- Did you know that copper is one of the first metals that was known
to the stone age man? Gold came about much later only around 4000
BC.
- A copper pendant found in Northern Iraq is dated about 8700 BC.
- When the Pantheon in Rome was built, it was roofed with copper.
- 200 years ago, a copper conductor was attached to St. Pauls Cathedral
to lead lightning strikes safely to the earth.
- Metallurgists find that alloys of copper possess more attractive
properties than the pure metal.
- The domestic demand for copper in India is around 2,50,000 tonnes
per annum.
- The annual per capita consumption of copper in India is around
0.15 to 0.20 kg. compared to 8 to 12 kg. in developed countries.
- The US and Chile together account for 41% of the worlds' copper
production.
- About 9% of the total weight of the components of an average car
is copper
- Premium grade recycled copper has at least 95% of the value of
the primary metal from newly mined ore.
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Steps in the copper production process
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FROM ORE TO PURE
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Mining and crushing
Sulfide and oxide ores are mined from the underground and crushed
to pieces.
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Grinding
This process is done in ball or rod mills.
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Concentrating
Here the minerals are concentrated and waste is removed. From here
the process moves to leachin and electrotwining or smelting and
electrolyctic refining.
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Leaching
This is done to get copper sulphate solution.
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Electrotwining
The solution is treated in an electrolyctic process tank to get
pure cathodes. Precious metals are extracted from the solution.
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Smelting
Melting and purifying stages result in 99% pure copper.
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Electrolyctic refining
Anodes cast from the nearly pure copper are immersed in an acid
bath to build up into a cathode. Precious metals are extracted from
the solution.
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99.9% pure cathode
The pure cathode can be converted to wires, plates, tubes, rods,
bars and so on.
The chart here shows production routes for the
manufacture of copper and brass castings, semi-finished and finihed
products.
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Know why copper is favoured for applications over most metals
? Here's why....
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Aesthetics
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Bactericide
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Bearing/ anti-galling properties
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Biofouling resistance
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Corrosion resistance
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Ductility Ease of moulding
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Environment friendly fungicide
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Hardness
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High electrical conductivity
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Low temperature properties
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Mechanical strength
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Non-magnetic
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Non-sparking
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No oxide layer formations
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Ozone proof
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Resistance to hydrogen
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Rust proof
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Strength
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Springiness
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Thermal conductivity
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Ultra-violet light resistance
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