What is the name of copper ore?

Copper ore and pure copper mining technology

Copper, actively used in almost all industries, is mined from various ores, the most common of which is bornite. The popularity of this copper ore is explained not only by the high copper content in its composition, but also by significant reserves of bornite in the bowels of our planet.

Copper ore deposits

Copper ores are a collection of minerals that, in addition to copper, contain other elements that shape their properties, in particular nickel.

The copper ore category includes those types of ores that contain such an amount of this metal that it is economically feasible to extract it by industrial methods. These conditions are satisfied by ores whose copper content is in the range of 0.5–1%.

Our planet has a reserve of copper-containing resources, the bulk of which (90%) are copper-nickel ores.

Most of the copper ore reserves in Russia are located in Eastern Siberia, on the Kola Peninsula, in the Ural region.

Chile is on the list of leaders in total reserves of such ores; deposits are also being developed in the following countries: the USA (porphyry ores), Kazakhstan, Zambia, Poland, Canada, Armenia, Zaire, Peru (porphyry ores), Congo, Uzbekistan.

Experts have calculated that large copper deposits in all countries contain a total of about 680 million tons. Naturally, the question of how copper is mined in different countries must be considered separately.

All copper ore deposits are divided into several categories, differing in genetic and industrial-geological characteristics:

• stratiform group represented by copper shales and sandstones;
• pyrite ores, which include native and vein copper;
• hydrothermal, including ores called porphyry copper;
• igneous, which are represented by the most common ores of the copper-nickel type;
• skarn type ores;
• carbonate, represented by ores of the iron-copper and carbonatite type.

In Russia, copper mining is carried out mainly in shale and sand deposits, in which the ore is contained in copper pyrite, copper-nickel and porphyry copper forms.

Natural compounds containing copper

Pure copper, which is what its nuggets represent, is found in nature in very small quantities. Copper is mainly found in nature in the form of various compounds, the most common of which are the following.

• Bornite is a mineral that got its name in honor of the Czech scientist I. Born. This is a sulfide ore, the chemical composition of which is characterized by its formula - Cu5FeS4. Bornite has other names: variegated pyrite, copper purple. In nature, this ore is presented in two polymorphic forms: low-temperature tetragonal-scalenohedral (temperature less than 228 degrees) and high-temperature cubic-hexaoctahedral (more than 228 degrees). This mineral can have different types depending on its origin. Thus, exogenous bornite is a secondary early sulfide, which is very unstable and is easily destroyed by weathering. The second type, endogenous bornite, is characterized by variable chemical composition, which may contain chalcocite, galena, sphalerite, pyrite and chalcopyrite. Theoretically, minerals of these types can contain from 25.5% sulfur, more than 11.2% iron and over 63.3% copper, but in practice this content of these elements is never maintained.
• Chalcopyrite is a mineral whose chemical composition is characterized by the formula CuFeS2. Chalcopyrite, which is of hydrothermal origin, was previously called copper pyrite. Along with sphalerite and galena, it is included in the category of polymetallic ores. This mineral, which, in addition to copper, contains iron and sulfur, is formed as a result of metamorphic processes and can be present in two types of copper ores: contact-metasomatic type (skarns) and mountain metasomatic (greisens).
• Chalcocite is a sulfide ore, the chemical composition of which is characterized by the formula Cu2S. This ore contains a significant amount of copper (79.8%) and sulfur (20.2%). This ore is often referred to as “copper lustre”, due to the fact that its surface appears as a shiny metal, ranging in shades from lead-gray to completely black. In copper-bearing ores, chalcocite appears as dense or fine-grained inclusions.

In nature, there are also rarer minerals that contain copper.

• Cuprite (Cu2O), a member of the oxide group of minerals, can often be found in places where there is malachite and native copper.
• Covelline is a sulfide rock formed metasomatically. This mineral, whose copper content is 66.5%, was first discovered at the beginning of the last century in the vicinity of Vesuvius. Now covellite is actively mined in deposits in countries such as the USA, Serbia, Italy, and Chile.
• Malachite is a mineral well known to everyone as an ornamental stone. Surely everyone has seen products made from this beautiful mineral in the photo or even owns them. Malachite, which is very popular in Russia, is copper carbonate or copper dihydrocoxcarbonate, which belongs to the category of polymetallic copper-containing ores. The malachite found indicates that there are deposits of other minerals containing copper nearby. In our country, a large deposit of this mineral is located in the Nizhny Tagil region; previously it was mined in the Urals, but now its reserves there are significantly depleted and are not being developed.
• Azurite is a mineral that is also called “copper blue” due to its blue color. It is characterized by a hardness of 3.5–4 units; its main deposits are developed in Morocco, Namibia, Congo, England, Australia, France and Greece. Azurite is often intergrown with malachite and occurs in places where deposits of sulfide-type copper-bearing ores are located nearby.

Copper production technologies

To extract copper from the minerals and ores that we discussed above, modern industry uses three technologies: hydrometallurgical, pyrometallurgical and electrolysis.

The pyrometallurgical method of copper enrichment, which is the most common, uses chalcopyrite as a raw material. This technology involves performing several sequential operations.

At the first stage, copper ore is enriched, for which oxidative roasting or flotation is used.

The flotation method is based on the fact that the gangue and its parts containing copper are wetted differently.

When the entire mass of rock is placed in a bath with a liquid composition in which air bubbles are formed, the part that contains mineral elements is transported by these bubbles to the surface, adhering to them.

As a result, a concentrate is collected on the surface of the bath - blister copper, which contains from 10 to 35% of this metal. It is from this powdered concentrate that pure copper is further obtained.

Oxidative roasting, which is used to enrich copper ores containing a significant amount of sulfur, looks somewhat different.

This technology involves heating the ore to a temperature of 700–8000, as a result of which sulfides are oxidized and the sulfur content in copper ore is reduced by almost half.

After such roasting, the enriched ore is melted in reverberatory or shaft furnaces at a temperature of 14500, resulting in matte - an alloy consisting of copper and iron sulfides.

The properties of the resulting matte should be improved; for this, it is blown in horizontal converters without supplying additional fuel. As a result of such side blowing, iron and sulfides are oxidized, iron oxide is converted to slag, and sulfur is converted to SO2.

Blister copper, which is obtained as a result of this process, contains up to 91% of this metal. To make the metal even purer, it is necessary to refining the copper, for which it is necessary to remove foreign impurities from it. This is achieved using fire refining technology and an acidified solution of copper sulfate. This refining of copper is called electrolytic; it allows one to obtain metal with a purity of 99.9%.

There is also a hydrometallurgical method for copper enrichment, which involves leaching the metal using sulfuric acid. As a result of such leaching, a solution is obtained, from which copper and other metals, including precious ones, are then isolated. This technology is used for the beneficiation of ores, which are characterized by a very low copper content in their composition.

Source: http://met-all.org/cvetmet-splavy/med/mednye-rudy-dobycha-medi.html

How copper is mined: methods, history and deposits

Copper today is a metal in extraordinary demand and widely used both in everyday life and in industry. In nature, Cu can be found both in its pure state and in the form of ore. There are several methods for mining and obtaining copper from source rocks. Moreover, all of them are used quite widely in industry. How copper is mined will be discussed in the article.

A little history

In what area copper began to be mined and used by humans for the first time in ancient times, archaeologists, unfortunately, were unable to find out. However, it is known for certain that it was this metal that people were the very first to process and use in everyday life.

