CDA
Age 14-16
Copper mining
Notes for teachers
Contents
This electronic resource consists of four pages, introducing students to the uses of electric motors, and
how they work.
1
The Introduction sets the scene by discussing the mining of metals.
2
The main stages takes users through the main stages of extraction to electro-refining.
3
From ore to copper goes into more detail on the first four stages.
4
Chemical reactions looks at the next three stages in which chemistry is used to extract copper from
its ore.
5
Electrolysis shows how the copper is purified using electrical methods.
This mini electronic resource is one of seven linked resources on copper:
Properties and uses (11 to 16)
Copper for life (11 – 14)
Extracting copper (11 – 14)
Copper in health (14 - 16)
Copper mining (14 - 16)
Electromagnets (11 – 14)
Electric motors (14 - 16)
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www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/4/chemistry/cumining/index.html
CDA
Age 14-16
Copper mining
Notes for teachers
Curriculum links (using the COL keyword scheme)
Elements, compounds & mixtures
Elements
Transition metals
Mixtures
Separation - other
Changing materials
Chemical changes
Obtaining & using materials
Extraction of metal from ore
Electrolysis
Useful substances from rocks & minerals
Chemical reactions
Oxidation & reaction
Equations & formulae
Reactivity series
Web links
The chemistry of steelmaking
www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/4/chemistry/steel/msch1pg1.html
Periodic table
www.schoolscience.co.uk/periodictable.html
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CDA
Age 14-16
Copper mining
Notes for teachers
Using the resource
1 - To aid understanding of the extraction and purification of copper
Relevant prior knowledge: Students will have studied electrolysis and understand the basic principles of
the process. They should have some understanding of the terms: oxidation, reduction, anode, cathode,
electrolyte.
It is likely that you will have carried out the lab practical
involving the electrolysis of copper sulphate solution using
copper electrodes. The results for this experiment can be
quite varied! As a summary exercise you might use the
roll-over diagram on page 5 of this electronic resource to
encourage students to envisage the transfer of copper
atoms from the impure anode to the cathode. This
would work well with small groups viewing an interactive
whiteboard or computer linked to the internet.
This would lead to an evaluation of student results for this
experiment. The mass gain at the cathode is often less than
the mass loss of the anode – especially if students do not
clean their electrodes thoroughly. Small deposits collect
under the anodes which are analogous with the impurities
removed from copper matte.
The importance of high purity copper for electronic circuitry
can be emphasized.
2 - To reinforce some types of calculation
Relevant prior knowledge: Students will have studied calculations of the types: molar mass, percentage
mass, amounts from equations (and possibly electrolysis type calculations).
There are opportunities in this electronic resource to complete some simple molar mass and % composition
calculations as well as the more demanding calculations of the type that 14-16 year old candidates sitting
the Higher Tier papers are likely to encounter, e.g. amounts from equations and electrolysis.
3 - Other activities
An interesting exercise is to make an estimate of how much pure copper is needed to satisfy the UK
market for mobile phones. You could ask your pupils how many mobiles they have had. Use this data to
calculate the number of mobile phones in the UK. Each mobile phone contains about 15g of copper.
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CDA
Copper mining
Student worksheet 1
Age 14-16
The purification of copper using electrolysis
1. Complete this diagram of an electrolysis cell
used for the purification of copper using labels
underneath.
3. If you carried out this experiment, what would
happen to the mass of:
a the negative electrode?
b the positive electrode?
2. Under which electrode would you expect to see
impurities collect?
3. Suggest a use for high purity copper.
anode, cathode, copper sulphate
solution, electrolyte, positive
electrode, negative electrode
4. Look at this paragraph and fill in the blanks using
some of the words below (each word may be used
once, more than once, or not at all)
When an electric current is passed through __________________ solution using copper
electrodes, atoms of copper on the anode _________ ___________ to form ___________.
These are pushed into the electrolyte and travel to the ___________.
Here the ions __________ __________ to form copper ______ again.
We call the loss of electrons
copper sulphate
reduction
ions
oxidation
____________ and the gain of electrons __________.
atoms lose
purification
cathode
molecules
gain
electrons
5. Write half equations for the reactions that occur at the:
a anode
b cathode
S1
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CDA
Copper mining
Student worksheet 2
Age 14-16
Extraction of copper from copper ore
Copper is a very important metal. Describe in no more than 100 words how copper is extracted
from chalcopyrite, CuFeS2. You should concentrate on:
•
the froth floatation process
•
roasting
•
electrolytic purification
You will find all the information that you need on pages 3 to 5 of the Copper mining electronic
resource.
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