Heavy metals

Copper
 copper
Symbol :- Cu
Atomic number :- 29
Atomic mass :- 63.57amu
Electronic configuration :- [ Ar ]4sⁱ 3dⁱ⁰
Melting point :- 1083⁰c
Boiling point :- 2350⁰c
Specific gravity :- 8.85
Valency :- 1 and 2
 Introduction
Copper lies in group ІB of the periodic
table. Their general electronic configuration is
represented by nsⁱ(n-1)dⁱ⁰ . It exists in the
nature in native state and in combined state in
the form of sulphides , oxides , and
carbonates. The members of group ІB are Cu ,
Ag, Au etc.
 Ores of copper
The ores of copper are given below:-
1. Copper pyrite or chalco pyrite Cu₂s. Fe₂S₃ or
CuFeS₂
2. Copper glance or chalcosite Cu₂s
3. Malachite CuCo₃ . Cu(OH)₂
4. Cuprite Cu₂O
5. Azurite 2CuCo₃.Cu(OH)₂
6. Bornite Cu₃FeS₃
 Extraction of Copper from Copper
pyrite
1. Crushing and pulverisation
Big lumps of ores are crushed
into small pieces by jaw crusher which is
further pulverised in powdered form using
ball mill.
2. Concentration of ore
The powdered ore is
concentrated by froth floatation process.
Froth floatation method
 The powdered ore is taken into a tank
containing water and small quantity of pine
oil. The mixture is agitated by using blast of
air. Gangue particles are wetted by water and
get collected at the bottom of the tank . The
ore particles are wetted by oil that comes on
the surface in froth. The froth is skimmed off
to collect the concentrated ore .
3. Roasting
The concentrated ore is heated in
a reverberatory furnace in presence of excess
air below the melting point of the ore .
The following changes occurs during roasting .
• Volatile impurities and moistures are
removed.
• Impurities like Phosphorus,Arsenic, Sulphur
etc are oxidized.
During roasting the pyrite ore gets converted into
sulphide ore.

Very few amount of sulphide ore gets converted

into oxide form.
In the above process partial oxidation takes
place so the ore contains significant amount
of Cu₂S , Fes , Cu₂O , FeO etc.
4.Smelting
The roasted ore is mixed with coke and
silica. The mixture is charged to blast furnace
and heated strongly by the blast of hot air
(800⁰c) . The coke start to burn and the
temperature reaches to 1000⁰c . During
smelting following reaction takes place .
The significant amount of Cu₂S , FeS , Cu₂O , FeO
etc reacts in presence of oxygen .
At the end the molten mass contains about 40-
45% of Cu metal , excess amount of Cu₂S and
few traces of FeS which is combinly known as ‘
Copper Matte or Matte’.
To increase the concentration of Cu
metal Bessemerisation process is carried out .
Fig: Blast Furnace for extraction of copper
5. Bassemerisation
The copper matte thus formed is
mixed with silica and heated strongly in a
bessemer converter by passing air through
Tuyers at the bottom of it .
The following changes occurs
during bassemerisation .
 Few traces of cuprous sulphide (Cu₂s)
converts into Cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) which
further reacts with excess Cuprous Sulphide
(Cu₂S) to give Cu metal .
During the cooling process molten metal
solidifies and dissolved So₂ gas escape from
the surface of Cu metal giving blisters like
appearance which is known as blister copper
(98% pure ).
 Refining of copper
ELECTROLYTIC REFINING
The process of electrolytic refining
is used to purify impure metals. In this process, the
impure metal is made anode and a thin strip of pure
metal is made cathode. A solution of the salt of the
metal, which is to be refined is used as an electrolyte.
On passing the current through the electrolyte, the
metal ions from the anode migrate into the solution of
electrolyte and an equivalent amount of metal ion
migrates from the solution of electrolyte deposits on
the cathode. The soluble impurities go into the
solution. The insoluble impurities settle down at the
bottom as a mud which is known as anode mud
• Physical Properties:
• It is a transition metal having characteristic
red color.
• It is highly malleable & ductile and has high
electrical and thermal conductivity .
• It has high melting point 10830c and bpt
23500c .
• It has specific gravity 8.93 .
 Chemical properties
• Action of air:
Dry air has no effect but moist air containing CO2gas
forms a green layer of basic copper carbonate.
Cu + O2+ CO2 + H2O → CuCO3Cu(OH)2
Moist air basic copper
carbonate
• On heating in air 9000c, copper forms cupric oxide or
black oxide of copper,
4Cu + O2 900 → 2CuO
Cupric oxide
On further heating above 11000c, copper gives
cuprous oxide or red oxide of copper.
4Cu + O2 1000 → 2Cu2O
cuprous oxide
• Action of water:
Water has no effect on copper.
• Action of Alkalis:
Alkalis has no effect on copper.
 Action of acids
• a) With HNO3
Dil. HNO3 does not react with copper while
moderately conc. HNO3 (1:1) is reduced to Nitric
oxide by copper.
3Cu + 8HNO3 → 3Cu (NO3)2 + 2NO +
4H2O
moderately conc.
• Conc. HNO3 is reduced to Nitric oxide by copper.
Cu + 4HNO3 conc. → Cu (NO3)2 +
2NO2 + 2H2O
• b) With H2SO4 :
dil. H2SO4 alone does not react but hot dil. H2SO4 in
presence of air gives CuSO4
2Cu + 2H2SO4 + O2 → 2CuSO4+2H2O
Hot & dil.
• With hot and conc. H2So4, Copper gives So2 gas.
Cu + 2H2SO4 → CuSO4 +SO2+2H2O
Hot & conc.
• c) With HCl:-
Copper reacts with hot and conc HCl in presence of air
forming cupric chloride.
2Cu+4HCl+ O2 → 2CuCl2+2H2O
Hot & conc.
• a5) Displacement reaction:-
• Copper can displace metals lying below it in
electrochemical series from their salt solution.
• Cu+2AgNo3 → Cu (No3)2+2Ag
3Cu+2Aucl3 → 3Cucl2+2Au
• Uses of Copper:-
i) It is used in making electrical cables.
ii) It is used in making coins.
iii) It is used in making alloys like brass,
German Silver.
iv) It is used in making utensils.
v) It is used in making scientific equipments
like calorimeter .