Copper Mining

Copper extraction

Copper extraction is the multi-stage process of obtaining copper from its ores. The conversion of copper ores consists of a series of physical, chemical, and electrochemical processes. Methods have evolved and vary with country depending on the ore source, local environmental regulations, and other factors. The copper smelters with the highest production capacity lie in China, Chile, India, Germany, Japan, Peru and Russia. China alone has over half of the world's production capacity and is also the world's largest consumer of refined copper.

Copper

Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orange color. Copper is used as a conductor of heat and electricity, as a building material, and as a constituent of various metal alloys, such as sterling silver used in jewelry, cupronickel used to make marine hardware and coins, and constantan used in strain gauges and thermocouples for temperature measurement.

Mining

Mining is the extraction of geological materials and minerals from Earth's surface. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agricultural processes, or feasibly made artificially in a laboratory or factory. Ores recovered by mining include metals, coal, oil shale, gemstones, limestone, chalk, dimension stone, rock salt, potash, gravel, and clay. The ore must be a rock or mineral that contains a valuable constituent, can be extracted or mined, and sold for profit. Mining in a wider sense includes extraction of any non-renewable resource such as petroleum, natural gas, or even water.

Copper (color)

Copper is a reddish brown color that resembles the metal copper. The first recorded use of copper as a color name in English was in 1594.

copper

Noun

1. A reddish-brown metallic chemical element (symbol Cu) with the atomic number 29; also, the metal made up of this element.
2. The reddish-brown colour of copper (etymology 1, noun sense 1).

Adjective

1. Made of copper (etymology 1, noun sense 1).
2. Having the reddish-brown colour of copper.

mining

Noun

1. The activity of removing valuable resources (often minerals) from the earth.
2. Any activity that extracts or undermines.

Verb

1. present participle and gerund of mine