Copper became known to man back in the Stone Age. Some nuggets of this metal found by archaeologists bear traces of processing with stone axes. Initially, people used copper mainly only as jewelry. At the same time, for the manufacture of such products, people in ancient times used exclusively nuggets of this metal that they found. Later, people learned to process copper-containing ore.

Many peoples of antiquity had an idea of ​​how Cu is mined and how it is processed. Archaeologists have found plenty of evidence of this. After man learned to make alloys of copper and zinc, the Bronze Age began. Actually, the name “copper” itself was once coined by the ancient Romans. Such metal was brought to this country mainly from the island of Cyprus. That's why the Romans called it aes cyprium.

Since this metal was once used very widely in everyday life by humans, the technologies for its extraction were, of course, developed quite advanced. Our ancestors obtained copper mainly from malachite ores. A mixture of such material and coal was placed in a clay vessel and placed in a pit. Next, the mass in the pot was set on fire. The resulting carbon monoxide reduced malachite to copper.

Reserves in nature

Where can you mine copper in the wild today? Currently, deposits of this popular metal have been discovered on all continents of the Earth. At the same time, Cu reserves are considered to be practically unlimited.

Geologists nowadays are finding more and more new deposits of pure copper, as well as ores containing it. For example, in 1950, world reserves of this metal amounted to 90 million tons. By 1970, this figure had already increased to 250 million tons, and by 1998 - to 340 million tons.

Currently, it is believed that copper reserves on the planet amount to more than 2.3 billion tons.

Deposits and methods of mining pure copper

As already mentioned, initially people used native copper in everyday life. Of course, such pure copper is still mined today. Nuggets of this metal are formed in the earth's crust as a result of exogenous and endogenous processes.

The largest known deposit of native copper on the planet is currently located in the USA, in the Lake Superior region. In Russia, native copper occurs in the Udokan deposit, as well as in some other places in Transbaikalia.

In addition, the answer to the question of where copper can be mined in Russia in the form of nuggets is the Ural region.

In nature, pure metal of this variety is formed in the oxidation zone of copper sulfate deposits. Typically, nuggets contain about 90-99% copper itself. The rest comes from other metals.

In any case, the answer to the question of how native copper is mined is provided by two main technologies. Such deposits, like ore deposits, are developed using closed mine or open pit methods.

In the first case, technological processes such as drilling and mining are used.

Copper nuggets can weigh a lot. The largest of them were once found on Lake Superior in the United States. The weight of these nuggets was about 500 tons.

We found out where copper is mined in Russia. These are mainly Transbaikalia and the Urals. In our country, of course, very large nuggets of this metal were also found at different times. For example, copper pieces weighing up to several tons were often found in the Middle Urals. One of these nuggets weighing 860 kg is now stored in St. Petersburg, in the Museum of the Mining Institute.

Copper ores and their deposits

At the moment, obtaining Cu is considered economically profitable and feasible even if it is contained in the rock at least 0.3%.

Most often, the following rocks are mined in nature today to extract copper industrially:

• bornites Cu5FeS4 - sulfide ores, otherwise called copper purple or variegated pyrite and containing about 63.3% Cu;
• chalcopyrites CuFeS2 - minerals of hydrothermal origin;
• chalcocite Cu2S containing more than 75% copper;
• cuprites Cu2O, often also found in places of native copper deposits;
• malachites, which are carbonated copper greens.

The largest copper ore deposit in Russia is located in Norilsk. Also, such rocks are mined in large quantities in some places in the Urals, Transbaikalia, Chukotka, Tuva and the Kola Peninsula.

How copper ore deposits are developed

Various types of rocks containing Cu, as well as nuggets, can be mined on the planet using two main technologies:

In the first case, mines are built at the deposit, the length of which can reach several kilometers. To move workers and equipment, such underground tunnels are equipped with elevators and railway tracks. Rock crushing in mines is carried out using special drilling equipment with spikes. Copper ore is collected and loaded to be sent upstairs using buckets.

If the deposits are located no further than 400-500 m from the surface of the earth, they are mined using the open-pit method. In this case, the top rock layer in the field is first removed using explosive devices. Next, the copper ore itself is gradually removed.

Methods for obtaining metal from rocks

We have thus found out how copper, or rather the ores containing it, are mined. But how do enterprises subsequently obtain Cu itself?

There are three main methods for extracting copper from rocks:

• electrolytic;
• pyrometallurgical;
• hydrometallurgical.

Pyrometallurgical flotation method

This technology is usually used to isolate copper from rocks that contain 1.5-2% Cu. Such material is subjected to enrichment by flotation method. Wherein:

• the ore is carefully ground to the finest powder;
• mix the resulting material with water;
• special flotation reagents, which are complex organic substances, are added to the mass.

Flotation reagents coat small grains of various copper compounds and impart non-wetting to them.

At the next stage:

• substances that create foam are added to the water;
• pass a strong air stream through the suspension.

Light dry particles of copper compounds as a result stick to the air bubbles and float to the top. The foam containing them is collected, squeezed out of the water and dried thoroughly. As a result, a concentrate is obtained, from which rough Cu is then isolated.

How copper is extracted from ore: beneficiation by roasting

The flotation method is used quite often in industry. But sometimes roasting technology is also used to enrich copper ore. This technique is most often used for ores containing large amounts of sulfur. In this case, the material is preheated to a temperature of 700-8000 °C. As a result, sulfides oxidize and the sulfur content in the rock decreases.

At the next stage, the ore prepared in this way is melted in shaft furnaces at a temperature of 14500 °C. Ultimately, when using this technology, matte is obtained - an alloy of copper and iron. This connection is further improved by blowing in converters. As a result, iron oxide turns into slag, and sulfur into SO4.

Obtaining pure copper: electrolysis

Using flotation and roasting methods, blister copper is obtained. Actually, such material contains about 91% Cu. To obtain purer copper, rough copper is subsequently subjected to refining.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr6ccqpoHTA

In this case, thick anode plates are first cast from primary copper. Further:

• take a solution of copper sulfate into the bath;
• hang anode plates in the bathroom;
• Thin sheets of pure copper are used as cathodes.

During the electrolysis reaction, copper dissolves at the anodes, and deposition occurs at the cathodes. Copper ions move towards the cathode, take electrons from it and transform into Cu+2+2e?>Cu atoms.

Impurities contained in blister copper may behave differently during cleaning. Zinc, cadmium, iron dissolve on the anode, but do not settle on the cathode. The fact is that in the series of electrochemical voltage they are to the left of copper, that is, they have more negative potentials.

Copper sulfate is obtained by slow oxidation of sulfide ore with oxygen to copper sulfate CuS + 2O2 > CuSO4. Subsequently, the salt is leached with water.

Hydrometallurgical method

In this case, sulfuric acid is used to leach and enrich copper. As a result of the reaction when using this technology, a solution saturated with Cu and other metals is obtained. Copper is then isolated from it. Using this technique, in addition to blister copper, it is possible to obtain other metals, including precious ones. In any case, this technology is most often used to isolate Cu from rocks that are not too rich in it (less than 0.5%).

Copper at home

Isolation of this metal from ores saturated with it is therefore a relatively simple matter technologically. Some are therefore interested in how to mine copper at home. It will, however, be very difficult to obtain this metal from ore, clay, etc. with your own hands, without special equipment.

