...then what process is used to seperate the copper ore into the useable copper? what kind of reaction would it be-chemical, mineral, physical, removal....?
The old environmentally unfriendly process was pyrittic smelting where once the ore was heated red hot a blast of air introduced to furnace causing the sulfur to oxidize (burn) (SO2) causing the metal to be liberated from it's chemical bond but liberating vast amounts of acid rain producing gas. Today however after mining, milling and concentrating through flotation method the concentrates are dissolved in acid and the metal is then electrolytically stripped from the solution before further processing. Often during this whole process gold and silver can be by products. The sulfur is often reclaimed as acid.
Extracting copper from its ores The method used to extract copper from its ores depends on the nature of the ore. Sulphide ores such as chalcopyrite are converted to copper by a different method from silicate, carbonate or sulphate ores. The process The concentrated ore is heated strongly with silicon dioxide (silica) and air or oxygen in a furnace or series of furnaces.
