Market Survey on Copper - Indian Bureau of Mines

The end-use of copper is determined by its chemical, physical, electrical,
mechanical properties, etc. The major industries where copper is used are as follows:
1. Electrical industry as wires, cables etc.
2. Industrial and engineering applications
3. Building and construction
4. Transport
5. Coinage
6. Ordnance & other uses
7. Wrought copper & alloys
8. Copper compounds
9. Refrigeration & Air Conditioning:
2.1.1 Electrical Industry
Copper is the best electrical conductor after silver as it encounters much less
resistance compared with other commonly used metals. It sets the standard to
which other conductors are compared. It is the single largest metal used in Electrical
industry. Being good conductor of electricity, malleability, corrosion resistance,
ductility i.e. ability to be drawn as wires of varying thickness, copper is most sought
after material for electric cables, both industrial as well as domestic. However, with
aluminium and its alloys as well as cost difference, copper wires were substituted by
aluminium specially in overhead power transmission lines, as well as underground
cables.
However, in household electrical fittings, power generation and electric motor
winding, copper is the most preferred material.
Use of copper in cables and wire industry vary from continent to continent. In
Asia, the share of electrical and electronics products is 50% while in USA it is 25%,
whereas world wide the consumption in electrical industry is 17%. As per Planning
Commission, the share of electrical industries in total consumption is only 39% while
as per ICRA, the consumption in electrical industry is 26%.
Copper is used for high grade copper wire cable used in the transmission of
electrical power and in telecommunication, motor and generator windings and in
industrial, commercial and domestic electrical machinery and appliances.
2.1.2 Power Cable and Wire
Power cables and wires are the carriers of electricity from electric source
to user equipment. Cables of varying thickness and types are used to carry out
heavy current load from one point to another, mostly underground. The wires
used in various applications are of lesser thickness. Wires are used as winding
wires in electric motors as well as domestic electrical fittings.
Copper consumption in electrical power has competition from
aluminium. Aluminium has lower volume conduction than copper (about 63%
of copper) but a much lower density (about 30% of copper). Therefore for a
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