Some, for example, are interested in how to extract copper from clay with their own hands. Indeed, in nature there are deposits of this material, which is also rich in Cu. However, unfortunately, there are no known proven technologies for producing copper from clay at home.

You can try to isolate this metal with your own hands at home, perhaps only from copper sulfate. To do this, the latter must first be dissolved in water. Next, you should simply place some iron object into the resulting mixture. After some time, the latter - as a result of the substitution reaction - will be covered with a copper coating, which can then simply be cleaned off.

Source: https://FB.ru/article/464216/kak-dobyivayut-med-sposobyi-istoriya-i-mestorojdeniya

Copper ore - deposits, mining, types, processing

The most common copper ore on our planet is bornite. But besides it, copper is also mined from other ores, which we will talk about in this article.

Copper ore: properties and characteristics

Copper is a plastic element with a golden-pink hue. In the open air, the metal is immediately covered with an oxygen film, which gives it a specific red-yellow color.

Characteristic properties: corrosion resistance, high thermal and electrical conductivity.

At the same time, the element has high antibacterial properties and destroys influenza viruses and staphylococci.

In the industrial complex, copper is most often used in alloys with other components: nickel, zinc, tin, gold, etc.

: Copper - melting point, physical properties, alloys

Mineral base for metal extraction

The raw materials for copper ore mining are natural mineral formations in which the metal component is contained in quantities necessary for economically viable industrial development.

Raw materials for copper ore mining.

Ore deposits are represented by silicate, carbonate, sulfate compounds, and oxides formed in the oxidation zone.

Among the explored minerals for industrial development are:

• chalcopyrite;
• chalcocite;
• bornite;
• cuprite;
• native copper;
• brochantite;
• azurite;
• cubanite;
• malachite;
• chrysotile.

In ore, the metal concentration is 0.3–5%, and in minerals the concentration is 22–100% (native metal). Copper deposits are in a genetic relationship with other valuable components that are mined as additional chemical elements to the main process.

Among the associated components are:

• platanoids;
• silver;
• gold;
• tellurium;
• gallium;
• molybdenum;
• bismuth;
• nickel;
• titanium;
• zinc.

The ore for copper extraction contains arsenic, antimony, and less commonly mercury. Depending on the type of associated chemical elements, types of deposits are distinguished, among which the main ones are:

• copper-nickel;
• copper-pyrite;
• cuprous sandstones and shales;
• copper-porphyry.

Skarn metal deposits and quartz-sulfide formations are of subordinate importance. In the future, ferromanganese nodules found in the bottom sediments of the World Ocean are considered as raw materials for industrial metal production.

Varieties of copper ores

Ore classification according to genetic and geological characteristics:

• stratiform - these are sandstones and shales;
• pyrite - vein copper and nuggets;
• hydrothermal - it is called the porphyry copper form;
• skarn rocks;
• igneous - this ore contains nickel;
• carbonate - have an iron-copper and carbonatite composition.

Natural compounds containing copper in their composition

Pure copper nuggets are found in our Earth in small quantities. It is mainly mined in combination with other elements, here are the most famous of them:

1. Bornite is a mineral that was named after the Czech scientist Born. It is a sulfide ore. It also has alternative names, such as copper purple. It is mined in two types: low-temperature tetragonal-scalenohedral and high-temperature cubic-hexahedral. The different types of this material depend on where it originated. Exogenous bornite is a secondary early sulfide, is unstable and is subject to destruction when exposed to winds. Endogenous bornite has a variable chemical composition and may contain various elements, for example, chalcocite and galena. In theory, bornite can contain 11% iron and more than 63% copper, but, unfortunately, in practice this composition is not maintained.
2. Chalcopyrite - this type of mineral was originally called copper pyrite; it originates hydrothermally. Chalcopyrite is classified as a polymetallic ore. In addition to copper, this mineral contains iron and sulfur. It is formed as a result of metamorphic processes, and is present in metasomatic types of copper ores.
3. Chalcocine - this ore contains a large amount of copper, almost 80%, the remaining place is occupied by sulfur. This type is often called copper glitter, as its surface is similar to shiny metal, shimmering in several shades. In ores, chalcocite forms as a fine-grained or dense inclusion.
4. Cuprite - this mineral belongs to the oxide group, and it originates in places where native copper or malachite is contained.
5. Covellite is a mineral that is formed only metasomatically. It contains almost 67% copper. There are large deposits of copper ores in Serbia, Italy and the USA.
6. Malachite, or, as it is also called, an ornamental stone, is very popular; it is a copper carbon dioxide green. If this mineral is found somewhere, it means that others containing copper can be found nearby.

: Copper plating at home - chemical, galvanic

Mineral extraction methods

In Russia there are deposits such as shale and sandstone. Copper pyrite, copper-nickel and porphyry copper forms occur here. The mining industry uses various methods to extract minerals from the depths of the earth.

Depending on the depth of occurrence, ore is mined using open or closed methods. There are standards that determine the feasibility of the depth of excavation of soil layers and the use of technologies that reduce their costs.

The work technology includes the following:

• use of self-propelled equipment;
• production of ore extraction directly;
• filling the resulting voids with materials to make further work safe.

With the open method, fossils are selected in layers, this ensures their fullest use. For deep quarries, the technology of cyclic-flow operations is suitable, it depends on the characteristics of the layers.

Negative consequences of mining

When the formations occur at a depth of 500 to 1000 m and deeper, the closed method of copper mining is convenient. This requires vibration mechanisms; the rock is completely excavated and delivered to the surface. The voids formed underground are filled using pipes lined with rubber or basalt resin.

It is economically advantageous to locate the mineral processing industry in close proximity to the places of their extraction. It is also necessary to build plants for recycling waste after processing. This can promote the release of various beneficial products. For example, processing sulfur dioxide makes it possible to obtain useful fertilizers containing sulfur.

Metal extraction technology

To separate rocks that do not contain a valuable component, the flotation method is used. Only a small amount of raw materials containing copper in high concentrations is subjected to direct smelting. Metal smelting involves a complex process that includes the following operations:

• burning;
• fuse;
• conversion;
• fire and electrolytic refining.

Melting of raw materials.

During the roasting process of raw materials, the sulfides and impurities contained in it are converted into oxides (pyrite is converted into iron oxide). The gases released during roasting contain sulfur oxide and are used to produce acid.

Metal oxides formed as a result of the influence of a temperature gradient on the rock are separated in the form of slag during firing. The liquid product obtained from remelting is subjected to conversion.

Valuable components are extracted from blister copper and harmful impurities are removed by fire refining and other metals are removed by saturating the liquid mixture with oxygen and then pouring it into molds. Castings are used as an anode for the electrolytic method of purifying copper.

The raw material, which contains copper and nickel, is subjected to enrichment using a selective flotation scheme in order to obtain a metal concentrate. Iron-copper ores undergo magnetic separation.

Cuprous sandstones and shales, gangue and native metal ores are processed to extract copper concentrate. Enrichment is carried out using the gravitational method.

The flotation method is used for mixed and oxidized ores, but chemical methods and bacterial leaching are more often used.

High copper content is characteristic of concentrates extracted from chalcocite and bornite, and low copper content is characteristic of chalcopyrite.

Concentration of ore with low copper content can be carried out using a hydrometallurgical method, which consists of leaching copper with sulfuric acid. Copper and related metals, including precious ones, are separated from the resulting solution.

