Australia's Science Forum

Could anyone out there help me with a recipie for artificial ore using sand, copper sulfate, marble chips all in plaster. I had a go at making it up last year but was told that it didn't work very well. Maybe guessing amounts dosen't work after all.
Thanks Tracey

Hello Tracy,

What are they using the ore for?
Depending on the use Ihave several techniques for different ore types.

Regards
Michelle

Hi Michelle
They are extracting the metal by 1st seperating the copper sulfate and then the copper, recording mass at each stage.
Tracey

I am still trying to perfect this prac. I no longer add the marble chips. Convinced the teachers that the students would destroy too many mortar and pestles with all the frantic pounding. The last lot was a disaster because the plaster went off too fast before I could add the copper sulfate crystals. Next time I am planning to add the plaster to a weak solution of copper sulfate before adding sand and larger copper sulfate crystals.

There is a trick to making up the plaster. Put your liquid into a plastic icecream container, remembering that the final plaster mixture will be twice the level of water in container. Sprinkle plaster over surface of water until plaster just sits on surface of water. DO NOT MIX UNTIL YOU HAVE DONE THIS. Only after you get to this stage do you mix the plaster with the water. Quickly add other ingredients and pour/push into plastic takeaway food containers. Break into pieces with a hammer when plaster mixture is thoroughly dry.

I have a recipe using copper carbonate powder, sand and plaster.Use equal amounts of each and slowly add water until just sloppy(watery).Do it in chinese take away container and leave it overnight. It is easy to break up, copper carbonate dissolves in a weak acid and filter off the residue. Use the filtrate for electrolysis of copper.
Good luck Lada

Hello Tracy,

Lada information is the combination we use. In fact our weak acid is vinger.

Took this route because after several attempts of the Copper sulphate version I never got it working just right, but best type was to mix the plaster with 1M dirty copper sulfate, half pour into container, add some crystals and then pour rest.

Hope it helps
Regards
Michelle

I made up small blocks using ice cube trays. Obviously if you have a large class this won't be time-efficient. I weighed (not very accutately) each individual portion of copper carbonate or copper sulfate (I can't remember which... and using about 5g from memory - I've only done it once and it was in my first week as a lab assistant) and put it in the tray so each cube would produce similar results for each group. I put some sand in, made the plaster and poured it over the top. Then I mixed it with a metal spatula. You have to mix it pretty quickly and don't put so much plaster in that it spills out when you stir it.

Rosalie

Totally off base but my teachers use chocolate chip cookies for ore in the "exploiting earth resources" topic in Year 8.

I buy several brands and they get the students to "extract" the chocolate chips and come up with which brand had the highest grade ore.

They then get to eat the ore!

Otherwise I have only made "ore" using Copper carbonate, sand and plaster.

Wendy

Similar to Lada's recipe Science World 10 (Stannard and Williamson) 2/e MacMillan gives a recipe for copper ore by mixing copper sulfate:sand: plaster of paris (calcium carbonate) in the ratio 1:1:2. I make it into an icecream container, stirring as it sets quickly. It is quite crumbly and easy to dole out, weigh and crush. A previous attempt setting into icecube trays proved to be too hard for crushing in the mortar and pestle. In the prac "Copper metal from Copper ore" p 158 the ore is simply mixed with water to dissolve the copper sulfate and filtered to remove the solids and the filtrate electrolysed.
This ore recipe and method can be used for any metal salt which is soluble and can be electolysed.
Ellie Trinity Christian School Canberra

Hey Tracey,

Just made artificial ore last week and it worked a treat. Copper Carbonate/sand/plaster for paris in 1:1:2 proportions. Just like previously said, I made it takeaway containers and just broke it into pieces when dry (which was overnight). The kids then used 1M Sulphuric Acid instead of water. Looks more spectacular, since green "rock" changes to blue liquid.

Cheers, Kristin

Hi - I have been asked to prepare Artificial Copper Ore. It is a mixture of sand, plaster of paris, copper sulfate residue and copper carbonate (spoonfuls). Does anyone know how much of each substance to use? All I know is that it should end up rock hard. Does anyone have a recipe?

I use ice cube trays. Into each cube I put 1tsp copper carbonate, 1/2tsp sand, 1/2 tsp plaster and use a disposable pipette to add some water. I stir each one individually with an applicator stick or tooth pick.

PS if it is too 'rock hard' it is near impossible to crush. That happened to me one year... Couldn't even smash it with a hammer!!! (That was before I came up with this 'recipe') I usually have about 1/2-1mm of water 'sitting' on top once I have finished stirring. If you make them enough in advance (if you get enough notice) this will dry off and they will set but not like concrete I hope this helps you out!

The individual mixing might seem a bit monotonous but I have found that because the different things don't mix evenly it is hard to do a 'big batch' and then pour into individual samples. Also, it ensures you have enough! Nothing worse than needing 10 and only having enough for 9... I usually make a few spares for kids who mess up, or spill their sample etc. and save them for the following year. If you have plenty of time on your hands (hahahahahaha ) do enough for next year as well I store my 'spares' with the rocks and minerals collections so I know where to find them.

WOW Rosalie! I'm impressed! No seriously.

I just make up a mixture in a takeaway container or two and break it into lumps. Bit random I know, but it means groups have to determine their own results, as no two groups started with the same mass to start with. Depends on the focus of the experiment.

I haven't been asked for this for 6-7 years! I'd forgotten about it! I also just made a slab - I originally made liitle cookies (like Cornflake Chocky Rocks....) but realised a slab was easier and you can control the thickness so it isn't too hard to break. Also I added some marble chips - the different particle sized materials made it a bit crumblier. These can be removed at the first step of the mineral processing via sieves/screens.

Yah, I do the same as Smiley. Take away containers and about 3cm thick. I do 1:1:1 ratio and works pretty well for what they need to do.
Lada

I guess our teachers are a bit more pedantic... They are all still slightly different because the tsp measurements are a bit rough... oh well... or maybe it is just one of those moments when you go 'above and beyond' without actually realising it... I wonder what the teachers would do if I just gave them a slab next year??

Tell them it reduces cheating! Or...tell them to take it or leave it...or tell them....no! I'm stopping now!

Do a search for artificial ore. Seems this was a hot topic in 2007. Don't know how to merge the two. I'm sure someone can.
Lyn.

I hope I did it right!