Process for making shaped copper articles
First Claim
1. A process for making a shaped copper article directly from a copper-bearing material, comprising:
- (A) contacting said copper-bearing material with an effective amount of at least one aqueous leaching solution to dissolve copper ions into said leaching solution and form a copper-rich aqueous leaching solution;
(B) contacting said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution with an effective amount of at least one water-insoluble extractant to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution to said extractant to form a copper-rich extractant and a copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution;
(C) separating said copper-rich extractant from said copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution;
(D) contacting said copper-rich extractant with an effective amount of at least one aqueous stripping solution to transfer copper ions from said extractant to said stripping solution to form a copper-rich stripping solution and a copper-depleted extractant;
(E) separating said copper-rich stripping solution from said copper-depleted extractant;
(F) flowing said copper-rich stripping solution between an anode and a cathode, and applying an effective amount of voltage across said anode and said cathode to deposit copper powder on said cathode;
(G) removing said copper powder from said cathode; and
(H) extruding, forging or molding said copper powder to form said shaped copper article.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to a process for making a shaped copper article directly from a copper-bearing material, comprising: (A) contacting said copper-bearing material with an effective amount of at least one aqueous leaching solution to dissolve copper ions into said leaching solution and form a copper-rich aqueous leaching solution; (B) contacting said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution with an effective amount of at least one water-insoluble extractant to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution to said extractant to form a copper-rich extractant and a copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (C) separating said copper-rich extractant from said copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (D) contacting said copper-rich extractant with an effective amount of at least one aqueous stripping solution to transfer copper ions from said extractant to said stripping solution to form a copper-rich stripping solution and a copper-depleted extractant; (E) separating said copper-rich stripping solution from said copper-depleted extractant; (F) flowing said copper-rich stripping solution between an anode and a cathode, and applying an effective amount of voltage across said anode and said cathode to deposit copper powder on said cathode; (G) removing said copper powder from said cathode; and (H) extruding, forging or molding said copper powder to form said shaped copper article.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A process for making a shaped copper article directly from a copper-bearing material, comprising:
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(A) contacting said copper-bearing material with an effective amount of at least one aqueous leaching solution to dissolve copper ions into said leaching solution and form a copper-rich aqueous leaching solution; (B) contacting said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution with an effective amount of at least one water-insoluble extractant to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution to said extractant to form a copper-rich extractant and a copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (C) separating said copper-rich extractant from said copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (D) contacting said copper-rich extractant with an effective amount of at least one aqueous stripping solution to transfer copper ions from said extractant to said stripping solution to form a copper-rich stripping solution and a copper-depleted extractant; (E) separating said copper-rich stripping solution from said copper-depleted extractant; (F) flowing said copper-rich stripping solution between an anode and a cathode, and applying an effective amount of voltage across said anode and said cathode to deposit copper powder on said cathode; (G) removing said copper powder from said cathode; and (H) extruding, forging or molding said copper powder to form said shaped copper article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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14. The process of claim l wherein during (F) said copper-rich stripping solution has a copper ion concentration in the range of about 1 to about 60 grams per liter and a free sulfuric acid concentration in the range of about 70 to about 300 grams per liter.
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31. A process for making a shaped copper article directly from a copper-bearing material, comprising:
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(A) contacting said copper-bearing material with an effective amount of at least one aqueous leaching solution to dissolve copper ions in said leaching solution and form a copper-rich aqueous leaching solution; (B-1) contacting said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution from (A) with an effective amount of at least one copper-bearing water-insoluble extractant from (C-2) to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution to said copper-bearing extractant to form a copper-rich extractant and a first copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (C-1) separating said copper-rich extractant from said first copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution, advancing said copper-rich extractant to (D); (B-2) contacting said first copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution from (C-1) with an effective amount of at least one copper-depleted extractant from (E) to transfer copper ions from said first copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution to said copper-depleted extractant to form a copper-bearing extractant and a second copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (C-2) separating said copper-bearing extractant from said second copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution, recirculating said copper-bearing extractant to (B-1); (D) contacting said copper-rich extractant from (C-1) with an effective amount of at least one aqueous stripping solution to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich extractant to said stripping solution to form a first electrolyte solution and a copper-depleted extractant; (E) separating said first electrolyte solution from said copper-depleted extractant, recirculating said copper-depleted extractant to (B-2); (F) advancing said first electrolyte solution to an electrolytic cell equipped with at least one anode and at least one rotating cathode, and applying an effective amount of voltage across said anode and said cathode to deposit copper powder on said cathode; (G) removing said copper powder from said cathode; and (H) extruding, forging or molding said copper powder to form said shaped article.
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32. A process for making a shaped copper article directly from a copper-bearing material, comprising:
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(A) contacting said copper-bearing material with an effective amount of at least one aqueous leaching solution to dissolve copper ions in said leaching solution and form a copper-rich aqueous leaching solution; (B-1) contacting said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution from (A) with an effective amount of at least one copper-bearing water-insoluble extractant from (C-2) to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution to said copper-bearing extractant to form a copper-rich extractant and a first copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (C-1) separating said copper-rich extractant from said first copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution, advancing said copper-rich extractant to (D); (B-2) contacting said first copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution from (C-1) with an effective amount of at least one copper-depleted extractant from (E) to transfer copper ions from said first copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution to said copper-depleted extractant to form a copper-bearing extractant and a second copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (C-2) separating said copper-bearing extractant from said second copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution, recirculating said copper-bearing extractant to (B-1); (D) contacting said copper-rich extractant from (C-1) with an effective amount of at least one aqueous stripping solution to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich extractant to said stripping solution to form a first electrolyte solution and a copper-depleted extractant; (E) separating said first electrolyte solution from said copper-depleted extractant, recirculating said copper-depleted extractant to (B-2); (F) advancing said first electrolyte solution from (E) to an electrolytic cell equipped with at least one first anode and at least one cathode, and applying an effective amount of voltage across said anode and said cathode to deposit copper powder on said first cathode; (G) removing said copper powder from said cathode; (H-1) extruding said copper powder to form said shaped copper article; and (H-2) drawing or rolling said shaped article to modify the shape of said article.
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Specification