Electrolytic production of copper from chalcopyrite

Abstract

The transition to renewable energy infrastructure necessitates rapid growth in copper production, averaging at least 3.5% annually to 2050. The current smelting–converting–electrorefining route must be revisited considering these future prospects as ore grades deplete and the costs to mitigate emissions to the environment increase. Here, we investigate electrolytic alternatives, reviewing the background and recent developments for four classes of electrolytes to directly decompose the most important industrial copper mineral, chalcopyrite: aqueous solutions, ionic liquids, molten salts, and molten sulfides. These electrolytes are discussed in the framework of electrochemical engineering, as applied to the electrolytic decomposition of chalcopyrite. A vision is proposed in which an electrolytic technique, integrated with low cost and sustainable power, enables the production of unprecedented annual tonnages of copper from low-grade chalcopyrite, with valuable by-products and enhanced selectivity for impurities.