Why Copper?
Copper is man’s oldest metal and is recognised as the metal of civilisation. There is a fusion of useful properties that make copper and its alloys suitable for a wide range of uses that enable and enhance our daily lives. Copper’s most exploited properties are its electrical and thermal conductivity but its strength, ease of fabrication, ready availability in different product forms, palette of colors and recyclability combine to make copper one of the most versatile resources suitable for thousands of different applications in our homes, businesses and cities since generations.
Even in today’s modern and global society, copper has gained significant importance due to some noteworthy properties like:
- Contribution to sustainable development:Copper can be recycled again and again, without any loss of performance, thereby contributing to sustainable development.
- Health benefits:Copper is an essential element for all lifeforms – the recommended daily allowance for an adult is 1.4 mg .When alloyed with other elements, its durability and aesthetics combined with its intrinsic hygienic property makes copper suitable for frequently touched surfaces in hygiene sensitive environments.
- Environment protection- Green resource:Copper’s superior electrical and heat conductivity help to protect the environment by improving energy efficiency, thereby reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Though we may not always see it, as copper is often hidden behind walls or inside equipment, covered by protective insulation, or below and above the ground, but almost every moment of our lives is impacted by the benefits provided by copper products and therefore there have been continuing innovations with copper.
Today, we use copper in pots and pans, in the water pipes in our homes, and in the radiators in our cars. Copper also plays an essential role in computers, smartphones, electronics, appliances and construction. Here are some phenomenal benefits of copper:
Copper is the best non-precious-metal conductor of heat and electricity on the planet, so items that contain copper tend to operate more efficiently. According to the International Copper Association (ICA), using more copper in motors and appliances can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.25 gigatonnes – equivalent to taking half a billion cars off the road.
Renewable energy systems – like solar, wind and hydropower – rely on copper to generate and transmit energy with maximum efficiency.
Copper is the primary conductor in the world’s electrical infrastructure, contributing to the electrification of transportation. For example, electric vehicles have a copper intensity 3-4 times higher than traditional vehicles.
Copper is 100% recyclable, and it can be recycled without losing any of its properties, including its high conductivity. The majority of the around 550 million tonnes of copper produced since 1900 is still in use today, according to the ICA. At our Kennecott operations in the US, we offer our smelting services to other concentrate producers and are able to use our facilities to purify copper from recycled scrap, such as old copper wiring. In fact, we have been smelting recycled scrap since 2005 and have processed up to 2.8 million pounds of copper from scrap per year, enough to provide the electrical wiring in 6,400 new homes
Copper is naturally antimicrobial, and using copper surfaces in hospitals reduces the spread of infection in hospitals. According to the ICA, copper kills nearly all bacteria, keeping surfaces clean for longer.
There are more than 400 copper alloys, each with a unique combination of properties to suit many applications, manufacturing processes and environments. Alloys are created by making a solid material out of two or more different metals. Learn more from the examples below.
Brass is the generic term for a range of copper-zinc alloys with differing combinations of properties including strength, machinability, ductility, wear resistance, hardness, color, electrical and thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance.
Bronze alloys are made from copper and tin and were the first to be developed about 4,000 years ago during the Bronze Age
Copper-nickel alloys have excellent resistance to marine corrosion and biofouling. The addition of nickel to copper improves strength and corrosion resistance without changing ductility.
Nickel-silver alloys are made from copper, nickel and zinc and are sometimes regarded as special brasses. They have an attractive silvery appearance rather than the typical brassy color. Typical applications include coins and ornamental objects.
Beryllium copper alloys are used for their high strength and good electrical and thermal conductivities. It’s similar in mechanical properties to high-strength-alloy steel. However, it has better corrosion resistance than steel. There are two groups of beryllium-copper alloys: high strength alloys and high conductivity alloys.
Copper’s unique properties make it a vital material for urban and industrial growth.
Common Uses Of Copperare all around us. Around 60% of total global demand is for electrics – wire, cables and connectors, including in vehicles and consumer electronics. 20% is used in construction: water pipes and roof sheets benefit from copper’s resistance to corrosion.Copper’s thermal conductivity makes it good for air conditioning and refrigeration. it’s also commonly used in hospitals, owing to its antibacterial qualities. And its visual qualities account for many other uses – in buildings and everyday objects.
Copper is essential for all living things. As a naturally-occurring element, copper is present everywhere in the world around us. Life has evolved in this natural presence, and humans have developed built-in mechanisms to manage intake levels.Virtually every cell in the body utilises copper and, together with iron and zinc, copper makes up the trio of minerals essential to our well-being.
Copper is vital to the health of the body from foetal development right through to old age. Quite simply, without copper our brains, nervous systems and cardiovascular systems could not function normally.Copper has been used as a medicine for thousands of years including the treatment of chest wounds and the purifying of drinking water.
More recently, research has indicated that copper helps prevent inflammation in arthritis and similar diseases. Research is going on into anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory medicines containing copper, and its use in radiology and for treating convulsions and epilepsy. Although there is no epidemiological evidence that copper can prevent arthritis, there have been claims that the wearing of copper bangles does alleviate the symptoms.
Plants and animals require copper for normal growth and metabolism. Without proper copper supply in soils, plants will have reduced yields, impaired quality of crop products, increased susceptibility to disease, and, in severe cases, to crop failure.
