Copper is considered an important part of human life. This shiny, lustrous, and precious metal is present in every essential resource. Various integral processes of building construction, power generation, and transmission, or electronic manufacturing essentially require copper. The use of copper emerged from the stone age and made a significant contribution to human civilization. Furthermore, the discoveries of copper alloys helped the economies to grow at a fast pace.
Presently, several companies are involved in providing copper exploration and mining services; Solaris Resources is one of them. This is how various mining companies are fulfilling the global needs of copper.
Demand Of Copper
The production of copper is done by Codelco to meet global needs. It is expected that the demands will further increase with the maturation of economies. It was estimated that the world’s production and consumption of copper have drastically grown in the past 25 years. According to a study, around 60% of the use of copper is for electronic and wiring purposes, while 20% is used for construction objectives. Solaris Resources is a copper mining company that successfully handled copper exploration projects.
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Why Is Copper In Demand?
Copper is in demand and will remain in demand due to its versatility in uses. It is one of those metals which is found in directly usable form naturally. Read further to know why copper is extremely important for the nation and remains in demand.
- The metal is malleable and ductile, which makes it easily moldable into different utilitarian forms. This quality of metal makes it simple to stretch it into complex surfaces without breakage. Further wires are formed in this way and used in cars, computers, phones, television, etc.
- The thermal and electric conductivity of copper is 65% more than aluminum. Due to its higher electrical conductivity, it is involved in extensive applications related to cables, motor winding, transformers, etc. On the other hand, copper has more thermal conductivity than stainless steel and aluminum. That’s why coppers applications are associated with work where instantaneous heat transfer takes place.
- Copper is corrosion resistant. It forms a protective film on its surface. Copper oxidizes to form the patina, which is easily noticeable in roofing and buildings. This property of copper has made it a multipurpose metal. It is often used for pipes, electrical cables, radiators, and other purposes.
- Coppers easily form alloys with other metals. The first alloy produced with copper was bronze. The extensive use of bronze led to the bronze age in history. There are more than 400 copper alloys discovered to the present date to fulfill high-quality requirements. Some major alloys of copper include brass, cupronickel, etc.
Conclusion
Copper is the first metal that was consumed by human beings in quantities. Mainly, copper is used in electrical wiring, roofing, plumbing, and machinery. This metal is considered an essential trace element for most living beings. The timeline of copper depicts the human civilization occurring from the past 11,000 years. It has made our lives simple with its superior features.
