Alyssa Sanchez
COPPER MINING LAB
Copper is a metal which is mined from the earth and found in the earth’s crust often with
other metals (Oresome Resources). Copper is an essential metal that keeps important
fundamentals in everyday life running. For instance, plumbing in buildings, coins and jewelry.
When miners transfer copper to buyers their intentions are for the metal to be used for heating,
electricity, electrical appliances, water pipes, and more (Oresome Resources). The world today
is based on the use of technology, and copper plays a huge part. For instance, “It is found in all
electrical appliance such as TVs and hand held mobile devices” (Oresome Resources). Copper is
so widely used in today’s society that without it houses could not be built; there would be no
plumbing fixtures or plumbers at all. People would have to live without the luxury of indoor
heating, air conditioning, and water. Most of our culture would probably find, however, that
living without indoor bathrooms would be the biggest inconvenience.
There are two ways to mine copper. One is from within the earth and one is from the
surface of the earth. The process for mining copper from underground is appropriately named
Underground Mining. This involves miners building underground structures, called pillars
between the stops to keep the mine from crumbling. They do this around the ores in order to
blast underground hoping to find the precious minerals they need. Automated carts retrieve the
copper from the mines and bring it to surface and then are loaded into trucks to be taken into
processing plants. Another way of mining copper is Open-cut Mining, is when ore close to the
surface is drilled through and filled with explosives. Both under and open cut mining lead to
processing the copper by separating the mineral from the ore. The process for the ore to broken
up into the smallest pieces possible. Next they put the ground ore into huge tanks of water and
chemicals and when mixed with the air the copper floats to the top while the waste drops to the
bottom. This when copper is in its most precious form. From there they mixed it with other
metals, they heat heat and form it into shapes like pipes and then it sold around the world.
Toxicity, the degree to which something is poisonous (Dictionary). People are generally
concerned about toxicity in relation to household cleaners, gasoline, and pesticides are also toxic.
A person who is exposed to toxic poison experiences a multitude of symptoms that range from
headaches and nausea to convulsions, coma and even death (All About Copper). Toxicity needs
to be measured due to the effects it can have in both people and animals. Toxicity can be
measured by its effects on the target; organism, organ, tissue, or cell (Wikipedia). A way to
measure toxicity is LD50. LD50 is the dose required to kill half the members of a tested
population after a specified test duration (Median Lethal Dose). LD50 is ordinarily measured in
grams, milligrams, of a substance per kilogram of body mass (Angelica M). Under the right
circumstances and in the correct context any chemical substance can reach a level of toxicity.
E-waste or electronic waste is discarded electronic appliances such as mobile phones,
computers, and televisions (Dictionary). In today's society everything is based on technology.
Which would be exceptional, if people knew how to discard of their electronics correctly. “80 to
85 percent of electronics products were discarded in landfills or incinerators, which can release
certain toxics into the air” (Do Something). Unfortunately people today don’t know that e-waste
cannot be discarded normally, but needs to be disposed of in a specific way. E-waste contains
hazardous substances. Also when computers or televisions are thrown away broken, it is a safety
hazard for the environment and people handling the equipment. Electronics need to be disposed
of appropriately especially because of the effects on the environment.
"Oresome Resources - Minerals and Energy Education." Oresome Resources - Minerals and Energy Education. N.p., Feb. 2010. Web. 28 Mar.
2014.
Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"All About Copper." All About Copper. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
Stacy, Angelica M., Janice A. Coonrod, and Jennifer Claesgens. "Lethal Dose." Living by Chemistry. Emeryville, CA: Key Curriculum, 2010.
374-76. Print.
"Median Lethal Dose." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Mar. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
Part 1: Building a Copper Mine
PROCEDURE
Assemble the following materials in a beaker, in the following order.
You must wear safety goggles and gloves at all times.