Source: https://intehstroy-spb.ru/spravochnik/mednaya-ruda-svoystva-primenenie-dobycha.html

Copper deposits

Metals in the copper subgroup are characterized by low chemical activity, for this reason they are found in the form of chemical compounds, as well as nuggets. Many centuries ago, copper could only be found in the form of sulfur compounds - chalcopyrite and chalcocite.

This is because copper has a high chemical affinity for sulfur.
Most primary ores contain copper in sulfide form - CuS. Over time, especially under conditions of volcanic activity, under the influence of large amounts of oxygen, copper sulfides became oxides.

Copper nuggets were formed in nature during the strong heating of oxidized sulfur ore. For example, if oxidized copper minerals and sulfur ores lay under a thick layer of rock, they were heated by natural disasters and earthly heat. In such natural “metallurgical shops” colossal volumes of copper were smelted.

A nugget weighing 420 tons was found in North America. However, this is rare; native copper on the planet is approximately 1%.

World copper deposits

A lot of copper, like other minerals, is located at the bottom of the oceans.
At the bottom there are clusters of round stones containing approximately 0.5% copper. According to the analysis of geologists, the reserves of copper ore in the ocean reach 5 billion tons. There are almost 250 copper minerals, but only 20 are used industrially. The main copper ores include:

• chalcocite - Cu2S, which contains 79.8% copper
• chalcopyrite - CuFeS2, which contains 30% copper. This ore accounts for almost 50% of all copper deposits
• bornite - Cu5FeS4, contains from 52 to 65% copper
• covellite – CuS, contains 64% copper.

According to genetic and industrial-geological parameters, copper deposits are:

• stratiform, which include copper shales and sandstones
• pyrites. This group includes native and vein copper
• hydrothermal 
• igneous, including the most common ores of the copper-nickel type
• carbonate. This group includes iron-copper and carbonatite ores.

Copper reserves in the world

The largest amount of copper, approximately 65%, occurs in North and South America.
European states have 15% of resources, Asian states - 11%, African states - 4.5%. The largest confirmed copper reserves are recorded in Chile. Almost 20% of the world's reserves are located there.

And in the USA - 12.7%. In addition to these countries, there is a lot of copper in Poland, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, as well as in Zaire, Zambia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Australia. In each of these states, according to experts, there are about 10 million tons.

Due to the low copper content in the ore, its extraction involves processing large volumes of rock.
In order to smelt 1 ton of copper, over 200 tons of ore must be processed. Copper mining methods:

• open method. If ore deposits are located close to the earth's surface, then they are developed in this way; the depth of open-pit mining is 150-300 m. The method is characterized by lower losses  
• underground method. Using this method, ore is mined from a depth of 500 m, and sometimes from 800-1000 m.  

There are five technological systems for field development:

• using self-propelled equipment. This technology is widely used
• using continuous vibration mechanisms
• using hardening goaf backfill. In this case, there is a continuous excavation of reserves of powerful deposits with minimal losses. With the use of such systems, losses are reduced by 3-4 times  
• method of extracting ore in horizontal layers. When filling goafs (in underground mines) with hardening compounds, pipes lined with rubber or basalt are used, the service life of which is 50-100 times higher than that of steel
• cyclic-flow technology for the implementation of mining operations.

Table 1. Copper mining in the world CountryOre mining (thousand tons per year)Reserves (million tons)

Chile	5,38	140
USA	1,16	35
Peru	1	30
Indonesia	0,8	35
Australia	0,85	24
Russia	0,84	20
China	0,62	26
World	14,49	467

Copper production centers

Copper production centers are present in different regions of Russia.
Kazakhstan boasts the richest ore deposits. There are also deposits in the Urals. According to the latest data, Russia ranks first in the world in copper ore mining. Copper plants are being built in close proximity to the mines.

The raw material factor is the determining component, due to the low content of concentrates in the feedstock. There are 11 copper complexes located in the Urals, producing 43% of the country’s copper. In addition to our own raw materials, production also uses materials imported from Kazakhstan. There are also waste recycling plants.

For example, sulfur dioxide gases, as a byproduct of copper mining, are used to create sulfuric acid, which is then used to make fertilizers.

Source: http://mining-prom.ru/cvetmet/med/mestorozhdeniya-medi/

Copper ores

Copper ores are natural mineral formations containing copper in such compounds and concentrations at which their industrial use is technically possible and economically feasible.

Classification of copper ores[ | ]

Copper ores are divided into sulfide, oxide and mixed. In the primary ores of most industrial deposits, copper is present in the sulfide form. In the oxidation zone it is represented by carbonates, silicates, sulfates, oxides and other compounds. Over 200 copper-containing minerals are known; industrial accumulations form approx. 20.

The main copper minerals in sulfide ores, which account for over 90% of the world's copper reserves and production, are chalcopyrite (34.5% Cu), bornite (52-65% Cu) and chalcocite (79.8% Cu). In copper-nickel deposits, cubanite (22-24% Cu) is found in significant quantities, and in native copper deposits - native copper (98-100% Cu).

The main copper minerals in oxidized ores: malachite (57.4% Cu), azurite (55.5% Cu), chrysocolla (36.1% Cu), brochantite (56.2% Cu), cuprite (88.8% Cu ). Copper ores often contain minerals Fe, Mo, W, Pb, Co, As. There are Au and Ag in significant quantities, as well as V.

Copper deposits are divided into 9 geological and industrial types (copper-nickel, iron-nickel in gabbroids, carbonatite, skarn, porphyry copper, quartz-sulfide, native copper, cuprous sandstones and shales), included in 6 genetic groups (I. Magmatic ; II. Carbonatite; III. Skarn; IV. Hydrothermal; V. Pyrite; VI. Stratiform).

In the future, deposits of copper-containing marine iron-manganese nodules and mules, as well as uranium-gold-copper deposits, may take shape as an independent geological and industrial type. The average copper content in various types of ores ranges from 0.3-5%. Copper is present in complex ores Ni, Co, Pb, Sn, W, Bi, Au. The main producing countries at the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st century were Chile, USA, Canada, Zambia, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), Peru.  

Certain varieties of copper ores[ | ]

Porphyry copper ores occupy first place in terms of copper reserves and production (about 40% of world copper production). The high industrial value of these ores is determined by the large size of the ore bodies, their shallow occurrence, and uniform distribution of the metal. copper in porphyry copper ores ranges from 0.4 to 1.2%. Ore minerals - malachite, azurite, cuprite, brochantite, chrysocola, chalcocite, pyrite. Sometimes magnetite, sphalerite, bornite, galena, and hematite are present in the ores.

In quartz-sulfide or vein ores, ore minerals are represented by magnetite, chalcopyrite and sometimes molybdenite, and non-metallic minerals are calcite, quartz, sericite and chlorite, and sometimes barite and fluorite. These ores are characterized by vein, vein and disseminated textures. They lie at depths of 30 - 40 m, the content of oxidized ores does not exceed 5% of all quartz-sulfide ores. Quartz-sulfide ores are of secondary importance.

Native copper deposits typically form in the oxidation zone of some copper sulfide deposits along with the oxidized copper minerals cuprite, malachite, and azurite. Native copper may also occur in cuprous sandstones and shales.

Copper pyrite ores are characterized by a wide variety of shapes, sizes and types of relationships between ore and rock minerals. The main ore mineral is pyrite; there is also chalcopyrite, sphalerite, sometimes pyrrhotite, galena, bornite, chalcocite, and arsenopyrite.

