Copper ore is cupric sulfide, copper(II) sulfide, CuS.
The ore is roasted, which means heated strongly in air. The equation is:
CuS(s) + O2(g) ===> CuO(s) + SO2(g)
The CuO is heated strongly with carbon, C. The carbon comes from coke. The equation is:
2CuO(s) + C(s) ===> 2Cu(s) + CO2(g)
The Cu is not very pure at this point. It contains impurities such as selenium and tellurium oxides. So it is subjected to electrolysis. A chunk of the impure copper is made the anode in an electrolytic cell. A piece of pure copper is made the cathode. Electric current is passed through the cell. Pure copper is deposited on the cathode. The anode copper vanishes. The selenium and tellurium oxides drop down to the bottom of the cell. The pure copper in the cathode is melted up and sold.
Some copper is found in the native state(uncombined metallic)but most of the worlds copper is mined in as impure copper sulphides often with some silver and gold and other metals like platinum.The mined ores are reduced to the metallic state by heating the ore in the atmosphere so that the sulphur is driven off as sulphur dioxide gas (which is often used to manufacture sulphuric acid,unfortunately in some countries the gas is allowed to escape and cause pollution.When the sulphur has been removed from the ore it is still molten and contains a lot of oxygen which is removed with carbon.The copper is then cast into bars which are refined by electrolysis and the silver and platinum group of metals drop to the bottom of the electrolysis cell where the are further refined for the silver ,platinum,rhodium etc.The electrolytically refined copper is better than 99.99% pure and is used directly for electrical conductors or as alloys with zinc.silicon,phosphorus.nickel and a host of other elements.
Comments
Copper ore is cupric sulfide, copper(II) sulfide, CuS.
The ore is roasted, which means heated strongly in air. The equation is:
CuS(s) + O2(g) ===> CuO(s) + SO2(g)
The CuO is heated strongly with carbon, C. The carbon comes from coke. The equation is:
2CuO(s) + C(s) ===> 2Cu(s) + CO2(g)
The Cu is not very pure at this point. It contains impurities such as selenium and tellurium oxides. So it is subjected to electrolysis. A chunk of the impure copper is made the anode in an electrolytic cell. A piece of pure copper is made the cathode. Electric current is passed through the cell. Pure copper is deposited on the cathode. The anode copper vanishes. The selenium and tellurium oxides drop down to the bottom of the cell. The pure copper in the cathode is melted up and sold.
Some copper is found in the native state(uncombined metallic)but most of the worlds copper is mined in as impure copper sulphides often with some silver and gold and other metals like platinum.The mined ores are reduced to the metallic state by heating the ore in the atmosphere so that the sulphur is driven off as sulphur dioxide gas (which is often used to manufacture sulphuric acid,unfortunately in some countries the gas is allowed to escape and cause pollution.When the sulphur has been removed from the ore it is still molten and contains a lot of oxygen which is removed with carbon.The copper is then cast into bars which are refined by electrolysis and the silver and platinum group of metals drop to the bottom of the electrolysis cell where the are further refined for the silver ,platinum,rhodium etc.The electrolytically refined copper is better than 99.99% pure and is used directly for electrical conductors or as alloys with zinc.silicon,phosphorus.nickel and a host of other elements.
Copper is a base material and occurrs naturally.
It is element Cu
it isn't.
copper is an element.
you mine it from the ground like coal, or gold, or diamonds.