High purity copper metal is obtained by

Options

A. Carbon reduction
B. hydrogen reduction
C. electrolytic reduction
D. thermite reduction

Answer

To obtain high purity copper metal, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Starting Material**:
- The process begins with blister copper, which is about 95-98% pure but contains impurities such as iron, sulfur, and arsenic.

2. **Removal of Impurities**:
- The blister copper undergoes a process called pooling, where gases like sulfur dioxide (SO2) and arsenic oxide are removed.
- Additionally, impurities like iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3) are removed in the form of slag.

3. **Electrolytic Reduction (Electrorefining)**:
- To achieve higher purity (99.5% or more), we perform electrolytic reduction.
- The electrolyte used consists of a mixture of 15% copper sulfate (CuSO4) and 5% sulfuric acid (H2SO4).

4. **Setting Up the Electrolytic Cell**:
- In the electrolytic cell, the anode is made of the impure copper (the thick sheet of blister copper), and the cathode is a pure copper strip.
- The cell is connected to a power source (battery).

5. **Electrolysis Process**:
- When the electric current passes through the cell, copper ions from the anode dissolve into the electrolyte and migrate towards the cathode.
- At the cathode, copper ions gain electrons and deposit as pure copper metal.

6. **Final Product**:
- The result of this process is high purity copper metal, which can reach a purity of 99.9%.

### Conclusion:
High purity copper metal is obtained primarily through the electrolytic reduction method, which involves the electrorefining of blister copper.

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