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native (elemental) copper

chalcopyrite

azurite and malachite

turquoise

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The weak acid has the effect of "clumping" the clays in the dump. When the dump is reworked or moved, dust is kept to a minimum.

Fertilizers and seeds have been spread over the surface of the dumps. The weak sulfuric acid has the effect of quickly germinating the seeds and releasing nutrients in the fertilizer more efficiently. This speeds up the reclamation of the area.

The sulfuric acid will leach out residual amounts of copper from the rocks that are not considered ore.

This is the first step in the environmental recovery of the dump. The weak acid breaks down many of the minerals in the dump so that a soil can develop quickly.

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wiring and plumbing in construction

Medicines in the form of copper sulfate

Art

Manufacture of coins

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98%

99.999%

87%

75%

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Most of the sulfur is removed from the melt.

It increases the temperature of the melt to allow it to flow more easily.

It removes most of the carbon from the melt.

It is used as a catalyst to allow the copper to begin crystallized in the melt.

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It is a very hard, durable metal.

Its ability to conduct electricity.

It is biostatic.

It is perpetually recyclable.

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The primary ores are more abundant in the ore rock.

They are simply the first minerals into the primary crusher.

It is the easiest mineral to process to produce copper.

It was the first copper mineral to be found in the mine.

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Initially they were manufactured in the United Kingdom and met their driving standards.

So the drivers can see the edge of the road better.

So the drivers can back up the trucks safely.

Mechanically it is easier to maintain the engine and drive shaft with the steering mechanism on the other side of the truck.

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about 66%

Not enough information was provided to determine the answer.

about 86%

about 14%

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gold

silver

copper

aluminum

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Kennicot Knob in honor of the lone prospector.

Phelps Dodge Butte, in honor of the two prospectors John Phelps and Lawrence Dodge.

Bessy Butte in honor of the prospector's mule who inadvertently knocked over a chunk of copper as prospector was walking over this area.

Discovery Hill.

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brown gold

a discovery patch

a gossan or iron cap

a glory hole

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For some ore bodies, like copper which is highly conductive, the rocks are tested for electrical conductivity/resistance. A few billion volts of electricity are driven through the rocks and sensors, sometimes miles away, are used to pick up magnetic fluctuations in the ore bodies. These fluctuations are dependent on the size, shape and depth of the ore body.

Large open pits are dug to expose the ore body. This process is also safer and cheaper that creating mine shafts.

drilling hundreds or thousands of holes (wells) in the area. The rocks brought up by the drilling rig are then logged and used to determine its economic potential.

Gravimeters are used to check for the size, shape and depth of the ore body. Gravimeters measure the deviation of the magnetic field cause by the mass of the ore body.

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Open pit mines are easier to recover that underground workings. The slopes can be graded and, with water and fertilizer, plants can be re-established on the mine site.

Environmental guidelines state that once a permit is given for a mining process, all of the ore and it tangential deposits must be recovered. This is to prevent contamination of the water table by hazardous material.

The copper ore is usually in such small concentrations that a very large amount of rock must removed to make the process economical.  The removal of such large quantites of rock is only possible with the open pit technique.

It is a much safer way to mine and many other materials besides the ore can be recovered. For example, gravel can be produced by the mining process.

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The bubblers remove most of the sulfur from the ore.

They separate the ore from the unwanted rock.

They thoroughly mix the ore with flux. This ensures a complete melting of the ore at a lower temperature.

Bubblers remove excess hydrogen from the ground up ore.  The hydrogen could be a fire hazard as the ore goes to the smelter.

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The EP solvent tank

Primary electro smelter

The electroplating building

SX-EW plant

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ball mill

smelter

tertiary crusher

quaternary crusher

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galena

quartz

malachite

sphalerite

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The enrichment process is done by anaerobic bacteria. This bacteria thrives on sulfides. As the bacteria removes sulfur from the minerals the ratio of copper to sulfur increases to produced enriched copper minerals.

Groundwater dissolves copper bearing minerals near the surface and as this copper rich water moves down it creates minerals with a higher concentration of copper.

The enrichment process is produced by metamorphic changes. The responsible agent is pressure. Increases in pressure remove most of the non malleable minerals leaving copper behind.

Actually, it is enrichment by attrition. The "enriched" copper minerals are already below the surface. Groundwater is responsible for removing the copper poor minerals, thus producing an enriched zone.

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The copper is so malleable that when the iron balls of the ball mill hit it, it does not crush the copper. Instead the copper flattens out. The mill must be shut down to remove the copper sheets.

The native copper reacts with the iron of the balls. It produces a very hard alloy that resists being broken down. It forms large clots that prevent the ore from being crushed.

Native copper is crushed to produce an extremely fine dust. This dust is carried in the air to pollute the air around the mill. It is very poisonous and is an extreme health hazard.

Due to the great heat produced by the friction of the balls in the mill, the copper melts and accumulates near the bottom of the mill. The mill must be stopped to remove the molten copper.

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assay office - This step lets the mine chemists determine which part of the plant the rocks are taken.

solvent production plant

primary crusher

leaching pad

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Petrified Wood -a variety of quartz from the Petrified Forest

Turquoise - a copper mineral

Amethyst - A variety of Quartz from Four Peaks

Peridot - From the San Carlos Reservation - An igneous mineral

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55 gallon drums of copper concentrate

Sulfur as a waste product

Copper Sulfate

Copper Anodes

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Bagdad

Morenci

Ajo

Asarco