I want to know about electrolysis process for copper separation from copper ores?
Answer:
Copper oxide ore is piled onto a heap - and leached wtih the application of a weak sulfuric acid solution. The copper dissolves and the solutions is collected and pumped to a solvent extraction plant where an organic extractant removes the copper from the solution. The resulting electrolyte solution is transferred to the electrowinning process. Copper is recovered by plating onto a cathode started with the evolution of oxygen at the anode. The chemical reactions involved with these processes are:
Cathode: CuSO4 + 2e- -----> Cuo + SO42-
Anode: H2O + 2H+ -----> 0.5O2 + 2e-
Plating of copper occurs on copper starter sheets, titanium blanks or stainless steel blanks. To ensure suitable purity, morphology is critical and additives are sometimes included in the electrolyte to help produce a smooth and dense deposit. The anodes are typically alloys of Pb-Ca or Pb-Ca-Sn. Anodes are quasi-inert (i.e. dimensionally stable) in the electrolyte and provide an adequate surface for oxygen evolution.
http://electrochem.cwru.edu/ed/encycl/ar...
http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm:1104/cours...
http://www.azom.com/details.asp?articlei...
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