Copper Mining and Processing: Processing ... - Superfund
Following mining, transporting, and crushing to a consistent gravel or golf ball-size, the crushed ore is further processed at a mill using secondary crushers, and reduced to pebbles, and finally to fine sand. After the copper ore is crushed, liquid is added to make it a slurry. The slurry is a mix of valuable copper ore minerals and "worthless" rock, called gangue (pronounced "gang ...