COPPER MINING LAB CLASS COPY BACKGROUND READING EXPERIMENT OVERVIEW

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Copper Mining Laboratory

Copper Mining Lab Class Copy

Background Reading


Experiment Overview:

The purpose of this experiment is to simulate heap leach extraction of copper from copper ore. Copper metal will be recovered using a single replacement reaction.


Introduction:

Mining is the extraction of metals or minerals from the Earth. Mining done above ground is called surface mining, and mining below ground is called subsurface mining. All types of mining pose environmental challenges. This activity focuses on the surface mining of copper.


Background:

Copper is mined from deposits of native copper (Cu2), cuprite (CuO2), azurite (Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2, and malachite (Cu2CO3(OH)2, and chalcopyrite (CeFeS2). In ancient times, nuggets of native copper were collected in streams or found lying on the ground. The native copper collected in this way was essentially pure copper metal. Simply heating these copper nuggets at a high temperature was enough to melt the metal so that it could be cast or formed into jewelry, weapons, or household objects. Native copper was also found projecting out of the ground in what is known as veins. This discovery led to surface and crude subsurface shaft mining of the ore. Surface mining involves scraping or digging to remove the layers of soil and rock that cover the vein of the metal or mineral. Subsurface mining involves digging long holes, or shafts, from an above ground entrance to very deep levels underground. Gradually, the large veins of copper have been mined to completion causing the less pure forms of copper such as the malachite and chalcopyrite to become the most common source of copper. These copper minerals are often found close to the surface making surface mining the most common form of copper mine. Some of the largest surface mines in the world are copper mines.


TCOPPER MINING LAB CLASS COPY BACKGROUND READING EXPERIMENT OVERVIEW hree steps are involved in mining – extraction of the rock, mineral processing, and metal purification. In surface mining, the top layers of soil and rock, called overburden or gangue, are moved away from the ore vein and heaped into spoil piles. The ore is extracted from the vein and moved to a processing plant. At the processing plant, the metal ore is separated from naturally occurring non-metallic minerals in a process called benefication. The metal ore proceeds to the purification process while the nonmetallic waste, called tailings, is heaped into piles similar to the spoil piles. High quality metal ore can be initially refined by smelting. Smelting involves heating the metal ore in a kiln like oven in a reducing environment to “release” the copper from the nonmetal components of the mineral.


Ecosystems surrounding mines are often adversely affected by the tailing and spoil piles. Many of the copper minerals or surrounding minerals contain sulfur. As precipitation like rain or snow falls onto the tailing and spoil piles, the water seeps though the pieces of rock. Species of sulfur loving bacteria, water, and oxygen react to create sulfuric acid. The solubility of metals increases with decreases in pH. The sulfuric acid solution leaches metals, such as iron, copper, lead, nickel, or arsenic from the tailing and spoil piles. The metal containing sulfuric acid solution, called acid mine drainage, travels to nearby streams, ponds, lakes, and even groundwater, changing the pH of the water. Acid mine drainage can be extremely corrosive, causing tissue damage and even death to many of the plant and animal species surrounding the mine. Bedrock surrounding a stream or lake near a mine contains minerals which act to neutralize the acid environment making it basic. If the water becomes sufficiently basic (alkaline), metals will precipitate out of solution coating the bottom of the stream or lake. Bottom feeding animals ingest small amounts of the metal laden sediment. Other species may bioaccumulate the metal as they feed on the bottom feeding species or on plants that have absorbed small amounts of the metal.


The chemical process behind acids mine drainage has led to the development of a process for low quality mineral ore called heap leach extraction. In heap leach extraction, crushed tailings and spoil piles are piled into a tank or onto a plastic liner on the ground. A sulfuric acid solution is sprayed onto the pile of ore. The solution permeates through the ore pile and dissolves metals from the rock. The amount of metal recovered using the heap leach extraction process can be greatly increased by the addition of specific bacteria to the mineral pile. Acidophilic, thermophilic, or chemolithotrophic bacteria thrive in the harsh conditions created in the heap leach piles. Chemolithotrophic bacteria derive energy by oxidizing inorganic compounds such as nitrogen, sulfur, hydrogen or metals. The resulting copper sulfate solution, an acidic blue liquid, is collected into vats for refining.


