subject: Copper Ore Extraction Machine For Sale [print this page] Copper minerals and ores are found throughout the Earth's crust. They occur in both sedimentary and igneous rocks. The main ores of copper are: chalcopyrite, bornite, malachite.
There are two distinct types of copper ore, the sulfide ore and the oxide ore. The sulfide ores are beneficiated in flotation cells, while the oxide ores are generally leached. First the copper ore from a open pit mine is blasted, loaded and transported to the primary crushers. Then the ore is crushed and screened, with the fine sulfide ore ( < 0.5 mm ) going to froth flotation cells for recovery of copper. The coarser ore goes to the heap leach, where the copper is subjected to a dilute sulfuric acid solution to dissolve the copper. Then the leach solution containing the dissolved copper is subjected to a process called solvent extraction (SX). The SX process concentrates and purifies the copper leach solution so the copper can be recovered at a high electrical current efficiency by the electrowinning cells. It does this by adding a chemical reagent to the SX tanks which selectively binds with and extracts the copper, is easily separated from the copper (stripped), recovering as much of the reagent as possible for re-use. The concentrated copper solution is dissolved in sulfuric acid and sent to the electrolytic cells for recovery as copper plates (cathodes). From the copper cathodes, it is manufactured into wire, appliances, etc. that are used in every day life.
Surface mining requires extensive blasting as well as rock, soil, vegetation, and overburden removal to reach lode deposits. Benches are cut into the walls of the mine to provide access to progressively deeper ore as upper-level ore is depleted. Ore is removed from the mine and transported to beneficiation plants for milling and concentrating. The concentrate is then smelted and refined. Open-pit mining is the primary domestic source of copper.
Underground mining entails sinking a shaft to reach the main body of ore. Drifts or passages are then cut from the shaft at various depths to access the ore, which is brought to the surface for beneficiation. While underground mines do not create the volume of overburden associated with surface mining, some waste rock must still be brought to the surface for disposal. Waste rock may either be returned to the mine as fill or put in a disposal area.
