Claims
- 1. A method for making copper cathode starting sheets for use in the electrorefining of copper by the electrodeposition of copper onto the starting sheet, the method comprising the steps of:
- melting refined copper;
- continuously casting the molten copper into a cast form for working into a sheet;
- reducing the thickness of the continuous casting from about 25% to 98% by mechanically working the cast copper into a wrought sheet;
- trimming the continuous wrought sheet into discrete rectangular sheets suitable for use as a starting sheet or as a starting sheet blank for the electrolytic deposition of copper thereon; and
- forming support means on the sheet for hanging the sheet vertically in an electrorefining cell.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein a horizontal belt caster is used to continuously cast the molten copper.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein a rolling mill is used to reduce the casting.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein a shaft furnace is used to melt the refined copper.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the wrought sheet is about 0.015 to 0.123 inch.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the thickness of the wrought sheet is about 0.025 to 0.070 inch.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the casting is formed into a wrought sheet by hot rolling.
- 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the rolling is performed using a straight line rolling mill.
- 9. In a method for a production of copper by electrorefining wherein copper is electrodeposited onto copper cathode starting sheets in electrolytic production cells from an impure copper anode, the improvement comprising using as the copper cathode starting sheet a wrought copper cathode starting sheet produced by melting refined copper; continuously casting the molten copper into a cast form for working into a sheet; reducing the thickness of the continuous casting from about 25% to 98% by mechanically working the cast copper into a wrought sheet; trimming the continuous wrought sheet into discrete rectangular sheets suitable for use as a starting sheet or as a starting sheet blank for the electrolytic deposition of copper thereof; and forming support means on the sheet for having the sheet vertically on an electrorefining cell; and having a thickness of about 0.015 to 0.123 inch.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the thickness of the wrought sheet is about 0.025 to 0.70 inch.
- 11. The method of claim 9 wherein the copper cathode starting sheet is made by hot rolling.
- 12. The method of claim 9 wherein the copper cathode starting sheet is made by straight line hot rolling.
Parent Case Info
This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/643,007 filed on May 3, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,797.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1 294 694 |
Nov 1972 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
"Continuous Casting and Rolling of Copper Rod at the M.H. Olen Copper Refinery Uses No Wheel", Wire Journal, Sep. 1974, by John M.A. Dompas, Justin G. Smets and Jean R. Schoofs, pp. 118-132. |
"Extractive Metallurgy of Copper", by A.K. Diswas and W.G. Davenport, Third Edtion Chapter 17, pp. 336-368. |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
643007 |
May 1996 |
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