Galvanic conversion of chalcopyrite
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Also lately, B i e g l e r and c o - w o r k e r s ~ e x a m i n e d the m e c h a n i s m s of the cathodic c o n v e r s i o n of CuFeS2 during electrolysis. E l e c t r o c h e m i c a l effects a s s o c i a t e d with sulfide m i n e r a l s y s t e m s have r e c e i v e d e x t e n s i v e study. Some e a r l y r e s e a r c h e r s 9'~~ s p e c u l a t e d about galvanic action with sulfide m i n e r a l s . Recently, o t h e r s ~'~2,~s have s y s t e m a t i c a l l y i n v e s t i g a t e d g a l v a n i c effects b e t w e e n m i x e d sulfide m i n e r a l s y s t e m s . P e t e r s and c o - a u t h o r s ~3 p r e s e n t e d the b a c k g r o u n d t h e o r y and some useful i l l u s t r a t i o n s of g a l v a n i c i n t e r a c t i o n . Conditions for g a l v a n i c i n t e r a c t i o n r e q u i r e conducting m i n e r a l s e x h i b i t i n g diff e r e n t " r e s t " p o t e n t i a l s be in e l e c t r i c a l contact. When contact is made the m a t e r i a l with the lower " r e s t " pot e n t i a l will r e a c t anodically, w h e r e a s cathodic b e h a v i o r will be i m p o s e d on the m a t e r i a l p o s s e s s i n g the h i g h e r " r e s t " potential. The e x c e l l e n t e l e c t r i c a l conduction p r o p e r t i e s of heavy m e t a l sulfides f a c i l i t a t e s t h e s e e l e c t r o c h e m i c a l effects. The i n t e n t i o n of this study was to e x a m i n e the c o n v e r sion of c h a l c o p y r i t e into chalcocite d u r i n g galvanic i n J. BRENT HISKEY is Assistant Professor of Metallurgy, New Mexico Institute o f Science and Technology, New Mexico. MILTON E. WADSWORTH is Professor of Metallurgy and Chairman, Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Fuels Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112. Manuscript submitted May 3, 1974. METALLURGICAL TRANSACTIONS B
t e r a c t i o n b e t w e e n c h a l c o p y r i t e and copper. The following o v e r a l l r e a c t i o n r e p r e s e n t s the c o n v e r s i o n p r o c e s s CuFeS 2 + Cu ~ + 2H § = Cu2S + Fe 2§ + H2S
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EXPERIMENTAL Two s a m p l e s of c h a l c o p y r i t e w e r e used: high grade T r a n s v a a l m i n e r a l , and P i m a c h a l c o p y r i t e c o n c e n t r a t e . A s m a l l a m o u n t of quartz was the only i m p u r i t y a s s o c i ated with the T r a n s v a a l c h a l c o p y r i t e . M i c r o s c o p i c e x a m i n a t i o n of polished g r a i n s l i k e w i s e showed the m i n e r a l to be of e x c e l l e n t quality. The P i m a flotation conc e n t r a t e was of e x c e l l e n t grade, p y r i t e and q u a r t z b e ing the only d e t e c t a b l e i m p u r i t i e s . C h e m i c a l a n a l y s i s of each c h a l c o p y r i t e s p e c i m e n is r e p o r t e d in Table I. Two types of m e t a l l i c copper w e r e used d u r i n g this study. The p r i m a r y m a t e r i a l was a high p u r i t y copper shot, and r e a g e n t g r a d e p u r i f i e d copper powder s e r v e d as the copper s t a r
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