Copper is extracted from low-grade ores by phyto-mining - AQA - GCSE Chemistry Combined Science - Question 4 - 2019 - Paper 2
Question 4
Copper is extracted from low-grade ores by phyto-mining.
Describe how copper metal is produced by phyto-mining.
[4 marks]
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Copper is extracted from low-grade ores by phyto-mining - AQA - GCSE Chemistry Combined Science - Question 4 - 2019 - Paper 2
Step 1
Growing plants (on low-grade ore)
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Plants are grown in soils that contain low-grade copper ores. These plants absorb the copper ions through their roots.
Step 2
Harvesting the plants
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Once the plants have matured, they are harvested and burned to produce ash, which contains the copper.
Step 3
Dissolving in acid
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The ash is then dissolved in an acid to produce a solution of a copper compound.
Step 4
Electrolysis
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Finally, the copper can be extracted from this solution through electrolysis to obtain pure copper metal.
