Copper

Primary Applications

Electrical wiring, power grids, electronics, construction, motors, renewable energy systems

Mining Significance

Copper is mined from multiple major deposit types, including porphyry, volcanogenic massive sulfide, sediment-hosted, and magmatic sulfide systems. Chalcopyrite is one of the most important copper ore minerals, but copper also occurs in bornite, chalcocite, oxides, and carbonates. Because copper mineralogy varies widely, processing may involve flotation, smelting, leaching, solvent extraction, and electrowinning depending on the ore type.

Industries

None listed

Copper

63.55

Key Properties

Excellent electrical and thermal conductivity.
Ductile and readily formed into wire, sheet, and tubing.
Good corrosion resistance and forms protective surface patinas.
Readily alloyed to form brass, bronze, and many specialty alloys.
Occurs in both sulfide and oxide mineral systems, requiring different processing routes.

Mining Targets

This element is often found in the following Deposit Types and Mineral targets.

Deposit Type: Magmatic Ni-Cu Sulfide - Nickel-copper sulfide deposits formed by segregation and concentration of sulfide liquids in mafic-ultramafic magmas.

Mineral: Chalcopyrite - CuFeS₂ - Chalcopyrite is the principal copper-bearing sulfide mineral in many magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposits.

Deposit Type: Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide (VMS) - Sulfide deposits formed by seafloor hydrothermal systems and commonly enriched in copper, zinc, lead, gold, and silver.

Mineral: Chalcopyrite - CuFeS₂ - Chalcopyrite is a principal copper-bearing sulfide mineral in copper-bearing VMS deposits.