Slimes and Sludges, copper electrolytic

Endpoint summary

Additional information

The UVCB substance is an inorganic, complex metal containing material.

 

Intermediate B6 - Slimes, Copper Refining   “Slimes & sludges, from copper electrolysis processes: a complex combination of insoluble compounds produced by precipitation during the Copper electrolytic refining or wining processes. It consists typically of various metals (such as e.g. precious metals, copper, antimony, tin, selenium, tellurium, arsenic, lead and nickel), as well as their oxides and/or sulfates.”
EC names	Substances covered / synonym	EC number / EINECS No.	CASNo.
Slimes and sludges, copper electrolytic*	Anode slimes	266-972-5	67711-95-9
Slimes and sludges, copper electrolytic refining, decopperized*	Decopperized slimes	305-433-1	94551-87-8
Slimes and sludges, copper electrolytic refining, decopperized, arsenic-rich*		309-772-6	100995-81-1
Slimes and sludges, copper electrolytic refining, decopperized, Ni sulfate*		295-859-3	92129-57-2

 

At room temperature, the substance is a solid

 

The majority of the available data on physical and chemical properties of the UVCB is taken from the report Liippo, et al, 2010 –a comprehensive study performed on the UVCB to characterize it (physico-chemical and mineralogical properties) in view of the upcoming REACH registrations of copper intermediates by the REACH Copper Consortium.

 

 In particular, a comprehensive chemical and mineralogical characterization of representative samples was performed (and reported under IUCLID 4.23). The study from Liippo et al (Outotec Lab) furthermore includes thermo gravimetric /differential scanning calorimetric (TG/DSC) measurements (under Air flux and Nitrogen atmosphere) that allowed determining melting, oxidation and related thermal stability properties of the UVCB.

The Outotec study included: Chemical assays (Inductively coupled argon plasma optic emission spectrometer, sulfur and carbon analyzes, Measurement of amount of magnetic material), Granulometry, density and specific surface measurements, determination of melting and oxidation temperatures (Thermogravimetry / differential scanning calorimetry), Water solubility tests, Mineralogical characterization (X-ray Diffraction, Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy) and Mineral Quantification. Based on the tests results, the study furthermore includes expert judgements addressing flammable, self-ignition, explosive and oxidising properties of the materials.

 

The selection and collection of the representative samples was made based on expert knowledge and according to standardized sampling protocols developed by the REACH Copper Consortium, an industry joint-venture regrouping major manufacturing and importing companies of the UVCB substance. Details on the sampling approach and the representative samples are reported as supporting information in IUCLID 1.4 and 4.1.

 

For a number of physic chemical properties, a range of values are provided to cover the variability among representative samples, if appropriate. The relevant physico-chemical properties of the materials (as well as IUCLID sections were to find details) are summarised below:

Table 1: Summary of the results

ECI Comments / Remarks	IUCLID Section	anodic slime from primary smelter (site 1b, decopperized) (representative, dried, homogenized)	anodic slime from primary smelter (site 1a, not decopperized) (representative, dried, homogenized)	anodic slime, site 2A (importer)	anodic slime, site 2B (importer)
Lab code		09TT03745	09TT03746	09TT06661	09TT06662
State / Colour	4.1	Solid, Grey	Solid, Grey	Solid, Grey	Solid, Grey
Relative Density g/m3	4.4	4.13	4.94	4.94	4.56
Specific surface area	4.5	0.81	2.99	3.53	2.37
Granulometry, D50, µm	4.5	<20	331	<20	<20
Water solubility	4.8	poor to low (*)	poor to low (*)	poor to low (*)	poor to low (*)
Melting temperature/decomposition,°C	4.2	126 °C	71 °C	120 °C	88 °C
Oxidation Temperature,°C	4.15	No	No	274 °C	261 °C
Assays / Chemistry	4.23	See table	See table	See table	See table
Mineralogy	4.23	See table	See table	See table	See table
Flammability	4.13	Not flammable	Not flammable	Not flammable	Not flammable
Self-ignition/ auto flammable properties	4.12	Negative	Negative	Negative	Negative
Explosive properties	4.14	Negative	Negative	Negative	Negative
Oxidizing properties	4.15	Negative	Negative	Negative	Negative
Relative Density, OECD 109; specific surface area, BET method; water solubility,OECD 105; melting and oxidation temperature TG/DSC analysis

(*) poor to low in preliminary test, with exceptions at high loading and shaking over long period