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Improvement of the Patio Process
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Through several reactions, the cupric sulfate reacts with the
sulfur to remove it from reacting with the silver again:
CuSO4 + 2 NaCl = CuCl2 + Na2SO4
2CuCl2 + 2Hg = 2 CuCl + Hg2Cl2
(production of monovalent copper)
Ag2S + 2CuCl = 2 AgCl + Cu2S
(Copper forms copper sulfide and removes the sulfide from
the reaction.)
AgCl + CuCl = Ag + CuCl2
The silver metal released by reaction with cuprous chloride is
then amalgamated by the mercury. The addition of cupric
sulfate encourages the reduction of silver because the drive
(electromotive force) favors the reduction of silver chloride by
cuprous chloride (last reaction) is nearly 0.3 volts greater than
the reduction of silver chloride by mercury (at standard
conditions of one atomsphere pressure, one molar solutions, and
room temperature). The silver so produced still needs to be
removed from the rest of the rock, by amalgamation in this
instance.
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Improvement of the Patio Process
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