Non-metallic minerals are sericite, chlorite, quartz, as well as barite, calcite and siderite. According to the mineral composition, pyrite ores are divided into copper and copper-zinc, polymetallic and sulfur.

In sulfur-pyrite ores, sulfur is of primary importance; copper, lead, zinc - subordinate.

Stratiform ores are represented by cuprous sandstones and shales. Cuprous sandstones and shales are the second largest source for copper (about 30% of all copper reserves) after porphyry copper ores. The main copper mineral of these ores is chalcocite, as well as bornite and chalcopyrite; coveline, native copper, is sometimes present. Lead, zinc, silver, cobalt, etc. may be present as impurities.

Based on textural features, copper ores are divided into solid , massive and disseminated .

Solid sulfide copper-pyrite ores, of course, are richer than disseminated ones, and are characterized by a high sulfur content (up to 90 - 95%), which is represented by pyrite in intergrowths with copper and zinc sulfides. The ratio of copper, zinc and sulfur in solid copper-pyrite ores reaches 1:1:20.

The main reserves of copper are concentrated in disseminated ores . The most common are porphyry copper ores and cuprous sandstones. Porphyry copper ores usually contain chalcopyrite and pyrite, and molybdenum and gold as valuable accompanying components.

Cuprous sandstones, as a rule, have an insignificant pyrite content, and the copper minerals in them are often represented by chalcocite and bornite, which makes it possible to obtain concentrates with a high copper content when enriching them.

In cuprous sandstones, silver is associated with chalcocite and, to a lesser extent, with bornite.

Copper ore deposits in the world[ | ]

Chuquicamata copper mine in Chile

Unique deposits have reserves of more than 5 million tons of copper (El Teniente, Chuquicamata in Chile, etc.), very large - 1-5 million tons, medium - 0.2-1 million tons and small - less than 0.2 million tons of copper . Rich ores contain Cu 2.5-3%, ordinary ores - 1-2.5% and poor ores - less than 0.5%.

Among the industrial copper deposits there are: igneous, carbonatite, skarn, plutonogenic hydrothermal, volcanogenic hydrothermal, pyrite and stratiform types.

Igneous deposits are represented by sulfide copper-nickel ores and copper-vanadium complex ores, from which, in addition to copper (content 1-2%) and nickel, cobalt, gold, platinum and trace elements are also mined. Nonmetallic minerals are mainly represented by plagioclase and pyroxene.

Such deposits in Russia include: Pechenga, Allarechenskoye, Monchegorskoye (Kola Peninsula); Talnakh, Oktyabrskoye, Norilsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory); in Finland - Pori; Sweden - Cool; Canada - Sudbury, Thompson; USA - Stillwater and in South Africa - Bushveld, Insizwa.

The group of volcanic hydrothermal deposits includes rare occurrences of native copper formations (deposits of Lake Superior, USA). Such ore occurrences are known in Azerbaijan, the Urals, the Kola Peninsula, Kazakhstan and Mountain Shoria.

Copper and copper-zinc pyrite deposits are known in the Urals (Gai, Sibay), in Mugodzhary (Priorskoye), in the Caucasus (Urup, Kafan), in Turkey (Ergani), in Cyprus (Skursho-Tissa), in Bulgaria (Radka), Spain (Rio Tinto), Norway (Lekkon), Sweden (Boliden), USA (United Verde), Canada (Kidd Creek), Japan (Bessie), etc.

The ores are composed of iron sulfides (80-90%) and containing up to 40% S, 3-5% Cu, 2-4% Zn. Along the way, Cd, Se and Te are removed.

Carbonatite copper ores are very rare; in addition to copper, they contain magnetite, and the rocks are represented by carbonates, olivine, and apatite. A representative of carbonatite ores is the Palabor deposit (South Africa). The deposit is complex, containing copper (0.68% on average), iron and phosphate raw materials. Copper reserves are estimated at 1.5 million tons.

Skarn copper deposits are complex; they contain molybdenum, cobalt, bismuth, selenium, tellurium, iron, lead, antimony, arsenic, nickel, tin, and tungsten.

Sulfide minerals in these ores have uneven inclusions or are associated with epidote, quartz, and calcite. These deposits are known in Kazakhstan (Sayak), the Russian Federation - in the Urals (Turinsky group), in Western Siberia (Yulia), the USA (Clifton, Bisbee), Mexico (Dolores), etc.

copper in them is high, but uneven (1-10%, on average 1.5-3%). Ores, in addition to copper, contain Mo, Au, Hg, Co, Bi, Se, Te.

Among the plutogenic hydrothermal deposits, porphyry copper and vein deposits are distinguished. The first include deposits of large accumulations of low-grade copper or molybdenum-copper veinlet-disseminated stockwork-type ores in porphyry intrusions.

They are known in Kazakhstan (Konrad), Uzbekistan (Kalmakir), Transcaucasia (Kajaran), in the countries of the former Yugoslavia (Medet, Asarel), Chile (El Teniente), Peru (Toquepala), Panama (Sierra Colorada), USA ( Bingham Canyon, Morenci, Manuel), Canada (Valley Copper), etc.

The average copper content in primary ores is 0.2-0.7%, in the re-enrichment zone it increases to 1-1.5%. Mo (0.005-1.05%), Se, Te and Re are produced along the way. Vein deposits are common, but large objects are rare.

These include Chatyrkul and Zhaisan (Kazakhstan), Rsen and Virli Bryag (Bulgaria), Butte, Magma (USA), Mataambre and El Cobre (Cuba). Ore veins with a thickness of 0.3-10 m can be traced to a depth of 500-600 m and a length of up to 10 km. copper reaches 4-5%. Along the way, precious and trace metals are mined.

Hydrothermal deposits include porphyry copper, quartz-sulfide deposits and native copper deposits.

See also[ | ]

• Copper
• Copper resources and reserves
• Native copper
• Copper-molybdenum ores
• Copper-zinc ores
• Copper ore enrichment technology
  • Flotation of copper sulphide ores

Literature[ | ]

Source: https://encyclopaedia.bid/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%8F/%D0% 9C%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B0

Copper ore

In the depths of the earth there are quite a large number of different minerals that can be used to produce various materials. Copper ore is quite widespread - it is used for processing and producing various substances that are used in industry. It is worth considering that such ore, which contains copper, may also contain other minerals. It is recommended to use earthen rock that contains at least 0.5-1% metal.

Copper ore

Classification

A huge amount of a wide variety of copper ores are being mined. The classification is carried out according to their origin. The following groups of copper ores are distinguished:

1. Pyrite has become quite widespread. The rock is a compound of iron and copper and has a large number of various inclusions and veins of other impurities.
2. Stratiform is represented by a combination of copper shales and sandstones. This kind of rock has also become widespread, as it is represented by a large deposit. The main characteristics include a simple sheet shape, as well as a uniform distribution of all useful components. Due to this, copper rock of this type is most in demand, as it allows for productivity at the same level.
3. Copper-nickel. This ore is characterized by massive texture inclusions of cobalt and gold, as well as platinum group metals. The deposits are in vein and sheet form.
4. Porphyry copper or hydrothermal. Copper ore deposits of this kind contain a high concentration of silver and gold, selenium and other chemicals. In addition, all useful substances are in higher concentration, due to which the breed is in demand. It is extremely rare.
5. Carbonate. This group includes iron-copper and carbonatite ore. It is worth considering that this breed was found only in South Africa. The mine being developed is classified as massive alkaline rock.
6. Skarn is a group that is characterized by a local location in a wide variety of rocks. Characteristic properties include small size and complex morphology. It is worth considering that in this case the ore containing copper has a high concentration. However, the metal is unevenly distributed. The rocks being mined have a copper concentration of about three percent.

