What is Copper?

Copper is a non-ferrrous metal that is an essential element for all living things. It is reddish brown, metallic, soft, and can quickly oxidize in air. It is a transition metal, and in being so can form compounds and is an excellent conductor with corrosion resistance properties (1). It can be found in Earth's crust with a concentration of 50 parts per million. Copper minerals are divided into three groups. The first is primary or hypogene minerals, which are related to hydrothermal processes. Some of these resulting minerals are boronite, chalcopyrite, and enargite. Copper oxides, the second group, are formed from the weathering of copper sulphides like cuprite, malachite, chrysocolla, and covellite.

Symbol: Cu
Atomic Number 29
Atomic Weight: 63.546
Density at 293K: 8960 kg/m^3
Melting Point 1083.4 deg C
Boiling Point 2567 deg C
Electrical Conductivity 100% of Annealed Copper Standard

Copper was discovered in northern Iraq around 8000BC. Deposits were worked in Egypt around 5,000 BC. This ancient copper may still be in use, because copper is infinitely recyclable. Copper's recycling value is so large that premium-grade scrap still has at least 95% of the value of the primary metal from newly minted ore. (11) The current price for copper is $7,545 per ton, or $3.66 per pound. That means a cubic foot of this metal is worth over $2000! Because of this rising price, people have been ripping off anything that is not nailed down. Big companies, such as Verizon, are getting hit hard. In 2006, over $300,000 worth of copper was stolen from their cell phone towers in California alone. In more ironic news, two men were trapped in a West Virginia mind this April because they were trying to steal copper wire. Also, two thieves in New Hampshire were electrocuted while trying to steal copper wire from a transformer. Even copper scrap, the most widely available scrap, is about $3.25, up from $1.25 two years ago. (3)
Copper has incredibly many uses. It is used in construction materials, electronic products, transportation equipment, powder in automotive, aerospace, electrical and electronics equipment, anti-fouling compounds, various chemicals and medical processes, fungicides, wood preservatives, copper plating, pigments, electronic applications and specialized chemicals. (2)

 

Figure 1.1 A chunk of copper ore surrounding a number of other minerals.
Picture Source: http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/minerals/copper.htm

 

Figure 1.2 Finished and refined copper ore formed into cylinders.
Picture Source: http://www.nsrw.com

Related Links:
http://www.copper.org/
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/copper/
http://www.facts-about.org.uk/science-element-copper.htm