At GaleForce Design Jewelry, copper is at the heart of my creations. Here, I unveil the intricate process of copper mining and extraction. Copper mining is a remarkable journey. I celebrate its beauty, crafting hand-made, nature-inspired jewelry that reflects the elegance of the natural world.
Mining: Unearthing the Copper Treasure
Copper extraction begins with mining, using either open-pit or underground methods. Open-pit mining removes surface layers to access ore, while underground mining involves sinking vertical shafts and driving horizontal tunnels into rich ore veins.
From Ore to Powder: The Transformation
The extracted ore is crushed and ground into a fine powder, setting the stage for further refinement.
Concentrating Copper: Separating Valuables from Unwanted
In the concentrating stage, froth flotation is employed to remove unwanted materials (gangue), leaving behind concentrated copper ore.
Roasting and Smelting: Chemical Reactions Begin
Roasting, with temperatures between 500°C and 700°C, eliminates some sulphur and dries the ore, known as calcine. Smelting with fluxes follows, where solid calcine is heated to 1200°C, forming a matte of liquid copper and iron sulphide.
Conversion and Refining: Achieving Purity
Air is blown into the matte, creating blister copper. Anode casting shapes the blister, while electrolytic refining purifies the copper to an astonishing 99.99% through electrolysis.
An Alternative Path: Leaching
Leaching offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional copper mining. The ore is treated with dilute sulphuric acid, trickling slowly through the ore over months, dissolving copper to form a weak solution of copper sulphate. This copper solution is then recovered through electrolysis, a process known as SX-EW (solvent extraction/electrowinning).
Advantages
These processes offer several advantages:
– Reduced energy consumption compared to traditional mining
– Elimination of waste gases
– Lower capital investment
– Economic viability, even on a small scale.
View the video below for an inside look at the Copper Mountain Mine’s mining process.