●
○
○
●
○
○
●
●
●
○
Layer 1: Add about 0.5 cm of Copper Sulfate (CuSO4) crystals (Root Killer)
Cover with water
Cover with filter paper
Layer 2: Add about 0.5 cm of Sodium Chloride crystals
Cover with water
Cover with filter paper
Add a few dashes of iron fillings
Add a small layer of pebbles.
Cover with parafilm, but pierce with a few holes.
Cover with water
● Record initial observations.
OBSERVATIONS
Day 1
On the bottom of the beaker the root killer looked like
crystals
Day 2
The rocks turned a green-yellowish with a pink tint. The
whole beaker looked completely different after only two
days.
Day 3
The water turned yellow and looked dirty. The bottom looked "sandy" and the rocks had a
Rustier tint to them.
ANALYSIS
1. Write the dissolution reaction for the root killer (CuSO4) in the bottom layer of the beaker.
CuSO4(s)→→→ Cu²+(aq) + SO4²-(aq)
2. Write the dissolution reaction for the sodium chloride in the second layer of the beaker.
NaCl→→→→ Na+(aq) + Cl-
3. Write a balanced single replacement reaction for what is happening between the CuSO4 solution and the
iron (Fe) metal.
CuSO4(aq) + Fe →→→→ FeSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
Part 2: Extracting Copper Metal from Malachite Ore
PRE-LAB NOTES:
1. Apparatus:
------------------------------Filtrate
2. Safety:
● · Sulfuric Acid
DIRECTIONS:
DAY 1:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Record your observations of the crushed malachite ore.
Find and record the mass of your sample of crushed malachite ore on top of it.
Add the crushed malachite to a beaker.
Cover the malachite with sulfuric acid.
Record your observations.
DAY 2:
6. Place a beaker under the funnel to collect the filtrate, as shown in the diagram on the previous
page. Filter the malachite pieces out of the reaction mixture by pouring it through a piece of filter
paper sitting inside of a funnel.
7. Remove the filter paper, and set it out to dry. Use a permanent marker to put your initials on
the filter paper.
8. Take about half of your filtrate, and pour it into one of the two flasks that I have labelled as
“copper mining waste.” We will need some of this filtrate for part 3 of the lab!
9. Separate your remaining filtrate into 2 test tubes.
10. Add a few dashes of Fe (iron) to one of the test tubes with filtrate. Record your observations.
11. Add a few pieces of Zn (zinc) metal to the second test tubes with filtrate. Record your
observations.
12. Cover your beaker with parafilm, put your names on it, and leave it on the back table.
DAY 3:
13. Determine and record the mass of the dried malachite waste.
14. Take a second set of observations of your filtrate in each of the two test tubes.
15. Throw out your malachite waste.
16. Thoroughly clean your lab supplies.
DATA TABLE:
Observations
Crushed Ore
● Blue dust over rocks
● looks like little pebbles
● 1 major deformed ore
Malachite
powder and
sulfuric acid
● water was clear
● blue dust went to bottom looked like sand
● rocks are brighter and shiner
Malachite solid
waste
● Blue dust collected on filter paper
● Rocks are dust, dry, no water
Filtrate
Filtrate plus iron
Light
OBSERVATION 1
Mass
171.5
Mass w/o beaker
61.5
62
Mass w/o filter
60.5
(Fe)
●
●
●
All the way to bottom
made yellow powdery
Black pepper
OBSERVATION 2
● waster turned yellowish
● some of the iron clumped together
Filtrate plus zinc
(Zn)
OBSERVATION 1
● Makes the water clear, looks like a piece of metal.
● Silver
OBSERVATION 2
● Brown
● Pieces of metal are coming off
● “rusted”
ANALYSIS
Below are the chemical reactions that take place in this lab: The first is the reaction that occurs
when you mix sulfuric acid with the malachite. The second is the reaction that occurs when you
add zinc to the filtrate. The third is the reaction that occurs when you add zinc to the filtrate.
The third is the reaction that occurs when you add iron to the filtrate.
