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Where Is Copper Mined

Copper which has a very high thermal and electrical conductivity is a pliable metal. When it is freshly-exposed, the surface has a pinkish or peachy color. Pure copper is rather soft and flexible and used as a building material, thermal and electrical conductor, and forms an important constituent of various metal alloys. Copper, is one of the few metals to occur naturally.

For thousands of years various metal alloys and copper were used for numerous purposes. The origin of its name as Cyprium which was later shortened to Cuprum is believed to have originated in Cyprus because of the intense mining of copper conducted there during the Roman era. Even though it is estimated that there may not be sufficient reserves to sustain the many uses of copper and high consumption rates, there are still some places in the United States and Chile that have sizeable reserves and is currently being extracted from large open pit mines. Chuquicamata is a site located in Chile. It is the site of the largest circumference in the world and second deepest open pit copper mine.

Known to some of the oldest of civilizations, Copper has a history of at least 10,000 years of use. Some think that the discovery of this metal was in the Middle East around 9000 BC.

Historically it appears that copper smelting seems to have developed in numerous parts of the world in an independent manner. Its development in the Balkans was by 5500 BC while in China it may have developed before 2800BC and in the Andes it is recorded as being developed around 2000BC. It is also known to have existed around 600 AD in Central America, with West Africa in around 900AD. The working experience with copper over the centuries has in no doubt helped in developing techniques of smelting and discoveries of other metals. The present day Michigan and Wisconsin recorded production dating back to 6000 to 3000BC in the old copper complex.

Soon after the discovery of copper it was alloyed with zinc to manufacture bronze and brass and evidence of this practice exists in bronze and copper artifacts found from Sumerian cities dating back to 3000BC with Egyptian artifacts of copper alloys nearly as old. A plumbing system was found in one Pyramid estimated at 5000 years old.

Wadi Hamamat, Tura, Aswan and various other Nubian sites are where quarries for turquoise and copper were also found. Then there's the Chalcolithic period, copper mine in Timna Valley, Negev Desert, Israel. In Lyon County, Nevada, The Anaconda Copper Mine, which is an open pit copper mine was owned and operated by the Anaconda Mining Company.

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