Copper pyrite

Copper practically does not occur, for example, like gold, in the form of massive nuggets. The largest such formation can be called a deposit in North America, the mass of which is 420 tons. With 250 types of copper, only 20 of them are widely used in their pure form, others are used only as alloying elements.

Applications of copper ore

The natural resource in question has become very widespread. As previously noted, its extraction has been carried out for several decades. Copper ore can contain a fairly large number of useful elements, for example, gold and silver. Therefore, its distribution is quite extensive.

Appearance of copper ore

The use of the mined copper mixture is associated with the production of various metals. There are two main copper production technologies:

1. hydrometallurgical;
2. pyrometallurgical.

The second method involves fire refining of metal. Due to this, ore can be processed in almost any volume. In addition, exposure to fire allows almost all useful substances to be extracted from the rock. Pyrometallurgical technology is used to isolate copper from rocks that have a low degree of metal enrichment. The hydrometallurgical method is used exclusively for processing oxidized and native rock, which also have low copper concentrations.

In conclusion, we note that copper today is included in almost all alloys. Its addition as an alloying element allows you to change the basic performance properties.

Source: https://stankiexpert.ru/spravochnik/materialovedenie/mednaya-ruda.html

Minerals: Copper ores

Copper is a ductile metal of golden-pink color, which in its pure form is found in nature more often than nuggets of gold or silver. But copper is mainly mined from copper ores - natural mineral formations. Most copper is found in sulfide ores. In oxidation zones, copper is found in most silicates, carbonates and oxides. Copper is also found in sedimentary rocks: shales and cuprous sandstones.

Modern science knows more than 200 minerals containing copper. In industry, metal extracted from sulfates is most often used, including:

• Chalcocite (79% copper);
• Bornite (up to 65%);
• Chalcopyrite, or copper pyrite (about 35%).

Copper is also contained in copper-nickel compounds. The most famous of them is cubanite (up to 45% copper). Of the oxidized ores, it is worth noting cuprite (88%), malachite (up to 58%), azurite (up to 56%). Sometimes there are deposits of native copper.

Characteristics and types of copper

Copper is one of the first metals that people began to use. The chemical symbol is Cu (cuprum). This metal has high thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and electrical conductivity. Copper melts at low temperatures, is excellent for soldering, and the metal is easy to cut and process.

Some copper compounds can be toxic to humans. High levels of copper in water and food can cause liver and gallbladder diseases. Quarries left behind after copper mining become sources of toxins. For example, Berkeley Pit Lake, formed in the crater of a former copper mine, is considered the most toxic lake in the world. But the bactericidal properties of copper are disproportionately higher. It has been proven that copper helps fight influenza viruses and destroys staphylococci.

In industry, copper is rarely used in its pure form. The following alloys have found greater use:

• Brass (an alloy of copper and zinc);
• Bronze (with tin);
• Babbitts (with lead);
• Cupronickel (with nickel);
• Dural (with aluminum);
• Jewelry alloy (with gold).

Copper deposits and mining

The largest copper deposit in the world is located in Chile - the Esconida quarry. Huge deposits of native copper were discovered here.

Other large deposits:

• Mines on the Keweenaw Peninsula (USA, Michigan);
• Chuquicamata mine in Chile (up to 600 thousand tons per year);
• Corocoro mine in Bolivia;
• Gumishevsky mine (Middle Urals, Russia) - now depleted;
• Valley of the Levikha River (Middle Urals, Russia);
• Gabbro massif (Italy).

According to the US Geological Survey, the largest copper deposits belong to Chile. Next come the USA, Russia, Peru and Mexico.

Copper mining methods:

• Open;
• Hydrometallurgical - when copper is leached from the rock with a weak solution of sulfuric acid;
• Pyrometallurgical – consists of several stages (concentration, roasting, smelting for matte, purging and refining).

Careful handling of copper ores

Copper ores are a non-renewable resource, and therefore their development requires careful treatment, both in mining methods and in industrial processing.

Industry is increasingly becoming more demanding of constant volumes of resources received, which leads to their gradual depletion. To do this, it is necessary to more carefully control the extraction of copper ores, along with other non-renewable resources such as oil, natural gas, and use them more carefully and rationally, both in industrial and domestic consumption.

Copper Applications

Copper is one of the most important non-ferrous metals, which has found application in almost all spheres of human activity.

• Electrical industry (wires, wire);
• Mechanical engineering (starter, power windows, radiators, coolers, bearings);
• Shipbuilding (hull plating);
• Construction (pipes, pipelines, roofing and facing materials, bathtubs, faucets, sinks);
• In art (jewelry, statues, coinage);
• In everyday life (air conditioners, microwave ovens, coins, food additives, musical instruments).

Interestingly, the Statue of Liberty is made of copper. Its construction required about 80 tons of metal. And in Nepal, copper is considered a sacred metal.

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Copper

Native copper measuring about 4 cm

Copper is a mineral from the class of native elements. Fe, Ag, Au, As and other elements are found in natural minerals as impurities or forming solid solutions with Cu.

The simple substance copper is a ductile transition metal of golden-pink color (pink in the absence of an oxide film). One of the first metals widely mastered by man due to its relative availability for extraction from ore and low melting point.

It is one of the seven metals known to man since very ancient times. Copper is an essential element for all higher plants and animals.

STRUCTURE

Crystal structure of copper

Cubic system, hexaoctahedral type of m3m symmetry, crystal structure - cubic face-centered lattice. The model is a cube of eight atoms in the corners and six atoms located in the center of the faces (6 faces). Each atom of this crystal lattice has a coordination number of 12.

Native copper occurs in the form of plates, spongy and solid masses, filamentary and wire aggregates, as well as crystals, complex twins, skeletal crystals and dendrites.

The surface is often covered with films of “copper green” (malachite), “copper blue” (azurite), copper phosphates and other products of its secondary alteration.

PROPERTIES

Native copper crystals, Lake Superior, Kinawee County, Michigan, USA. Size 12 x 8.5 cm

Copper is a golden-pink ductile metal; in air it quickly becomes covered with an oxide film, which gives it a characteristic intense yellowish-red hue. Thin films of copper have a greenish-blue color when exposed to light.

Along with osmium, cesium and gold, copper is one of the four metals that have a distinct coloration that is different from the gray or silver of other metals. This color tint is explained by the presence of electronic transitions between the filled third and half-empty fourth atomic orbitals: the energy difference between them corresponds to the wavelength of orange light. The same mechanism is responsible for the characteristic color of gold.

Copper has high thermal and electrical conductivity (it ranks second in electrical conductivity among metals after silver). Specific electrical conductivity at 20 °C: 55.5-58 MS/m. Copper has a relatively large temperature coefficient of resistance: 0.4%/°C and is weakly dependent on temperature over a wide temperature range. Copper is diamagnetic.

There are a number of copper alloys: brass - with zinc, bronze - with tin and other elements, cupronickel - with nickel and others.

