Editing Copper (section)

===Extraction<span class="anchor" id="Methods"></span>===
{{main|Copper extraction}}
[[File:Copper Flash Smelting Process (EN).svg|right|thumb|Scheme of flash smelting process]]
The great majority of copper ores are sulfides. Common ores are the sulfides chalcopyrite (CuFeS<sub>2</sub>), bornite (Cu<sub>5</sub>FeS<sub>4</sub>) and, to a lesser extent, covellite (CuS) and chalcocite (Cu<sub>2</sub>S).<ref>{{Greenwood&Earnshaw2nd|pages=1174–1175}}</ref>  These ores occur at the level of <1% Cu. Concentration of the ore is required, which begins with [[comminution]] followed by [[froth flotation]]. The remaining concentrate is smelted, which can be described with two simplified equations:<ref name=Ullmann>{{cite book |doi=10.1002/14356007.a07_471 |chapter=Copper |title=Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry |date=2001 |last1=Lossin |first1=Adalbert |isbn=9783527303854 }}</ref>

Cuprous sulfide is oxidized to cuprous oxide:
:2 Cu<sub>2</sub>S + 3 O<sub>2</sub> → 2 Cu<sub>2</sub>O + 2 SO<sub>2</sub>

Cuprous oxide reacts with cuprous sulfide to convert to ''blister copper'' upon heating:
:2 Cu<sub>2</sub>O + Cu<sub>2</sub>S → 6 Cu + 2 SO<sub>2</sub>

This roasting gives matte copper, roughly 50% Cu by weight, which is purified by electrolysis.  Depending on the ore, sometimes other metals are obtained during the electrolysis including platinum and gold.

Aside from sulfides, another family of ores are oxides.  Approximately 15% of the world's copper supply derives from these oxides.  The beneficiation process for oxides involves extraction with sulfuric acid solutions followed by electrolysis.  In parallel with the above method for "concentrated" sulfide and oxide ores, copper is recovered from [[mine tailing]]s and heaps.  A variety of methods are used including leaching with sulfuric acid, ammonia, ferric chloride.  Biological methods are also used.<ref name=Ullmann/><ref>{{cite journal|last=Watling |first=H.R. |title=The bioleaching of sulphide minerals with emphasis on copper sulphides – A review |journal=Hydrometallurgy |date=2006 |volume=84 |issue=1 |pages=81–108 |url=http://infolib.hua.edu.vn/Fulltext/ChuyenDe/ChuyenDe07/CDe53/59.pdf |doi=10.1016/j.hydromet.2006.05.001 |bibcode=2006HydMe..84...81W |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110818131019/http://infolib.hua.edu.vn/Fulltext/ChuyenDe/ChuyenDe07/CDe53/59.pdf |archive-date=18 August 2011}}</ref>

A potential source of copper is polymetallic nodules, which have an estimated concentration 1.3%.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Su |first1=Kun |last2=Ma |first2=Xiaodong |last3=Parianos |first3=John |last4=Zhao |first4=Baojun |title=Thermodynamic and Experimental Study on Efficient Extraction of Valuable Metals from Polymetallic Nodules |journal=Minerals |date=2020 |volume=10 |issue=4 |pages=360 |doi=10.3390/min10040360 |bibcode=2020Mine...10..360S |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=International Seabed Authority |title=Polymetallic Nodules |url=https://isa.org.jm/files/files/documents/eng7.pdf |publisher=International Seabed Authority |access-date=8 February 2021 |archive-date=23 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023145629/https://isa.org.jm/files/files/documents/eng7.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{Plain image with caption|Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company Copper Map.svg|<big>'''Flowchart of copper refining''' (Anode casting plant of Uralelektromed)</big>
# ''[[Copper extraction techniques#Converting|Blister copper]]''
# ''[[Smelting]]''
# ''[[Reverberatory furnace]]''
# ''[[Slag]] removal''
# ''Copper casting of [[anode]]s''
# ''Casting wheel''
# ''Anodes removal machine''
# ''Anodes take-off''
# ''[[Minecart|Rail cars]]''
# ''Transportation to the tank house''|650|center|top|triangle|#ccc}}