Method for electrorefining crude copper having high antimony contents

Abstract

Abstract A METHOD FOR ELECTROEFINING CRUDE COPPER INCLUDING ANTIMONY IN A HIGH CONCENUTRATION COMPRISING SUBJECTING THE CRUDE COPPER TO ELECTROLYSIS AS THE ANODE IN AN ELECTROLYTE CONTAINING SULFURIC ACID AND COPPER ION TO THUS DEPOSIT REFINED COPPER ON THE THIN COPPER CATHODE, WHEREIN THE ANODE AND THE CATHODE ARE CONNECTED TO A DRIECTCURRENT POWER UNIT PROVIDED WITH A POLARITY CONVERTING DEVICE AND DIRECT-CURRENT IS FED TO BOTH ELECTRODES OF SAID CATHODE AND SAID ANODE WHILE PERIODICALLY REVERSING THE DIREACTION OF THE CURRENT FLOW BETWEEN BOTH ELECTRODES AT SELECTED TIMES, WITH THE PROVISO THAT THE PERIOD OF TIME DURING WHICH POSITIVE POLARITY IS APPLIED TO THE ANODE IN EACH CYCLE OF THE TOTAL IMPRESSION CYCLES NECESSARY TO COMPLETE REFINEMENT OF THE VRUDE COPPER IS CONTROLLED IN THE RANGE OF NOT GREATER THAN 200 SECONDS AND THAT THE RATIO OF THE DURATIONS FOR IMPRESSION OF BOTH POLARITIES IS REGUALTED SO AS TO SATISFY THE FOLLOWING EQUATION: THE PERIOD OF TIME FOR IMPRESSION OF NEGATIVE POLARITY TO THE ANODE (SECONDS) PERIOD OF TIME FOR IMPRESSION OF POSITIVE POLARITY TO THE ANODE (SECONDS)=NOT LESS THAN 0.025. THE CRUDE COPPER INCLUDES FROM 0.1 TO 3.0 WT. PERCENT OF ANTIMONY AND AT LEAST 0.1 WT. PERCENT OF ARSENIC.

Inventors

• 👤 K Sakai
• 👤 M Sumida

Bibliographic Details