Way back to prehistoric times, copper has always been widely used by humans for numerous purposes. This reddish gold-colored element is a ductile, malleable, and good conductor of electricity and heat. Copper is an extremely versatile metal that is making our lives better every time. It’s acting as a vital contributor to the economic structure of the nation as well. The lives we are having today are improved to great extent due to copper and its alloys.
Properties Of Copper
Copper is more than a mined metal; it has significantly driven sustainable growth and economic development. You will be amazed to know that a ton of copper is responsible for giving functionality to 40 cars or 400 computers. The mineral and metal industry provided jobs to thousands of people around the world promoting a higher standard of living. According to the U.S. Geological Survey 2004, around 1.6 billion metric tons of land-based copper resources are estimated. It is extensively used across many industries, mostly for construction purposes. Some quantities obtained from copper-rich ore are used in electric and electronic products, industrial machinery, transportation, and other consumer products. If you look around in your houses, even items like coffee makers, fans, blenders, Aircon units, toasters, and many more have traces of copper in them. Whether it is newly mined copper or copper scrap, the metal is technically and economically required. But relying upon copper scrap is more beneficial than being dependent on newly mined metal. This is because it has significantly reduced energy consumption and the emission of greenhouse gases.
Copper Mining
The copper mining process is a highly complex process that considers the feasibility of land, deposit size, government policies, and other important factors. As the result of copper mining, a sheet of pure copper is obtained as the cathode. Further, this sheet is used for the manufacturing of goods. Commonly, the ores considered for mining purposes are copper sulfide and copper oxide ore which undergo distinctive methodologies. The copper oxide ore is more abundant than copper sulfide ore but produces less amount of copper. You should know how various companies are involved in improving exploration and mining services including Solaris Resources and Glencore. Solaris Resources Inc has recently made a significant new discovery within its Warintza project in southeastern Ecuador. This is a breakthrough in their expansive drilling program and is likely to help grow the company’s presence in the region. Only miners can significantly observe and determine the value of ore. Let’s discuss how copper is mined to be utilized in various sectors.
Widely Used Mining Method: Open-Pit Mining
In brief, open-pit mining refers to the process of extracting near-surface ore deposits with the help of one or more horizontal benches. Usually, the copper is mined with two methods that include open-pit mining and underground mining. Talking about the widely used technique, open-pit or open-cast mining is the most used method that includes a series of processes. The processes of open-pit include drilling ore and waste rock, loading drill holes with explosives, blasting, ore loading, and hauling to stockpiles for processing.
Conclusion
Copper is obtained from natural ore deposits worldwide, which is utilized widely for construction, electrical, machinery, or other purposes. Its wide variety of applications has made it an essential element for our modern lives. The copper mining operations are needed to be more sustainable and efficient to ensure effective production.