COPPER, THE STORY

1. SALTLAKE CITY COPPER MINE COPPER, THE STORY BY KATY NUNN & CHRIS NEWBOLD

2. THE FLOW CHART SHOWS A SIMPLIFIED MODEL OF COPPER PRODUCTION OPEN PIT PIT CRUSHER CONCENTRATOR WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE SMELTER IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4 ELECROLYTIC REFINING GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM COPPER

3. OPEN PIT PIT CRUSHER CONCENTRATOR WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE SMELTER IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4 ELECROLYTIC REFINING GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM COPPER

4. BINGHAM COPPER MINE 4Km

5. OPEN PIT PIT CRUSHER CONCENTRATOR WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE SMELTER IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4 ELECROLYTIC REFINING GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM COPPER

6. THE 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 TONNES OF COPPER A DAY IS THEN FED INTO THE PIT CRUSHER. IN CONTRAST 260 000 TONNES OF ROCK ARE WASTED EACH DAY.

7. THE 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.

8. OPEN PIT PIT CRUSHER CONCENTRATOR WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE SMELTER IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4 ELECROLYTIC REFINING GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM COPPER

9. THE CONCENTRATOR THIS PROCESS IS DONE BY USING A METHOD CALLED FROTH FLOTATION. THIS HAPPENS WHEN A CHEMICAL CALLED A COLLECTOR IS ADDED. THIS BINDS TO THE TYPE OF MINERALS CALLED CHALCOPYRITE. THIS IS A CHEMICAL WHICH REPELS WATER. WHEN THE CONTENTS OF THE CRUSHER IS PUT INTO THE CONCENTRATOR, THE WATER REPELLING MINERALS. THIUS MEANS THAT THE COPPER CAN EASILY BE EXTRACTED FROM THE CONCENTRATOR.

10. Froth flotation in industry THE MINERALS ARENOW 30% COPPER. THIS IS AN INCREASE OF AROUND 50 TIMES COMPARED TO THE PIT CRUSHER

11. OPEN PIT PIT CRUSHER CONCENTRATOR WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE SMELTER IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4 ELECROLYTIC REFINING GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM COPPER

12. Smelting Chalcopyrite concentrate and silica Oxygen - enriched air Dust and hot gases for heating Heated reaction shaft Slag (iron oxides and sulphides are converted by silica) Copper matte (Cu2S) Blown with air Cu2S(l)+ O2(g) 2Cu(l) + SO2(g) Sulphur dioxide converted to sulphuric acid Blister copper, 99% pure

13. OPEN PIT PIT CRUSHER CONCENTRATOR WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE SMELTER IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4 ELECROLYTIC REFINING GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM COPPER

14. Electrolytic Refining • Positive, • Made of impure copper ( 99.4%) • Cu Cu 2+ + 2e- (oxidation) • Copper dissolves from here _ _ _ + + + • 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. Electrolyte: warm solution of copper(11)sulphate and sulphuric acid

15. OPEN PIT PIT CRUSHER CONCENTRATOR WASTE CARRIED VIA PIPELINE SMELTER IRON RICH SLAG & H2SO4 ELECROLYTIC REFINING GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM COPPER

16. WE NOW HAVE COPPER ATA PURITY OF 99.9%