Winning metal from ore

摘要

Copper is won from chalcopyrite ore (copper/iron sulphide) containing Cu(II) and Fe(III), which respectively prefer square planar and octahedral co-ordination. A vaporized tetradentate (square-planar) Schiff base reagent is passed through a fluidized bed of oxidatively roasted chalcopyrite, and ignores the iron but forms a (volatile) copper complex. This is blown to a decomposition chamber containing a hot probe on which the complex decomposes, leaving the desired copper on the probe and liberating the Schiff base reagent for recycling.