What is the difference between gold mines and copper mines?

Definition and characteristics

Difference in appearance color

Ore containing gold is gold ore, the main component of which is oxide or sulfide, and is generally yellow. Its texture is relatively soft, and the gold content is usually very low. It needs to go through multiple refining processes to obtain pure gold.

Ore containing copper is copper ore, the main component of which is oxidized or sulfide copper minerals. Usually the color is brown-black or dark red, the melting point is high and it is not easy to melt, and the copper content is usually between 0.5% and 10%.

Difference in appearance color

Gold and copper ores can generally be distinguished by their appearance color. Gold ore is usually bright yellow and has a metallic luster; copper ore is generally green or dark brown, and sometimes black or yellowish brown.

Difference in mineral composition

Gold ore refers to ore rich in gold, the main components of which are pyrite gold, native gold, gold sulfide, etc. Copper ore refers to ore rich in copper, the main components of which are chalcopyrite, chalcopyrite, azurite, etc. Chalcopyrite is usually the most common, and the main components are copper, sulfur and iron.

Thermal conductivity difference

Gold and copper mines can also be distinguished by thermal conductivity. Gold has a lower thermal conductivity, so when you put it on your hand, you will feel that its temperature is relatively low; because copper has a higher thermal conductivity, when you put it on your hand, you will feel that its temperature is higher.

Difference in value

Because gold has a high degree of stability, ductility and rarity, it is regarded as a symbol of wealth and is often used in financial reserves, currency, jewelry manufacturing and other fields. Therefore, gold mines have a higher economic value. In contrast, although copper mines also have a certain value, they are mainly used as industrial raw materials and are often used to manufacture wires, electrical appliances, pipes, etc., and their prices are closely related to market supply and demand.

Difference in use

The gold element extracted from gold mines is mainly used for investment, jewelry, artworks, and bank reserves. In addition, because of its good conductivity and corrosion resistance, it is also widely used in the electronics industry. The copper metal smelted from copper mines is often used in light industry, electrical, construction industry, machinery manufacturing, defense industry and other fields. Copper's electrical and thermal conductivity is second only to silver, making it an indispensable material in the manufacture of electrical switches, wires and cables, engine parts, etc.

Differences in mining methods

The mining methods of gold and copper mines are also different. Because gold is usually dispersed in the ore in the form of tiny particles, it needs to go through a complex refining process to be extracted, so gold mining requires more sophisticated technology and higher costs. Copper mining is relatively simpler. When copper exists in the form of larger blocks or concentrated veins, it can be mined through open-pit mining or underground mining.

Difference in process flow

Gold ore dressing process flow

Required equipment: jaw crusher, ball mill, classifier, magnetic separator, flotation machine, mixing barrel, concentrator, dryer, feeder, conveyor, elevator, screening machine and other equipment

Process flow: First, large pieces of gold ore are crushed by jaw crusher, and the ore materials that meet the feed are sent to ball mill for grinding. The ground qualified gold ore materials are graded and purified by spiral polarizer, which can separate the decayed materials, weeds, mud, etc. in the gold ore, and then purified by magnetic separator, and then added with reagents for flotation, scraped out the refined gold ore, and then dehydrated and dried by concentrator and dryer, and then a high-grade gold ore finished product can be obtained.

Copper ore dressing process

Required equipment: Vibrating feeder, jaw crusher, Cone Crusher, vibrating screen, ball mill, classifier, magnetic separator, flotation machine, mixing barrel, concentrator, dryer, conveyor and other equipment

Process flow: First, the copper ore is crushed by the jaw crusher, and the copper ore that meets the feed requirements is sent to the ball mill for grinding. The copper ore that does not meet the requirements is returned to the jaw crusher for crushing. The finished copper ore discharged from the ball mill directly enters the classifier for classification. The spiral classifier uses the principle that different gravity pulps have different settling speeds in the liquid to separate weeds, decayed materials, mud, etc. from the copper ore, and then purifies it through a magnetic separator. Then, the flotation machine is used to float out the concentrated copper ore, and then the concentrator and dryer are used for dehydration and drying to obtain a high-grade concentrated copper ore product.

Author:[Xingaonai]

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