Copper

Copper is a chemical element. In its pure form, it is a reddish metal. It has been mined, processed, and used by humans for thousands of years! It’s one of the oldest materials known to people, and one of the first metals ever used. In nature, copper sometimes occurs in its pure form as a native metal, but it is more often contained in rock or sediment, forming copper ore.

Copper ore is mined, and then copper is separated from it in different refinement processes to obtain pure metal. Chile, Peru, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the United States are among the world's largest producers of copper. In 2020, an estimated total of over 20 million metric tons of copper were produced around the world. Copper is soft and easy to shape, even without heating it. It can be easily pulled, rolled and stretched.

These properties, combined with its great electrical conductivity, make it an ideal material for electrical wires, and parts of electronic devices. But copper has other properties too, which is why it has many important uses. Copper is durable; it doesn’t rust, and can resist harsh weather conditions. That’s why it’s been used in architecture for hundreds of years, especially in elements such as roofs or rain gutters. Thanks to its shininess and colour, buildings with copper elements look more attractive too.

Over time, copper tends to oxidise, forming a layer of natural greenish patina. This adds extra protection against weathering, and a distinctive look. Bacteria and other organisms cannot live and grow on copper — we say copper is antimicrobial and biostatic. That’s why it’s sometimes used on surfaces that are often touched or prone to microbial growth, such as doorknobs, handrails, sinks or taps. It can even be used to line parts of ships to prevent barnacles from attaching to them!

Copper also has high heat conductivity, so it is used to make pots and kitchen utensils. It can also be found in air conditioners, refrigerators, and underfloor heating systems. Copper mixes easily with many other metals, forming alloys, such as bronze or brass. These alloys were discovered in prehistoric times and used to make ornaments and weapons. Since then, copper alloys have found many more applications, from musical instruments and sculptures, to hardware such as hinges, locks, gears, or screws.

Copper has always been a valuable resource to humans and, with the growing number of applications, its importance keeps increasing. But copper is a non-renewable resource and its amount on earth is limited. Continuous mining depletes its natural stocks. Fortunately, copper can be recycled efficiently, and without losing any of its qualities. Old or broken objects that contain copper can be processed, and their copper extracted.

This way, it can be used again and again!