PROCESS FOR MAKING COPPER METAL POWDER, COPPER OXIDES AND COPPER FOIL

摘要

A process for making copper metal powder from copper-bearing material (10), comprising: (A) contacting copper-bearing material (10) with a leaching solution (70) to dissolve copper ions and form a copper-rich leaching solution (74); (B) contacting said copper-rich leaching solution (74) with an extractant (84) to form a copper-rich extractant (90) and a copper-depleted leaching solution (124); (C) separating; (D) contacting said copper-rich extractant (90) with stripping solution (106) to form a copper-rich stripping solution (142) and a copper-depleted extractant (114); (E) separating to form a first electrolyte (150); (F) applying voltage across anodes (26) and cathodes (28) to deposit copper metal powder (152) on the cathode. The electrolyte (150) may have a chloride ion concentration of up to about 5 ppm. The electrolyte (150) may contain at least one triazole. The copper metal powder (152) may be converted to copper foil (210). The copper metal powder may be converted to copper oxides; these copper oxides can be used to make copper foil.