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MHT CET · Chemistry · General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Metals

What happens during bessemerization process of extraction of copper from copper pyrites?

  1. A Au and Ag metals are deposited as anode mud.
  2. B Impurities as As and Sb are removed as volatile oxides.
  3. C Cu is obtained by auto reduction of \(\mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) and Cus.
  4. D Iron is removed in the form of slag.
Verified Solution

Answer & Solution

Correct Answer

(C) Cu is obtained by auto reduction of \(\mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) and Cus.

Step-by-step Solution

Detailed explanation

Process for extraction of copper from copper pyrite
At the starting copper pyrite is roasted in a reverberatory furnace because on roasting we will get copper oxide from the copper pyrite from which the copper can be extracted by doing reduction.
\(2 \mathrm{CuFeS}_{2}+\mathrm{O}_{2} \rightarrow \mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{~S}+2 \mathrm{FeS}+\mathrm{SO}_{2}\)
Now as we know that the iron is more reactive than the copper.
So, ferrous sulphide and cuprous sulphide must react with oxygen to form ferrous oxide, copper sulphur dioxide.
\(2 \mathrm{FeS}+3 \mathrm{O}_{2} \rightarrow 2 \mathrm{FeO}+2 \mathrm{SO}_{2}\)
\(\mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{~S}+\mathrm{O}_{2} \rightarrow \mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{O}+\mathrm{FeO}_{2}\)
\(\mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{O}+\mathrm{FeS} \rightarrow \mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{~S}+\mathrm{FeO}\)
Now ferrous sulphide is not allowing cuprous sulphide to oxidise as iron is more reactive.
So, compounds left in the furnace will be,
\(\mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{~S}, \mathrm{FeO}\) and some unreacted \(\mathrm{FeS}\).
So, now we are smelting the roasted ore in the furnace.
So, we put roasted ore in a blast furnace with coke and flux (silica flux).
So, the reaction in the blast furnace will be,
\(\mathrm{FeO}+\mathrm{SiO}_{2} \rightarrow \mathrm{FeSiO}_{3}(\) slag \()\)
As the temperature of the blast furnace is very high. So, everything changes to molten form
So, there will be two molten layers
First layer will be of slag because it is light, and the second layer will be of Copper matte \(\left(\mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{~S}\right.\) and some unchanged
Now copper matte is put in a Bessemer converter to recover copper from copper matte and remove all impurities and this process is known as Bessemerisation process.
So, impurities like sulphur, arsenic and antimony are oxidised to their respective volatile oxides.
\(\begin{array}{c}
\mathrm{FeS}+\mathrm{O}_{2} \rightarrow \mathrm{FeO}+\mathrm{SO}_{2} \\
\mathrm{FeO}+\mathrm{SiO}_{2} \rightarrow \mathrm{FeS} i \mathrm{O}_{3} \text { (slag) }
\end{array}\)
As the slag is floating on the top. So, here slag is removed. So, iron has been removed as slag.
Now oxidation of copper sulphide starts to form cuprous oxide and sulphur dioxide.
And then cuprous oxide reacts with copper sulphide to form copper metal and this process is called the auto reduction process.
\(\begin{array}{c}
2 \mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{~S}+3 \mathrm{O}_{2} \rightarrow 2 \mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{O}+2 \mathrm{SO}_{2} \\
2 \mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{O}+\mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{~S} \rightarrow 6 \mathrm{Cu}+\mathrm{SO}_{2}
\end{array}\)
Now copper metal is below. So, the Bessemer converter is tilted so that it falls in sand mounds and then is left to solidify and cool.
Now sulphur dioxide starts removing but some are trapped inside.
So, the appearance of the solidified copper will be like blisters.
Therefore the copper we get from here is known as blister copper.
So, we do electrolytic refining of that copper.
So, in anode there will be blister copper and pure copper will be in cathode.
So, after refining, pure copper starts collecting at cathode.
So, at the end of the process we will get the pure copper.