Purifying Copper

Copper is purified using electrolysis, an energy-intensive process. The setup involves a pure copper sheet at the cathode and an impure sheet at the anode, with copper sulfate as the electrolyte. Copper ions move between the anode and cathode, allowing oxidation and reduction. At the cathode, copper ions are deposited, increasing its size, while the anode dissolves, leaving behind sludge containing valuable metals like silver and gold. The process maintains the solution's concentration, and the copper sulfate solution is replaced if zinc ions accumulate.

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