Question

Write the chemical reaction involved in the extraction of copper from copper pyrites using a limited supply of air in a reverberatory furnace.

Answer 1

The chemical reactions involved in extraction of copper from copper pyrites using limited supply of air in reverberatory furnace-

$\underset{\left(\text{Copper pyrite}\right)}{2CuFe{S}_2}+O_2⟶{Cu}_{2}S+2FeS+S{O}_2$

$2{Cu}_{2}S+3O_2⟶2{Cu}_{2}O+2S{O}_2$

$2{Cu}_{2}O+{Cu}_{2}S⟶6Cu+S{O}_2$

The copper obtained is blister copper which contains $98\%Cu$ and $2\%$ impurities. This blister copper is purified by electrorefining method and $99.6-99.9\%$ pure copper is obtained.