Reserves and production

Copper specimen, 13.6 cm. Kinawi Peninsula, Michigan, USA

The average copper content in the earth's crust (clarke) is (4.7-5.5) 10−3% (by mass). In sea and river water the copper content is much lower: 3·10−7% and 10−7% (by weight), respectively. Most copper ore is mined by open pit mining. copper in ore ranges from 0.3 to 1.0%. World reserves in 2000 were, according to experts, 954 million tons, of which 687 million tons were proven reserves; Russia accounted for 3.2% of total and 3.1% of confirmed world reserves.

Thus, at the current rate of consumption, copper reserves will last approximately 60 years.
Copper is obtained from copper ores and minerals. The main methods for obtaining copper are pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy and electrolysis. The pyrometallurgical method involves obtaining copper from sulfide ores, for example, chalcopyrite CuFeS2.

The hydrometallurgical method involves dissolving copper minerals in dilute sulfuric acid or ammonia solution; From the resulting solutions, copper is replaced by metallic iron.

ORIGIN

Small nugget of copper

Typically, native copper is formed in the oxidation zone of some copper sulfide deposits in association with calcite, native silver, cuprite, malachite, azurite, brochantite and other minerals. The masses of individual clusters of native copper reach 400 tons.

Large industrial deposits of native copper, along with other copper-containing minerals, are formed when volcanic rocks (diabases, melaphyres) are exposed to hydrothermal solutions, volcanic vapors and gases enriched in volatile copper compounds (for example, the Lake Superior deposit, USA).

Native copper is also found in sedimentary rocks, mainly in cuprous sandstones and shales.

The most famous deposits of native copper are the Turin mines (Urals), Dzhezkazgan (Kazakhstan), in the USA (on the Keweenaw Peninsula, in the states of Arizona and Utah).

Source: http://mineralpro.ru/minerals/copper/

The largest copper deposits on the planet: copper ore deposits

In the history of mankind, the Stone Age was replaced by the Copper Age, and man made tools and weapons from this metal, not forgetting about stone and bone. The chemical element received its name in honor of the island of Cyprus, where a large center for the mining and processing of copper was located. Today, our focus is on the largest copper deposits in the world.

1

 Chuquicamata. Chile

One of the world's oldest and largest copper deposits, copper mining began in 1915, and the quarry is located at an altitude of 2,840 m in the Central Andes.

In terms of the volume of ore mined, it lost the palm to Escondida, but in terms of size it remains one of the largest. The quarry is 4.3 km long and 3 km wide. Moreover, work is already underway at a depth of over 850 m.

At the turn of the 60-70s of the last century, the Chilean company CODELCO began to develop ore. It should be noted that the company’s employees conduct not only production, but also active exploration to find new deposits.

2

 Escondida. Chile

On the northern edge of the Atacama Desert in the second half of the 20th century, large deposits of copper ores were discovered at an altitude of more than 3 thousand m above sea level.

Over the course of several years, a project was developed, and in 1990, open-pit copper mining began in this part of Chile. By 2011, this quarry had become the largest of all the world's deposits.

2007 was a record year, when 1.5 million copper was extracted from the bowels of the earth. The deposit consists of two huge quarries, and in total over 6,000 people are employed in the extraction and transportation of valuable metal.

3

 Bingham Canyon. USA

A giant deposit, where open-pit copper mining has been carried out since 1863. This is the deepest copper quarry, with a depth of 1,200 m.

The size of the anthropogenic formation is truly amazing. It covers an area of ​​7.7 km2 and its width is 4 km. According to geologists, ores containing copper will last for many decades, because reserves are estimated at 640 million tons.

Every day, 450 thousand tons of rock are extracted to the surface, and 1,400 workers work on the extraction. In 2013, a landslide occurred in the quarry, stopping work for several months.

4

 Kewino. USA

The mine is located on the peninsula of the same name in Michigan, and the first work began here back in 1854.

Over the entire history of exploitation, 5 million tons of copper have been extracted from the bowels of the earth. Mining is carried out in several quarries, and the deposit itself is located near the shores of the lake.

It is noteworthy that copper was mined here by the Dakota and Huron Indian tribes, who became the discoverers of this mine.

5

 Grasberg. Indonesia

The large mine ranks third in terms of production volumes of valuable metal, and it is also the highest quarry, located on Mount Jayi.

20 thousand workers are employed in the extraction of rocks and their processing, and copper reserves, as geologists estimate, amount to 27 million tons. Annual production averages 600 tons of copper, and the gigantic quarry has become a landmark and a symbol of the mining industry.

It is worth mentioning that gold ores are also developed at the mine, and the Indonesian quarry is among the world leaders in terms of gold production volumes.

6

 Collahhuasi. Chile

A large copper mine in northern Chile is being developed by several global companies. 44% each belongs to Chilean and Canadian companies, and a small part is managed by the Japanese company Mitsui.

Copper reserves are estimated at 17 million tons, and development is carried out in several quarries. In 2004, a new Rosario quarry was launched, which increased the production of copper ore to 400 thousand tons of mine copper.

Development also continues at the Eugene quarry, and ore reserves will last for another 50 years.

7

 Anniversary. Russia

Copper mining began at Yubileiny in 1996, and when considering copper deposits in Russia, it is one of the largest. It was opened back in 1966.

Geologists who discovered and explored this area in the Republic of Bashkortostan were awarded State Prizes. In terms of the size of the quarry, it is one of the largest in the Russian Federation, and in terms of production volumes it is in 4th place.

It is interesting that there are also gold-containing ores at Oktyabrsky, but not in such large quantities as copper-containing ores are presented.

8

 Udokan. Russia

The Udokan deposit, located on the mountain range of the same name in the Trans-Baikal region, honorably ranks third in the world in terms of copper reserves of 24.6 million tons.

Copper on Udokan was discovered in 1949 during a forest exploration expedition, and the first mining developments began only at the beginning of the 21st century. As of today, exploration work has stopped at a depth of 1,200 m.

The difficulty of mining lies in the fact that copper ore deposits are located in the permafrost belt, and even in an earthquake-prone area of ​​the planet.

9

 Antamina. Chile

Another large copper mine located among the mountain peaks of the South American Andes with reserves of approximately 15-17 million tons.

During development, mining companies began to use new technologies to ensure that the extraction of copper ores causes as little damage to the environment as possible.

The management also pays great attention to ensuring safety, since the work is being carried out in a remote mountainous area. Copper ore mined in the Antamina mine is sent for processing both to national factories and to concerns located in other countries.

10

 El Tesoro. Chile

The Chilean field was discovered in 2008, and by April 2009 the development company completed all geological exploration work.

Reserves are estimated at 32 million tons with a high copper content, so the start of development will take the Chilean mining industry to a new level.

Exploration work at El Tesoro once again proved that the largest reserves of copper are concentrated in the volcanic rocks of the Andes.

11

 Vale-Salobu. Brazil

In recent decades, Brazil has become a world leader in copper exports, including due to an increase in ore production at the Vale Salobu mines.

The mine is located in the Brazilian state of Pará, and the use of the latest technologies has significantly increased the production of copper-bearing rocks.

This is the largest mine in the South American state, from which copper is exported to different parts of the world. In recent years, profitable contracts have been concluded with Poland and Ukraine.

12

 Nurkazgan. Kazakhstan

The entire periodic table has been collected in the depths of the Kazakh steppes. And one of the largest copper mines in Kazakhstan is located in the north of the country, and is part of the unified system of the Nurkazgan Mining and Processing Corporation.

