Methods of forming copper solutions

A method for dissolving copper, comprising:

• electrically coupling a first metal comprising copper to a second cathode metal, said second cathode metal comprising at least one of iron, nickel, chromium, silver, stainless steel, or a mixture thereof;
• exposing said first metal to a first electrolytic solution comprising from about 1% to about 80% 2-hydroxyethlylamine by weight of total solution;
• exposing said second cathode metal to a second electrolytic solution comprising water;
• introducing a gas comprising carbon dioxide into said first electrolytic solution so that said first electrolytic solution further comprises from about 50 ppm to about 50% by weight of total weight of said first electrolytic solution of dissolved carbon dioxide;
• introducing a gas comprising oxygen into said second electrolytic solution so that said second electrolytic solution further comprises from about 0.001 ppm to about 5000 ppm oxygen;
• wherein said first and second solutions are in ionic communication with each other;
• and
• wherein copper ions are released by said first metal into said first electrolytic solution.

A method for dissolving copper, comprising:

• electrically coupling a first copper metal to a cathode electrode;
• exposing said first copper metal to a first electrolytic solution comprising water, nitrogen compound and carbon dioxide;
• exposing said cathode electrode to a second electrolytic solution comprising water and oxygen, and wherein said first and second electrolytic solutions are in ionic communication with each other, and
• applying anodic current to said first metal and cathodic current to said cathode electrode;
• wherein copper ions are released by said first metal into said first electrolytic solution.