Electrometallurgy Applied to Copper and to Complex Ores

Electrolytic winning of copper ores is compared with electric smelting of copper ores, and it is indicated that, with the further world‐wide development in the production of larger blocks of cheap electric power, the wet methods for copper will play the major role. Although flotation has been a great advantage to smelting, it promises to have a more profound effect in advancing leaching and electro‐winning of copper. To date, oxidized copper minerals have resisted all attempts at effective flotation, but these minerals are, as a rule, easily leached. The leaching of mixed ore presents a difficult problem. Flotation of the sulfides and leaching of the oxides by agitation appear to be the right solution of this problem. The steps recommended are fine grinding of the mixed ore, followed by flotation and leaching by agitation. The recommended process would apply even to siliceous, mixed copper ores. The steps in the process are discussed at length, and its application to (1) copper ores free from precious metals, (2) copper ores containing both gold and silver, (3) complex ores containing lead, zinc, copper, gold and silver.