Electrolysis copper refining

Current density can be increased without impairing the quaUty of the copper by polishing the cathode surface by brief periodic current reversals (PCR). Reversed current electrolysis, first developed for electroplating, was tested in 1952 for copper refining. Although good results were obtained, no suitable electrical equipment for current reversal was available. The thyristor-controUed siUcon rectifier, introduced in the 1960s, provided a means for... 

Electrodeposition of copper is one of the most important deposition processes in industry. Copper is already being refined by electrolysis. Copper plating is the main deposition process for the production of printed circuit boards. Plating processes for many applications are known with varying results for the characteristic properties of the deposits. Examples are... 

Nickel. Most nickel is also refined by electrolysis. Both copper and nickel dissolve at the potential required for anodic dissolution. To prevent plating of the dissolved copper at the cathode, a diaphragm cell is used, and the anolyte is circulated through a purification circuit before entering the cathodic compartment (see Nickel and nickel alloys). 

The matte can be treated in different ways, depending on the copper content and on the desired product. In some cases, the copper content of the Bessemer matte is low enough to allow the material to be cast directly into sulfide anodes for electrolytic refining. Usually it is necessary first to separate the nickel and copper sulfides. The copper—nickel matte is cooled slowly for ca 4 d to faciUtate grain growth of mineral crystals of copper sulfide, nickel—sulfide, and a nickel—copper alloy. This matte is pulverized, the nickel and copper sulfides isolated by flotation, and the alloy extracted magnetically and refined electrolyticaHy. The nickel sulfide is cast into anodes for electrolysis or, more commonly, is roasted to nickel oxide and further reduced to metal for refining by electrolysis or by the carbonyl method. Alternatively, the nickel sulfide may be roasted to provide a nickel oxide sinter that is suitable for direct use by the steel industry. 

Iron, copper, arsenic, and antimony can be readily removed by the above pyrometaHurgical processes or variations of these (3). However, for the removal of large quantities of lead or bismuth, either separately or together, conventional electrolysis or a newly developed vacuum-refining process is used. The latter is now in use in Austraha, BoHvia, Mexico, and the CIS (5). 

An electrochemical cell in which electrolysis takes place is called an electrolytic cell. The arrangement of components in electrolytic cells is different from that in galvanic cells. Typically, the two electrodes share the same compartment, there is only one electrolyte, and concentrations and pressures are far front standard. As in all electrochemical cells, the current is carried through the electrolyte by the ions present. For example, when copper metal is refined electrolytically, the anode is impure copper, the cathode is pure copper, and the electrolyte is an aqueous solution of CuS04. As the Cu2f ions in solution are reduced and deposited as Cu atoms at the cathode, more Cu2+ ions migrate toward the cathode to take their place, and in turn their concentration is restored by Cu2+ produced by oxidation of copper metal at the anode. 

We have already described the refining of copper and the electrolytic extraction of aluminum, magnesium, and fluorine. Another important industrial application of electrolysis is the production of sodium metal by the Downs process, the electrolysis of molten rock salt (Fig. 12.15) ... 

The impure copper from either process is refined electrolytically it is made into anodes and plated onto cathodes of pure copper. Other metals may be present in the impure copper and those with highly positive electrode potentials also are reduced. The rare metals—most notably, platinum, silver, and gold—obtained from the anode sludge are sold to recover much of the cost of the electricity used in the electrolysis. 

Zinc is a bluish-white, lustrous metal which tarnishes in air. It is present in the earth s crust as sulfide (sphalerite), carbonate, or silicate ores, to the extent of only 78 ppm, making it the 23rd most abundant element.2 The metal is obtained from its ores by roasting and subsequent reduction with coke or by electrolysis. Approximately 8.36 million metric tons of zinc were produced worldwide in 2002 of this amount, two-thirds were from ores, while one-third was obtained from recycled zinc.3 The ease of mining and refining of the ore and the subsequent low price of the metal (ca. 1.2 kg-1 in 1998)3 have made zinc the third most popular non-ferrous metal (after aluminum and copper). 

This electrolytic cell is used to refine copper. The anode is impure copper, and the cathode is pure copper. During electrolysis, the impure copper anode dissolves, and pure copper is plated onto the cathode. The resulting cathode is 99.99% pure metal. Most impurities that were present in the anode either remain in solution or fall to the bottom of the cell as a sludge. 

O Nickel and copper are both very important to the Ontario economy. Before they can be refined by electrolysis, they must be extracted from their ores. Both metals can be extracted from a sulfide ore, NiS or CU2S. The sulfide is roasted to form an oxide, and then the oxide is reduced to the metal. Research the extraction processes for both nickel and copper, and write balanced equations for the redox reactions involved. One product of each extraction process is sulfur dioxide. Research the environmental effects of this compound. Describe any steps taken to decrease these effects. 

Metallic copper obtained above is purified by electrolytic refining. The electrolytic cell consists of a cathode made of thin sheets of very pure copper connected to the negative terminal of a direct-current generator, and a lump of extracted impure copper from the ore serving as an anode. A solution of cop-per(II) sulfate in sulfuric acid is used as electrolyte. Electrolysis causes trans-... 

Native copper ore is crushed, concentrated by washing with water, smelted, and cast into bars. Oxide and carbonate ores are treated with carhon in a smeller. Sulfide ore treatment is complex, hut. in brief, consists of smelling to a matte of cuprous sulfide, ferrous sulfide, and silica, which molten matte is treated in a converter by the addition of lime and air is forced under pressure through the mass. The products are blister copper, ferrous calcium silicate slag, and SO . Refining is conducted by electrolysis, and the anode mud is treated to obtain the gold and silver. See Fig. I. 

Electrolysis is used industrially to produce aluminum and magnesium to extract metals from their salts to prepare chlorine, fluorine, and sodium hydroxide to refine copper and in electroplating. 

These are very unreactive metals. Silver exists mainly as silver sulfide, Ag2S (silver glance). The extraction involves treatment of the pulverised ore with sodium cyanide. Zinc is then added to displace the silver from solution. The pure metal is obtained by electrolysis. Silver also exists to a small extent native in the Earth s crust. Gold is nearly always found in its native form (Figure 10.17). It is also obtained in significant amounts during both the electrolytic refining of copper and the extraction of lead. 

The principal impurities in zinc spelter are cadmium, iron, lead, arsenic, and copper. In addition to purification by electrolysis, zinc spelter may be refined by redistillation or by suitable chemical methods chosen in relation to the desired degree of purity. 

Copper is widely distributed in Nature as metal, in sulfides, arsenides, chlorides, carbonates, and so on. It is extracted from ores, usually by wet processes, for example, by leaching with dilute sulfuric acid, or by solvent extraction using salicylal-doximes and similar ligands. Copper is refined by electrolysis. 

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