Market Survey on Copper - Indian Bureau of Mines

Chapter 2. Uses and Specifications
Copper is an important non-ferrous metal used in various forms for different
applications. Copper is acclaimed for its conductivity and antibacterial quality. It is
also known for alloying with a number of other metals to produce important alloy
such as brass. Electrical/electronic industry is by far the largest consumer of copper,
where it is used in the form of cables, winding wires as it is the best non-precious
metal conductor of electricity as it encounters much less resistance compared with
other commonly used materials. In electronic industry, semi-conductor manufacturers
have launched a revolutionary ‘copper chip' . By using copper for circuitry in silicon
chips, microprocessors are able to operate at higher speeds, using less energy. Copper
heat sticks help remove heat from transistors and keep computer processors operating
at peak efficiency. Copper is used in construction industry as plumbing, taps, valves
and fittings components. In Transportation industry copper is used in various
components. According to an estimate by ICSG (International Copper Study Group)
most cars contain an average of 20 kg copper and luxury & hybrid vehicles contain
about 45 kg copper. Copper is extensively used in industrial machinery and
equipment. It is used in a number of consumer products such as coinage, utensils,
fixtures etc. Large quantities of copper are consumed in making copper based alloys
such as brass and bronze.
In this chapter, the industrial uses of copper in its original form have been
covered in detail. The uses of alloys of copper, such as brass, bronze have also been
touched upon as these alloys consume a fair amount of copper as well as find wide
range of applications in industry.
2.0 USES AND SPECIFICATIONS
Copper being a major industrial metal, ranks third after iron and aluminium in
terms of quantity consumed. Copper is a reddish malleable and ductile metal valued
for its excellent thermal and electrical conducting qualities and resistance to
corrosion. Copper combines with a number of elements to form a wide variety of
copper minerals and ores. The properties of copper are depicted in Figure-2.1.
Though more than 150 copper bearing minerals have been identified, only a
small number of these are of economic importance, the main being chalcopyrite
(CuFeS2).
The copper bearing minerals can be classified into 3 groups. The first group
contains primary or hypogene minerals which are formed by processes related to
igneous activities. They are mainly sulphides like chalcopyrite, bornite, energite etc.
The second group comprises the minerals formed by chemical weathering of exposed
sulphide minerals of copper. These are mainly oxides such as Malachite, Azurite,
Chrysocolla, etc. The third group is secondary supergene sulphides. These minerals
are generally formed by copper leached sulphide exposed near the surface of the
earth. Chalcocite, Covellite, Cubanite, etc. are included in this group. List of some
of the copper minerals is given in Table: 2.1.
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