Name: Reduction of Metal Oxides
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 4 min 4 s
Description: Copper is the third most industrially consumed metal in the world. Its unique properties make it very special. But how do you extract pure copper from its or...

Question

Discuss the extraction of copper from copper pyrites.

Accepted Answer

Copper is extracted from copper pyrites by smelting and heating in a reverberatory furnace. In this process, the copper pyrite ore is heated in a reverberatory furnace after mixing with silica. In the furnace, iron oxide ‘slags of’ as iron silicate and copper is produced in the form of copper matte. This contains ${Cu}_{2} S$ and $FeS$ . Copper matte is then charged into silica lined convertor. Some silica is also added and hot air blast is blown to convert the remaining $FeS, FeO$ and ${Cu}_{2} S / {Cu}_{2} O$ to the metallic copper.

The reactions taking place inside can be given as,

$2 FeS + 3 O_{2} \to 2 FeO + 2 {SO}_{2}$

$FeO + {SiO}_{2} \to {FeSiO}_{3}$

$2 {Cu}_{2} S + 3 O_{2} \to 2 {Cu}_{2} O + 2 {SO}_{2}$

$2 {Cu}_{2} O + {Cu}_{2} S \to 6 Cu + {SO}_{2}$

The solidified copper obtained has blistered appearance due to the evolution of ${SO}_{2}$ and so it is called blister copper.

Discuss the extraction of copper from copper pyrites.

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