Copper CASE STUDY

Question 1

Copper

Answer 1

• This is a globally traded non-ferrous metal
• It is the third most traded metal in the world and is a very importnatn metal that gives value for use in a number of industries.

Question 2

Sources of Copper

Answer 2

• Copper ores are found primarily in igneous rocks as hydrothermal deposits but also sedimentary rocks.
• Copper mines are only developed where there is more than 5KG of copper per tonne of rock, but should be near to 2% of the total mass to establish a proven reserve.
• Copper is found in three main mineral ores Bornite, Chalcopyrite and Malachite, currently Chalcopyrite is the most common, accounting for 50% of production.
• Small amounts are found in the ground as pure copper.
• Around 1.6 billion tonnes is accessible for mining on Earths lands and around 0.7 is available in deep sea nodules.

Question 3

Distribution of Copper reserves and resources

Answer 3

• South America has the largest measured and undiscovered copper resorces, the worlds largest igneous deposits are mined in this region.
• The andean region of south america is the worlds most productive region, producing aroun 45% of the worlds copper by 2007.
• CHILE is by far the largest producing country, in 2015 producing 5.750 million tonnes of the mineral and 31% of global supply.
• North America also has resverves in Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, producing 1.250 million tonnes in 2015.
• Poland has the largest sedimentary deposit in the world, in 2006 it was the 10th largest prodcuer.
• China is the worlds second largest producer at around 1.750 million tonnes in 2015 but the worlds largest consumer.

Question 4

End use of Copper

Answer 4

Metals derive their usage from their physical properties and coppers most importnat proporties make it popular for a range of uses.

• Ductile, so capable of being drawn into wire.
• A better conductor of heat and electricity than any other metal.
• Corrosion resistant.
• Biostatic, doesnt sustain bacterial growth, so can be used to keep drinking water safe.
• Decorative

The average UK home has around 180KG of copper for electrical wirring, plumbing.

Question 5

END USE COPPER - Electricity

Answer 5

Due to the reliablity and efficiency of copper conductivity its main uses are in the elecricity supply industry and products. Ductile nature means it can be drawn into thin wires and can be used in power stations and substations for electrical motors, generators and communcation devices.

Question 6

END USE COPPER - Hygiene

Answer 6

Antibacterial qualitities that will slow down bacterial growth such as E.Coli, this is important for hospitals, plumbing systems and food preperation.

Question 7

END USE COPPER - Water and other liquid vessels and pipework

Answer 7

Copper is corrosion resistant and can be joined easily be smoldering, its ductile and can eb shaped easult and withstands high temperatures. It is therefore useful for pipeworl, disttiling industries and brewing.

Question 8

END USE COPPER - Chemical and agriculture

Answer 8

Copper is used in pigments, pesticides and fungicides.

Question 9

END USE COPPER - Alloys

Answer 9

Copper can be combined with other metals to make alloys, the best know are brass and bronze, this are harder and stronger than pure copper and can be used effectively in industrial application.

Question 10

Components of demand for copper - Equipment industry

Answer 10

This includes a range of capital equipment used in industry such as gears, bearings, tanks, pressure vessels and pipes. It is used in heat exchange equipemnt, power cables, transformers and other electrical equipment.
Drives consumer eletrical appliances.
The copper industry accounts for 20% of GDP in Chile – a major contributor to the country’s economy.

Question 11

Components of demand for copper - Construction industry

Answer 11

It is used in producing plumbing components such as taps, valves, pipes, fire sprinkler systems and other fittings in buildings.
30% of global demand in 2015

Question 12

Components of demand for copper - Infastructure and communciation

Answer 12

Critical part of wirse and cables used in the telecommunciations industry, semi conductor industry is a major copper consumer.

Question 13

Components of demand for copper - Transport

Answer 13

Copper contriubutes to several applications in the railway industry and in other forms of transportation. It is used for motors, brakes and bearings.

Question 14

Role of copper in global commerce

Answer 14

• Copper is traded internationally in various forms of raw materials, concentrates and semi finished products and scrap. Copper is 100 percent recyclable, around 40% of global demand is met through recycled copper.
• Most copper traded each year is in the form of refined copper, around 8 million tonnes of refined copper was exported from countries such as chile, japan and china in 2015. USA, Germany and CHina importing the most.
• Global demand is much lower than global production, China and Japan are the largest importers of copper ores and refined copper.
• Japan is the largest expoerter of indirect copper through the sale of products such as electrical appliances and motor vehicles.
• Copper prices generally determine whether copper is produced, copper prices have been on a downward trajectory since 2014.

Question 15

Copper role in global industry

Answer 15

• Copper is used in almost every industry, construction, transport, electricity.
• Copper-related industries can be a major contributor to a countrys economy, for example in 2013 the copper inustry accounted for 20% of GDP in Chile.
• Industries are expanding as counteis develop, so demand increases, decrease in supply would therefore massively damage countries industry.

