Question

"Native," or elemental copper can be found in nature, but most copper is mined as oxide or sulfide minerals. Chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) is one copper mineral that can be converted to elemental copper in a series of chemical steps. Reacting chalcopyrite with oxygen at high temperature produces a mixture of copper sulfide and iron oxide. The iron oxide is separated from CuS by reaction with sand (SiO₂). CuS is converted to Cu₂S in the process and the Cu₂S is burned in air to produce Cu and SO₂:

2CuFeS2 +3O2 → 2CuS + 2FeO + 2SO2

2FeO + 2SiO2 → 2FeSiO3

2CuS → Cu2S + S

Cu2S + S + 2O2 → 2Cu + 2SO2

How much chalcopyrite had be mined to produce 100 pennies if each reaction involving copper proceeded in 71.00 % yield?

Answer 1