Abstract
The aim of the research is the studying the electrochemical reduction of the refractory copper mineral malachite from oxidized ores in the presence of sodium sulfite, a sulphidizing agent, and formation of easily floatable copper (I) sulfide under voltammetric polarization conditions. The studies were conducted using a special electrode assembly design for voltammetric studies and microelectrolysis at a controlled potential of both dispersed ore monominerals and depolarizer solutions. Electrode mechanisms for the monovalent copper sulfide formation during combined cathodic reduction of malachite and sodium sulfite were established. A sulfite ion is easily reduced in an acidic medium to highly active colloidal elemental sulfur, making it an effective sulphidizer for malachite. Copper sulfide was synthesized from malachite under microelectrolysis conditions, and the sulphidizing effect of sulfite was confirmed. The effect of the electrode material on the cathodic decomposition of the synthesized Cu2S was observed.