Question 16

Indirect copper

Answer 16

This is the rate of end use copper products such as electronic appliances and motor vehicles, this means the important of copper used in its production

Question 17

Key aspects of physical geography associate with ore occurrence and working

Answer 17

• Geological conditions, these are based on the process of geological formation, mineral deposists may be classified into four broad categories. Magmatic, Hydrothermal, Metamorphogenic and sedimentary.
• Location and working

Question 18

Key aspects of physical geography associate with ore occurrence and working - Geological conditions PORPHYRY deposits

Answer 18

• These are found in igneous rocks formed at destructive plate margins usually where a dense oceanic plate is being forced underneath a less dense continental plate.
• The continental plate melts forming magma that contains copper, this magma is forced upwards through cracks in the rock, as magma rises it cools and copper compounds crystallise as porphyry rocks.

Question 19

Key aspects of physical geography associate with ore occurrence and working - Geological conditions SEDIMENTARY DEPOSITS

Answer 19

Not all metal deposits have igneous origins, sedimentary deposits can also be a valuable source of many metals, including copper. They are generally sheet like, horizontal and frequently folded and can also hold lead and zinc.

When warer in the earths crust is heated, it dissolves compounds of metals, including copper. Mineral rich water flows through gaps in sedimentary rock and chemical changes solidify it in cracks and gaps in the rock.

Question 20

Key aspects of physical geography associate with ore occurrence and working - Location and working

Answer 20

Mineral depositis can be found in all types of geological formations, traditioanlly the major physical geography constaints on exploitation is remoteness, assexx to processing and markets and ability to exploit the resource. Theredore areas with extreme temperature or physcial enviroments such as desterts, dense forest and high mountains were left unexplored.
- Advances in mechanical and transport technology, we are now free to explore resources in most areas, with the exception of antartica. Production has shifted to hostile and remote areas such as the Atacama Dester in Chile.
- The shape size quanitity quality and density of the ore will determine whether exploration is possible.

Question 21

Copper and global commerce

Answer 21

Refined copper is used as a component when manufacturing electrical goods, or infrastructure. 8 million tonnes of copper exported by copper-producing countries such as Russia, Japan and Chile. Imported by China, US and Germany – all countries that have a large manufacturing sector. Because it’s used in so many different uses, it is a very good indicator for the global economy – price fluctuates as the global economy shifts.

Question 22

How do we determine whether copper will be exploited?

Answer 22

1. Richness of the reserve, the more copper a ore contains, the less rock has to be mines to produce the same amount of copper, richer deposits are more cost efficient.
2. Extent of the reserve, whether there is enough copper to pay for the investment required to extract it.
3. Ease of extraction, reserves that are close to the surface.
4. Location, is it remote, does machinary and peopl have to be tranported to and from the mine.
5. Politicaly unstable?

Question 23

How does richness and extent effect the type of mining?

Answer 23

Open pit mining, surface material is removed before the ore is extracted layer by layer, leaving a hige hole. Open pit mining is fairly cheap because its easy to mechanise and doesnt require too much infastructure.

Deep mining, shafts and tunnels are dug underground to extract the ore, deep mining is expensive so its generaly only is carried out when the copper depositis are located too far below the surface for open but mining and contain enough copper to make up for the extra investment.

Question 24

Sustainability issues accosiated with extraction

Answer 24

• The ores that contain the most copper tend to be mined first, so they run out first, this means that companies have to mine largest amounts of ore to extract the same amount of copper, so the cost of extraction gets higher, more waste is produced and enviromental impacts pursue.
• Open pits take up huge areas of land, this destorys the habitats and can reduce the biodiversity, however many countries require companies to restore the landscape once mining is finsihed.
• Spills and leaks of toxic substances can contaminate local water supplies, long term pollution of streams and rivers.
• Pressure on local services, huge influx of employment oppurutnities, doctors and schools may not cope.

Question 25

Sustainability issues accosiated with processing

Answer 25

• To extract copper from its ore, the ore is crushed, dissolved in acid, filtered and smelted over 1000 degees C, this results in large amounts of waste water, washing to local watersources.
• Processing copper uses large amounts of energy, often rellying on fossil fuels.
• Lots of water is required, many plants are in dry areas, one solution is to pump seawater into plants, these pipes disrupt ecosystems in the coastal area where the pipe pegins, saltwater is toxic to plants.

Question 26

Sustainability issues accosiated with trade

Answer 26

• Countries who economies rely on the copper trade can be hit hard by reductions in price, Zambias copper prices fell by 20% in 2015, economic growth was half of what it was in 2014 as a result.
• Price volatitlity affects invesment, if the price of copper falls, companies may be unwilling to search for new reserves and invest in the needed infastrucfture, in the future this will mean that copper supply doesnt meet demand.