Process for making copper wire

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for making copper wire directly from a copper-bearing material, comprising: (A) contacting said copper-beating material with an effective amount of at least one aqueous leaching solution to dissolve copper ions into said leaching solution and form a copper-rich aqueous leaching solution; (B) contacting said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution with an effective amount of at least one water-insoluble extractant to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution to said extractant to form a copper-rich extractant and a copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (C) separating said copper-rich extractant from said copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (D) contacting said copper-rich extractant with an effective amount of at least one aqueous stripping solution to transfer copper ions from said extractant to said stripping solution to form a copper-rich stripping solution and a copper-depleted extractant; (E) separating said copper-rich stripping solution from said copper-depleted extractant; (F) flowing said copper-rich stripping solution between an anode and a cathode, and applying an effective amount of voltage across said anode and said cathode to deposit copper on said cathode; (G) removing said copper from said cathode; and (H) converting said removed copper from (G) to copper wire at a temperature below the melting point of said copper.