Copper Mining and Extraction: Oxide Ores
Most of the copper ores mined today are oxide or sulfide ores. Extraction of sulfide ores is covered in more detail in Copper Mining and Extraction: Sulfide Ores (11–14), but is introduced here because an important byproduct of this process is used for the extraction of oxide ores. Pyroprocessing Sulfide Ores Provides Acid for Leaching