Process Optimization in Copper Electrorefining

Abstract

Copper is one of the major metallic materials together with steel and aluminum. At present, approx. 11 Mt of copper are produced all over the world by electrorefining in sulfuric acid electrolytes. In the last years the current density could be increased to 320–340 A/m2 by simultaneous improvement of the cathode quality, although the parameters “electrolyte” and “anode quality” did not change essentially. This was possible substantially by modifying the cell design, the starter sheets and the optimization of inhibitors and flow control at the electrodes. Further possibilities to optimize this process are described in this paper.