELTER

CONCENTRATOR

PIT CRUSHER

ELECROLYTIC REFINING

COPPERCOPPER

OPEN PIT

WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE

IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4

GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM

BINGHAM COPPER MINE

4Km

SMELTER

CONCENTRATOR

PIT CRUSHER

ELECROLYTIC REFINING

COPPERCOPPER

OPEN PIT

WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE

IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4

GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM

THE PIT CRUSHERTHE PIT CRUSHER

FROM AN OPEN PIT AROUND 4km DIAMETER AND 1.2km DEEP

COPPER ORE IS EXTRACTED USING THE METHOD

OF EITHER DRILLING OR USING EXPLOSIVES IN THE ROCK WALL.

EACH BATCH OF COPPER ORE THAT IS EXTRACTED IS ANALYSED TO FIND WHETHER THE ORE IS WORTH

PROCCESING.

THEN AROUND 150 000 TONNES150 000 TONNES OF COPPER

A DAY IS THEN FED INTO THE PIT CRUSHER. IN CONTRAST

260 000 TONNES260 000 TONNES OF ROCK ARE WASTED EACH DAY.

THE PIT CRUSHERTHE PIT CRUSHER

THE COPPER IN THE CRUSHER IS ONLY AROUND

0.6% COPPER. THIS IS VERY POOR COMPARED TO

LATER IN THE PRODUCTION. WHEN THE COPPER HAS

BEEN CRUSHED IN THE PIT CRUSHER IT IS CARRIED

ALONG A 8KM CONVEYOR BELT TO THE NEXT STAGE IN

THE PROCESS OF COPPER PRODUCTION.

SMELTER

CONCENTRATOR

PIT CRUSHER

ELECROLYTIC REFINING

COPPERCOPPER

OPEN PIT

WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE

IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4

GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM

THE CONCENTRATORTHE CONCENTRATOR

THIS PROCESS IS DONE BY USING A METHOD CALLED FROTH FLOTATION. FROTH FLOTATION. THIS HAPPENS WHEN A CHEMICAL CALLED A COLLECTOR A COLLECTOR IS ADDED. THIS BINDS TO THE

TYPE OF MINERALS CALLED CHALCOPYRITE. THIS IS A CHALCOPYRITE. THIS IS A CHEMICAL WHICH REPELS WATER. WHEN THE CHEMICAL WHICH REPELS WATER. WHEN THE CONTENTS OF THE CRUSHER IS PUT INTO THE CONTENTS OF THE CRUSHER IS PUT INTO THE

CONCENTRATOR, THE WATER REPELLING MINERALS. CONCENTRATOR, THE WATER REPELLING MINERALS. THIUS MEANS THAT THE COPPER CAN EASILY BE THIUS MEANS THAT THE COPPER CAN EASILY BE

EXTRACTED FROM THE CONCENTRATOR.EXTRACTED FROM THE CONCENTRATOR.

THE MINERALS ARETHE MINERALS ARE NOW 30% COPPER. THIS IS ANNOW 30% COPPER. THIS IS AN

INCREASEINCREASE

OF OF

AROUND 50 TIMES COMPARED TO THE PIT CRUSHERAROUND 50 TIMES COMPARED TO THE PIT CRUSHER

Froth flotation in industry

SMELTER

CONCENTRATOR

PIT CRUSHER

ELECROLYTIC REFINING

COPPERCOPPER

OPEN PIT

WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE

IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4

GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM

SmeltingSmelting

Dust and hot gases for heating

Oxygen - enriched air

Copper matte (Cu2S)

Slag (iron oxides and sulphides are converted by silica)

Chalcopyrite concentrate and silica

Cu2S(l) + O2(g) 2Cu(l) + SO2(g)

Heated reaction shaft

Blown with air

Sulphur dioxide converted to sulphuric acidBlister copper,

99% pure

SMELTER

CONCENTRATOR

PIT CRUSHER

ELECROLYTIC REFINING

COPPERCOPPER

OPEN PIT

WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE

IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4

GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM

Electrolytic Refining

Positive, • Made of impure copper ( 99.4%) • Cu Cu 2+ + 2e- (oxidation)• Copper dissolves from here

+ + +_ __

Electrolyte: warm solution of copper(11)sulphate and sulphuric acid

Negative,• Made of pure copper or stainless steel• Cu 2+ + 2e- Cu (reduction)• Copper deposits here ( 99.98% pure)

It takes about two weeks for about 120kg of copper to be deposited.Negative electrodes are washed.Valuable impurities such as silver and gold are collected from the sludge.

SMELTER

CONCENTRATOR

PIT CRUSHER

ELECROLYTIC REFINING

COPPERCOPPER

OPEN PIT

WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE

IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4

GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM

WE NOW HAVE COPPER ATA PURITY OF

99.9%