Copper - Minerals and Uses

It is believed the Egyptians (as early as 3900 B.C.E.) were the first people to create bronze, a mixture of copper and tin. It was named from the Greek word kyprios, that is, the Island of Cyprus, where copper deposits were mined by the ancients. The chemical symbol for copper is Cu which is derived from the Latin name for copper, cuprium.

Modern culture and life is heavily dependent on copper and copper products. It is a metal that has the desirable physical properties of being malleable and ductile. As a result, copper pipes are used to bring water to and through our buildings. Because it is such a good conductor of electricity, millions of miles of copper wire crisscross the landscape and run through our buildings. The amount of copper a society consumes is a direct indicator of the advancement of that society.

Major copper producing nations include the United States, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Mexico, Russia, Peru, and Indonesia. Recycled copper, predominantly from scrap metal, supplies approximately one-third of the United States’ annual copper needs.

In pure form, copper is drawn into wires or cables for power transmission, building wiring, motor and transformer wiring, wiring in commercial and consumer electronics and equipment; telecommunication cables; electronic circuitry; plumbing, heating and air conditioning tubing; roofing, flashing and other construction applications; electroplated coatings and undercoats for nickel, chrome, zinc, etc.; and miscellaneous applications. As an alloy with tin, zinc, lead, etc. (brass and bronze), it is used in extruded, rolled or cast forms in plumbing fixtures, commercial tubing, electrical contacts, automotive and machine parts, decorative hardware, coinage, ammunition, and miscellaneous consumer and commercial uses. Copper is an essential micronutrient used in animal feeds and fertilizers.

A number of plastic products are used now instead of copper pipes. The tele-communications industry is using fiber optic cables in place of copper wires, and the invention of cellular and satellite telephone technology allows many areas of the world to have communications without the need to install “copper telephone wires.” Aluminum can be used instead of copper for wires, refrigeration tubing, and electrical equipment.

Mineral	Formula	Appearance	% copper in mineral
Cuprite	Cu2O	Red earthy	88
Chalcocite	Cu2S	Dark grey, metallic	78
Bornite	Cu5FeS4	Golden brown, metallic	63
Malachite	CuCO3Cu(OH)4	Bright green, earthy	58
Azurite	2CuCO3Cu(OH)4	Blue, glassy	55
Chalcopyrite	CuFeS2	Golden yellow, metallic	35