Question

Write the chemical rxn involved in extraction of copper from copper pyrites

Answer 1

When copper is made from sulfide ores by the first method above, it is impure. The blister copper is first treated to remove any remaining sulfur (trapped as bubbles of sulfur dioxide in the copper - hence "blister copper") and then cast into anodes for refining using electrolysis.

Answer 2

Hi there,

The copper is formed of by the reduction of Cu2O and Cu2S in the process of extraction of copper from its sulfide ore. This reaction gives 98% copper by auto reduction. Electrolytic refining can be used for obtaining 99.9% pure copper. The reaction of self-reduction is given below:

2Cu2O + Cu2S -----> 6Cu + SO2

It is called self-reducing because copper oxide itself reduced the copper sulfide to give copper and sulfur dioxide.

Hope it helped.