I was glad to do a blog about Copper because when I was a kid I visited my grandmother in Utah and she took us to a copper mine there called Bingham Canyon Mine.  We loved the field trip.  Anyway, what was most interesting to learn about copper is that it is used in electronics and building construction as well as many other products.  The demand is very high for the product. Like any other element mined, there are wastes left behind as well as destruction.  However, it is very recyclable and reusable.  Many people will strip copper wiring and piping for money.

Being that copper is highly electrically conductive, I know that demand will stay high and even grow.  We live in an electronic world and so mining will not cease, therefore, the focus should be on how to safely extract and process the element.

Copper is an element and cannot be broken down into parts.  The chemical symbol for copper is Cu.  It is a naturally occurring transition metal.

Copper is widely distributed throughout the world.  The Andean Mountains in Chile hold the majority with the USA coming in second.  These countries are the largest producers.

Chile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,350,000

United States of America. . . . . . 1,890,000

Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 740,000

Russia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .600,000

Indonesia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .380,000

Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420,000

Peru. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400,000

China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .350,000

Zambia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .350,000

Poland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .340,000

Kazakstan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220,000

Philippines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115,000

Zaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40,000

Other Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,600,000

WORLD TOTAL-----------------------> 9,800,000

Copper is extracted from the Earth through a mining process called strip mining or open pit mining. Copper comes in a form of rock that contains many other types of rock called waste rock. This waste rock must be removed or separated from the copper in order for it to be usable. Copper is separated from the waste materials through a process called roasting in air. This process super heats the copper and other materials and allows the waste to be removed.

Mining causes many environmental issues such as  Acid mine drainage

-          Chemical releases on water

-          Noise pollution (from explosions and heavy machinery)

-          Dust emissions

-          Detriment of rural scenery

-          Sinking of land

-          Scarcity of water

-          Prevention of agriculture and tourist development

-          Waste

-          Heavy metal contamination

-          Overuse of electric power and water

PROCESSED/CONCENTRATED

First it is crushed by cone crushers, then ground even smaller in a mill, and lastly it is mixed with various chemical reagents which coat and separate the copper from the ore.  Copper is frothed to the top of the mixture.  It is then smelted to remove iron and sulfur and continues on to go through fire and then electro refining processes.

WASTES

The recovery of sulfuric acid from the copper smelting process not only provides a profitable byproduct, but also significantly reduces the air pollution caused by the furnace exhaust. Gold, silver, and other precious metals are also important byproducts.

Waste products include the overburden from the mining operation, the tailings from the concentrating operation, and the slag from the smelting operation. This waste may contain significant concentrations of arsenic, lead, and other chemicals, which pose a potential health hazard to the surrounding area. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the storage of such wastes and the remediation of the area once mining and processing operations have ceased. The sheer volume of the material involved—in some cases, billions of tons of waste—makes this a formidable task, but it also presents some potentially profitable opportunities to recover the useable materials contained in this waste.

USES

HIGH ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY!

Presently, copper is used in building construction, power generation and transmission, electronic product manufacturing, and the production of industrial machinery and transportation vehicles. Copper wiring and plumbing are integral to the appliances, heating and cooling systems, and telecommunications links used every day in homes and businesses. Copper is an essential component in the motors, wiring, radiators, connectors, brakes, and bearings used in cars and trucks. The average car contains 1.5 kilometers (0.9 mile) of copper wire, and the total amount of copper ranges from 20 kilograms (44 pounds) in small cars to 45 kilograms (99 pounds) in luxury and hybrid vehicles. 

HIGH DEMAND.  RECYCLABLE AND REUSABLE!!!