1) The first reactions are already balanced, without needing to add any coefficients.
2) Balance the third reaction. Show your work.
CuCO3(aq) + H2SO4(aq) → CuSO4 (aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)
CuSO4(aq) + Zn(s) → Cu(s) + ZnSO4 (aq)
3 CuSO4(aq) +
Cu
SO4
2 Fe(s) →
3
Cu(s) +
REACTANTS
PRODUCTS
1
1
1-3
3
Fe2(SO4)3(aq)
Fe
1-2
2
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What percentage of the rock sample ended up as solid waste?
60.5
%
=
61.5 100
6,050 61.5
=
61.5
61.5
x=98%
2. What by-products are generated when we mine for copper? Use the chemical reactions to guide
you.
Iron Sulfate
CuSO4(aq) + Fe(s)→→→→ FeSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
Zinc Sulfate
CuSO4(aq) + Zn(s)→→→→ ZnSo4(aq) + Cu(s)
Part 3: Treating Acidic Runoff
1. Determine the pH of your acid waste, using pH paper. Record the pH here:
2. Add 3-4 drops of universal indicator solution. Note the color:
3
.
Orange
.
3. Pour a little bit of NaOH into your beaker.
4. Determine the pH of your NaOH, using pH paper. Record the pH here:
12
.
5. Add 3-4 drops of universal indicator solution to the beaker. Note the color:
Blue/purple
.
6. Slowly start adding NaOH to your acid waste, until the solution has been neutralized.
7. Once your waste is neutralized, double check the pH with pH paper. Note the pH:
7
.
Once you’re done, pour the waste down the drain with lots of water.
DISCUSSION
1. What did you do to “clean up” the acidic waste produced in this lab?
What we did to clean acidic waste is set the waste to neutral. In order to so that we mix Na and OH with
an acid and the you check the pH of the product to see if it's neutral.
2.
How could you tell when your waste was fully neutralized?
I could tell if my waste was fully neutralized because the color of the waste. On a pH scale
anything less than 7 is more acidic while anything more than 7 is basic. Acidic is red, orange, and yellow
while Basic is green, blue, and purple. My waste was yellowish green, and on the pH scale that color is
neutral. Also when enough base is added so that the concentration of H3O+ and OH− ions becomes equal,
the solution is neutralized.
3. The acid in your toxic waste is leftover H2SO4 (sulfuric acid). You neutralized the waste by
adding NaOH (sodium hydroxide). Write the balanced neutralization reaction for mixing sulfuric
acid with sodium hydroxide.
H2SO4 + NaOH →→→ Na2SO4 + 2H2O
Conclusion:
Chemistry has enlightened me to numerous current events and the constant corruption
society has inflicted on the earth. Before chemistry class I was unaware of the environmental
dangers such as acidic waste due to mining as well as the effects that mining has on the cycle of
nature. “Rainforests are the biggest source of oxygen, wood and medicines on this earth,”
(Debopriya) and because of mining, nature is suffering. Mining requires large areas, therefore
trees are being cut down to make room. Acidic waste is an environmental hazard because if it is
not disposed of correctly, then sometimes it is thrown in the water polluting the world even
more.
In addition to toxic waste, chemistry has taught me about e-waste. Prior to learning
about e-waste, I hadn't considered the hundreds of thousands, or perhaps millions, of electronic
devices that are disposed of and exposed to our environment every year. "Only 12.5% of e-waste
is currently recycled" (Do Something). Toxicity can be caused by the age old profession of
mining for precious metals. It can also be caused by the ignorance of our generation's constant
need for the next new electronic model of phone, tablet, laptop, iPod, etc., leaving the old and
older versions to either be refurbished or discarded. Either way our environment is paying the
cost and knowledge is the first step to stopping it.
Bose, Debopriya. "How Does Mining Affect The Environment." Buzzle.com. Buzzle.com, 12 Mar. 2012.
Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
"11 Facts about E-Waste." DoSomething.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2014.