Copper sulfides bornite

Copper ore minerals maybe classified as primary, secondary, oxidized, and native copper. Primaryrninerals were concentrated in ore bodies by hydrothermal processes secondary minerals formed when copper sulfide deposits exposed at the surface were leached by weathering and groundwater, and the copper reprecipitated near the water table (see Metallurgy, extractive). The important copper minerals are Hsted in Table 1. Of the sulfide ores, bornite, chalcopyrite, and tetrahedrite—teimantite are primary minerals and coveUite, chalcocite, and digenite are more commonly secondary minerals. The oxide minerals, such as chrysocoUa, malachite, and azurite, were formed by oxidation of surface sulfides. Native copper is usually found in the oxidized zone. However, the principal native copper deposits in Michigan are considered primary (5). 

CusFeS4 (s) Iron Copper Sulfide alpha, Bornite CusFeS4 (s)... 

Copper is the 26th most abundant element on Earth, but it is rare to find pure metallic deposits. It is found in many different types of mineral ores, many of which are close to the surface and easy to extract. It is found in two types of ores (1) sulfide ores, such as covellite, chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, and enargite and (2) oxidized ores, such as tenorite, malachite, azurite, cuprite, chrysocolla, and brochanite. 

Copper is distributed widely in nature as sulfides, oxides, arsenides, arsenosulfides, and carbonates. It occurs in the minerals cuprite, chalcopyrite, azurite, chalcocite, malachite and bornite. Most copper minerals are sulfides or oxides. Native copper contains the metal in uncombined form. The principal copper minerals with their chemical compositions and percentage of copper are listed below ... 

Copper is a reddish metallic element (symbol Cu atomic no. 29). Its symbol derives from the Latin word cuprum, because it was originally discovered in Cyprus. It is widely found as different salts in minerals such as atacamite (chloride) azurite and malachite (carbonates) bornite, chalco-cite, chalcopjrite, stannite, tennantite, and tetrahedrite (sulfides) chalcanthite (sulfate) dioptase (silicate) erinite and olivenite (arsenates) tenorite (oxide) torbernite (phosphate) and zorgite (selenide). Copper is an essential constituent of several enzymes. It is carried in the blood by a specific copper-binding protein, ceruloplasmin. 

Note Copper iron sulfide of the formula FeS.2Cu S.CuS occurs as the mineral bornite. 

Copper s relative abundance in the Earth s crust is about 50 mg/kg (i.e., ppm wt.), which is less than nickel and zinc. It occurs as a native element (4%), but the major part of its occurrence is as oxides minerals (10%) such as cuprite [Cu O, cubic] carbonates (5%) malachite [CuC03.Cu(OH)j, monoclinic] and azurite [2CuC03.Cu(0H)j, monoclinic] sulfide minerals (80%) chalcocite [Cu S, monoclinic], chalcopyrite [CuFeS, tetragonal], and bornite [CUjFeS, cubic] and in other rare minerals (1%) such as atacamite [CUjC OH), orthorhombic]. But only the oxide and sulfide minerals are used industrially as copper ores. Chile is the world s largest producer of copper, followed by the United States. 

Copper — (L. cuprum, from the island of Cyprus), Cu at. wt. 63.546(3) at. no. 29 f.p. 1084.62 °C b.p. 2562°C sp. gr. 8.96 (20°C) valence 1 or 2. The discovery of copper dates from prehistoric times. It is said to have been mined for more than 5000 years. It is one of man s most important metals. Copper is reddish colored, takes on a bright metallic luster, and is malleable, ductile, and a good conductor of heat and electricity (second only to silver in electrical conductivity). The electrical industry is one of the greatest users of copper. Copper occasionally occurs native, and is found in many minerals such as cuprite, malachite, azurite, chalcopyrite, and bornite. Large copper ore deposits are found in the U.S., Chile, Zambia, Zaire, Peru, and Canada. The most important copper ores are the sulfides, oxides, and carbonates. From these, copper... 

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