Several different refining techniques are used to capture the copper from the copper sulfate solution. One of the simplest methods is to add iron metal to the solution. The following reaction occurs…


CuSO4 (aq) + Fe(s) Fe2SO4(aq) + Cu(s)


The sulfate ion has a greater affinity for iron than copper. This change is observable because copper sulfate is blue while iron sulfate is colorless. Shiny copper metal plates onto the iron, while the iron metal leaches into solution. Eventually, the copper metal builds up enough to either stop the reaction or it may fall of the iron substrate allowing the reaction to continue. This is an example of a single replacement reaction often studied in chemistry.




Copper Mining Lab Class Copy

Instructions



Materials:


Safety Precaution:

Sulfuric acid solution is corrosive to the eyes, skin, mucous membranes, and other tissues. Wear approved protective eyewear, and follow all laboratory safety guidelines! Inform your teacher of a spill immediately, and wash in eyewash or sink.


Procedure:

  1. Closely observe a piece of your mineral sample. Record observations on you laboratory sheet.


  1. Wrap the mineral piece in several sheets of paper towel.


  1. Place the wrapped mineral on a hard, durable surface and pulverize the rock with a hammer into pea sized or smaller pieces.


  1. Using a balance, weight out 1 gram of the pulverized mineral and place it into a clean test tube.


  1. Using a graduated cylinder, measure and add 10mL of 2M sulfuric acid solution to the test tube. Observe and record the reaction between the mineral and the sulfuric acid.


  1. Allow the sulfuric acid to leach copper from the mineral for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a glass stirring rod.


  1. While waiting, use sandpaper to sand the surface of the nail. Carefully place the nail point side down into a clean test tube.


  1. Place a funnel into the top of a clean test tube with the nail.

COPPER MINING LAB CLASS COPY BACKGROUND READING EXPERIMENT OVERVIEW

  1. Fold a piece of filter paper in half, and then in half again. Tear off a small corner of the filter paper. See visual directions in figure 2. 


  1. Place the folded filter paper into the funnel.


  1. Carefully pour the sulfuric acid – mineral mixture into the filter paper. Closely observe the drops of copper sulfate solution as it drips through the filter paper and lands on the sanded nail. Record your observations on your laboratory sheet.


  1. Observe the color of the solution as it drips from the filter paper. Record your observations on your laboratory sheet.


  1. Follow disposal directions given by your teacher, and complete the post lab questions.


Copper Mining Lab Name __________________ Block __

Student Worksheet


Experiment Overview:

The purpose of this experiment is to simulate heap leach extraction of copper from copper ore. Copper metal will be recovered using a single replacement reaction.


Pre-Lab Questions:

  1. Name two types of mining. ______________________ & ____________________


  1. How was copper acquired in ancient times?


  1. We cannot obtain enough copper using the method from question 2 to meet the global demand of copper. Why not?


  1. Name a few types of rocks that contain copper?


  1. After the metal ore has been separated from other minerals like quartz, what happens to the non-metallic waste?


  1. Which of earth’s spheres are affected by copper mining? (Look up the 4 spheres in your notes!)


  1. Some bacteria like really harsh conditions. What conditions do acidophilic bacteria like? ________________ Thermophilic? ________________


  1. Explain the process of heap leach extraction?


  1. Look at the chemical formula for the reaction: CuSO4 (aq) + Fe(s) Fe2SO4(aq) + Cu(s)

What happened to the copper (Cu) and the iron (Fe)?



Data:

Data for this laboratory is qualitative. Please give a thorough description for each of the parts listed below. (draw, describe, and use details)


Chalcopyrite Observations:



Reaction Observations:



Nail and Solution Observations:



Final Solution Observations:



Post-Lab Questions:

  1. What happened to the chalcopyrite when the sulfuric acid was added?


  1. Based on the information provided in the background section, speculate about the metal composition of the nail. Cite any specific evidence that led you to this conclusion.


  1. Speculate how the solution would change over time if the nail was allowed to sit in the solution overnight.


  1. Observe someone else’s test tubes. How were the results with the two samples similar? Different?



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