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A Bright Future for copper electrowinning

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Abstract

Over the past 40 years, the copper mining industry has undergone a dramatic shift toward hydrometallurgical extraction of copper at the mine site. This has increased the importance of recovering high-purity copper by electrowinning. High-purity cathode production was achieved by implementing numerous technologies including superior lead-alloy anodes, improved cathode handling and/or stainless steel blanks, better electrolyte control, and advanced tankhouse automation. In the future, it is projected that tankhouses will produce high-quality copper at lower costs using technologies that could include dimensionally stable anodes, alternative anode reactions, innovative cell designs, novel electrolyte circulation systems, and more. This paper reviews existing commercial copper electrowinning technologies and discusses advances that need to be made to implement future technologies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Metallurgical Engineering Department at the University of Utah, 135 S 1460 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA

    Michael Moats & Michael Free

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  1. Michael Moats
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  2. Michael Free
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Correspondence to Michael Moats.

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Moats, M., Free, M. A Bright Future for copper electrowinning. JOM 59, 34–36 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-007-0128-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-007-0128-y

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