Env 250 Fall 2014 Class Blogs: Copper

Copper has the symbol of Cu and its atomic number is 29. Copper is classified as a metal and is found in a solid state. It has an atomic weight of 63.546. Copper has a melting point of 1084.62 degrees celsius and a boiling point of 2560 degrees celsius. Copper is reddish orange in color and is a soft metal. It is a great conductor of electricity and heat, silver is the only other metal that has a higher conductivity. If copper is exposed to air it will turn to a dull brown (tarnish).

Copper is one of the most important metals and is found in abundance in the earth's crust. Copper occurs naturally in the environment and is important in all plants and animals. Copper is used widely across the world and its production is still increasing. It is primarily used for wiring, motors, roofing, building, plumbing, and cookware. However, its most common use is for electrical equipment because it is such a great conductor of heat and electricity. Copper is ideal for wiring because it is a good conductor, but also because it can be drawn into fine wire.

Copper production and deposits are found all over the world. The top ten countries that produce copper are Chile, United States, Peru, China, Australia, Indonesia, Russia, Zambia, Canada, and Poland. Chile holds six of the ten largest copper mines in the world. Below there are three different maps of the world showing Copper deposits. Also there is the list of the top ten countries and there production level.

Rank	Country/Region	2006 Copper production (tonnes)	2013 Copper production (tonnes)
	World	15,100,000	17,900,000
1	Chile	5,360,800	5,700,000
2	United States	1,220,000	1,220,000
3	Peru	1,049,933	1,300,000
4	China	915,000	1,650,000
5	Australia	875,000	990,000
6	Indonesia	817,796	380,000
7	Russia	675,000	930,000
8	Zambia	502,998	830,000
9	Canada	606,958	630,000