Exploration work has been carried out since the late 90s, and the mine was put into operation in 2006. A little more than 700 workers are employed in mining.

Employees of Kazakhmys, which owns the rights to develop and mine gold and copper, estimate Nurkazgan’s copper reserves at 1.8 million tons.

13

 Uyu Tolgoi. Mongolia

The Mongolian mine specializes in the extraction of gold and native copper. Experts consider the mine one of the most promising in terms of the use of new technologies that will increase production volumes.

Copper mining was suspended in 2013 due to disagreements between Mongolian authorities and the Austro-Belgian exploration and mining company.

But Rio Tinto PLC, which owns the majority of the shares, presented a new promising project in which it invested more than $5 billion.

14

 Pebble. USA

In terms of the resource potential of gold and copper reserves, the deposit in Alaska is second only to the Indonesian Grasberg mine.

Exploration work was carried out by employees of the Canadian company Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd, and active development will begin as soon as the preparatory work is completed. Pebble reserves are estimated at 36 million tons.

Canadians have approached the development of deposits thoroughly, and now they are assessing the productivity and prices for transporting the mined minerals.

15

 Sibay. Russia

The quarry located in Bashkiria was opened in 1913, and copper mining began in the 30s of the twentieth century. The first exploration work was carried out in 1915, and already at that time a small copper smelter began operating nearby.

The largest site, Novo-Sibaisky, consists of 3 large lenses connected to each other by a common ore column. The depth of the quarry is just over 500 m, and its dimensions are 1.4 km by 1.3 km.

The deposit is considered the standard of pyrite ore deposits of the Ural group. In addition to copper, zinc is also mined at the mines, and according to experts, the reserves will last for many more decades.

By the way, on our website thebiggest.ru there is an informative article about the highest mountains of Bashkortostan.

Finally

Copper is an important material in industrial production, because copper alloys are used in the production of the latest electronic equipment and are widely used in the electric power industry. Well, receiving a copper medal in sports or intellectual competitions is also an honor.

Source: https://TheBiggest.ru/priroda/mestorozhdeniya-medi.html

What is copper ore, how is it mined, processed and what is it used for?

There are not many metals on our planet whose production volumes exceed those of copper. The twenty-ninth number in Mendeleev’s periodic table is in honorable third place in terms of production levels, right after iron and aluminum. Too many industries would be in trouble if their storerooms suddenly ran out of much-needed metal. The importance of copper and copper ore can hardly be overestimated for electrical engineering, heating engineering, metallurgy, medicine and even transport.

How copper differs from other metals and how copper is mined will be discussed below.

What is copper ore

Copper ore, like any other, is a conglomerate of substances, rocks, minerals, the content of the desired substance in which is so high that it is considered appropriate for mining. It is worth saying that along with the so-called Cuprum (the Latin name for copper), other useful elements are also mined in its ore in even smaller proportions. Copper itself begins to be mined in ores in which its amount exceeds 0.5%.

Yes, in its pure form, copper is found in nature even more often than aluminum, but still this figure is approximately one percent of the global reserves, because mining is still carried out from ores. The following groups of ores are distinguished by places of formation and composition: carbonate, sulfide, copper-nickel, porphyry copper (hydrothermal), skarn, stratiform.

Differences in saturation

There are a lot of variations of copper compounds with other substances in ores, about two and a half hundred. We will look at the most popular and most intense:

1. Bornite. Most often it belongs to the hydrothermal group of ores and may contain about 65% Cuprum. Chem. formula – Cu5FeS4;
2. Kovelin. Also a member of the hydrothermal group, up to 64% copper. Formula – CuS;
3. Chalcopyrite. Hydrothermal group. Copper saturation is 30%. The most popular ore is 50% of all deposits. Formula – CuFeS2;
4. Chalcocine. Leader in terms of saturation. 79.8% “red metal”. Still the same hydrothermal group. Formula – Cu2S.

Copper ore mining methods

There are two methods of mining - mine and open pit. That's all that modern technologies can boast of during ore mining. The open method is used in cases where the copper deposit is not located very deep underground (about 400-500 meters). First, a layer of waste rock is removed, and then the mining process itself begins, to facilitate which directed explosions are used.

In the case of the shaft method, as the name implies, a shaft is punched. The depth sometimes reaches a kilometer. The mines are equipped with elevators for transporting equipment and workers, as well as for transporting the resulting ore to the top. Studded drilling machines, biting into the rock, extract the ore necessary for production from the mines.

Processing the resulting ore

As of today, there are 3 ways to process the resulting copper ore. Pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical and electrolysis.

The pyrometallurgical method is the most popular. The most common chalcopyrite is taken as the “working material”.

At the very beginning, enrichment is performed. For this purpose, the oxidative firing method is used. This method is very suitable for chalcopyrite, since it is primarily designed for ores with high sulfur concentrations.

With this technology, the ore is heated to high temperatures (sometimes up to 8 thousand degrees Celsius), during which sulfur and oxygen interact, after which almost half of the sulfur evaporates. Next, the ore is heated even more in shaft or reverberatory furnaces. We are already talking about 1.4-1.5 thousand degrees.

Sometimes fake jewelry is made from copper, as a similar-colored material. To avoid counterfeits, be aware that copper darkens over time, and a metallic smell remains in the water.

The output, after exposure to such temperatures, is an alloy of copper and iron sulfides - matte. The alloy is blown through convectors, due to which both iron and sulfur are oxidized once again, evaporating in some places and settling as slag in others. The product becomes 91% blister copper.

In order to achieve almost standard copper content in the alloy, fire refining technology is used. An acidified solution of CuSO4 is also used with it. After these manipulations, which, by the way, are called electrolytic refining of copper, we get “pure” copper, with a concentration of 99.9%.

Copper mining in the world

Chile holds first place both in copper reserves and in its production on planet Earth. A third of the world's reserves are concentrated here. Copper has been mined in the Chuquicamata deposit for over 100 years. During this time, more than 26 million tons were mined. America and China take second and third places. In terms of the amount of copper ore in Russia, the country ranks fifth in the world along with Poland and Indonesia. Each country contains 4% of the world's reserves of this mineral.

Copper and copper ore in Russia

In Russia, copper ore reserves include the Norilsk, Oktyabrskoye, and Tapakhninskoye deposits. They contain about 60% of the country's copper reserves. The recently discovered Udokan mine (Chita region) can supply the country with ore for about 30 years. But so far no work has been carried out in this place, since it is located in a place with rudimentary transport links.

Copper Applications

It is easier to indicate areas where copper is not used than to cover all areas of its use. After all, even in the human body there is a need for a daily dose of copper (about 0.9 mg per day).

Due to its low resistivity, Cuprum is used for the production of wires, cables, electrical coils, transformers and other electrical equipment.

Due to its high thermal conductivity, copper, in turn, is involved in the design of elements of cooling, heating, and air conditioning systems.

In one area of ​​transport, namely pipelines, seamless copper pipes have become an ideal container for transporting both water and gas.

Jewelers use an alloy of gold and copper to strengthen the former. Since gold, in itself, is a very soft metal, and products without copper admixture would be extremely susceptible to deformation.

Due to the discovery of the bactericidal properties of copper, in the future it has a chance to be widely used in medicine, both for the manufacture of tools and work surfaces, and as a material for ordinary door handles.

Source: https://geomix.ru/blog/gornoe-delo/mednaya-ruda/