Where is copper mined in the world

Where is copper mined in Russia

22.05.2016 11:15

Copper is among the top most common elements and is in twenty-sixth place.

Usually it is found in the natural environment in the form of separately located pure nuggets, but recently such finds are becoming less and less common.

Accordingly, such deposits make up only a minimal share in metal production.

The bulk of copper is mined from rocks in which it is found, often in combination with other metals.

There are a large number of copper minerals.

But in the metallurgical industry the most valuable types are:

• copper pyrite;
• malachite;
• chalcopyrite;
• azurite

The Russian Federation is one of the five world leaders - countries in which copper mining accounts for the largest share and brings the most fruitful results.

Often copper, which is not located too deep relative to the surface of the earth, is mined by opencast mining.

For this purpose, huge quarries or cuts are dug.

These open copper mining sites can be several kilometers wide. The depths of the quarries can extend for more than one hundred meters.

In this way, about two-thirds of all copper produced is mined.

But in cases where copper deposits are deep underground, special structures are built that are designed to extract the element under the layers of the earth. They are called mines.

In Russia, copper is mined using both the first and second methods.

Copper as an element

Copper is the twenty-ninth element of the periodic table, which can be found both in its native derivative and in the composition of natural minerals. These include copper pyrite or chalcopyrite, copper luster or chalcocite, and malachite.

This element appears in the form of metal, the shade of which is red. If you break the copper, you can see that the color inside is pink.

It is very malleable and viscous.

Due to its properties, copper is an excellent conductor of current and according to this criterion it is second only to silver, coming in second place.

Copper also conducts heat well.

Such properties make the element indispensable for the electrical industry - it is used mainly in its pure form.

More than fifty percent of all copper mined on the territory of the Russian Federation is consumed for the needs of this type of industry.

If we talk about the properties of copper as a chemical element of the periodic table, then it interacts little with other elements.

If copper is exposed to open air, its surface becomes greenish, which is explained by the appearance of its basic carbonate, which creates a green film on the top layer of copper.

Copper salts are widely used in households. Since they are poisonous, they are used for pest control.

They are also actively used as fertilizers and catalysts.

Copper alloys such as brass, bronze and cupronickel are also used no less.

In the form of ore, copper, as a rule, is located in the “company” of several more, or one, metals.

Very often this is gold, silver, as well as platinum, nickel or lead and bismuth.

A large amount of copper is mined from a mineral such as bornite, the second name of which is mottled ore.

Structure of the Russian raw material base of copper

Unlike all countries in the world, forty percent of the Russian raw material base consists of copper-nickel sulfide deposits. And nineteen percent are pyrite deposits.

And this gives Russia an advantage over other countries, since their main reserves are located in porphyry copper deposits. The Krasnoyarsk ore region is rich in copper and nickel deposits. There are mainly sulfide deposits here.

The main part of all copper deposits in the Russian expanses is located in the Urals and in the Trans-Baikal Territory. In total, more than forty percent of the total volume of all copper owned by the country is mined there.

The Orenburg and Chelyabinsk regions have the greatest potential for increasing copper production. The Trans-Baikal region is rich in geological and industrial copper deposits in cuprous sandstones.

At the moment, the main share of mined copper comes from the Udokan deposit.

Currently it is the largest deposit in the Russian Federation.

Several new copper deposits have been discovered in the Far East and the Urals, which belong to the porphyritic copper type.

Main copper deposits

Subsoil user, deposit	Geological-industrial type	Reserves, thousand tons of WO3	Share in balance reserves of the Russian Federation, %	WO3 in ores, %	Production in 2012, t WO3
A+B+C1	C2
OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel
Oktyabrskoye (Krasnoyarsk region)	Sulfide copper-nickel	14631	5723	22,3	1,65	351
Talnakhskoe (Krasnoyarsk region)	Sulfide copper-nickel	7877,2	2728,2	11,6	1,11	80,6
Norilsk I (Krasnoyarsk region)	Sulfide copper-nickel	773,1	836,1	1,8	0,48	13,9
OJSC "Kola MMC"
Zhdanovskoe (Murmansk region)	Sulfide copper-nickel	765,6	227,2	1,1	0,3	12,2
OJSC "Gaisky GOK"
Gayskoye (Orenburg region)	Copper pyrite	4555,6	478,5	5,5	1,3	62,5
LLC "Bashkir copper"
Yubileiny (Republic of Bashkortostan)	Copper pyrite	1360,2	46	1,5	1,7	36,2
Podolsk (Republic of Bashkortostan)	Copper pyrite	1701,3	16,7	1,9	2,11
LLC "Baikal Mining Company"
Udokanskoye (Trans-Baikal Territory)	Cuprous sandstones	14434,6	5519,6	21,8	1,56
LLC "GDK Baimskaya"
Gerbil (Chukchi Autonomous Okrug)	Porphyry copper	2606,2	1124,5	4	0,83
LLC "GRK Bystrinskoe"
Bystrinskoye (Trans-Baikal Territory)	Skarn copper-magnetite	1717,5	355,9	2,3	0,78
CJSC "Mikheevsky GOK"
Mikheevskoe (Chelyabinsk region)	Porphyry copper	1264,3	299,7	1,7	0,44	1,4
CJSC "Tominsky GOK"
Tominskoe (Chelyabinsk region)	Porphyry copper	743,3	793,2	1,7	0,47
OJSC "Svyatogor"
Volkovskoe (Sverdlovsk region)	Vanadium-iron-copper	1612,2	153,4	1,9	0,64	6,6

Copper Ural

The largest copper deposits relative to the entire Russian territory are located in the Urals.

In order to simplify the extraction of the copper element from those ores in which its presence is very small. This method is called hydrometallurgical.

It is also used in cases where it is necessary to extract copper from what is waste from other metallurgical industries.

The basis of the hydrometallurgical method is the conversion of complexly soluble compounds of the required element into simpler ones that dissolve more easily.

Next comes the process of extracting them from the resulting solution.

This procedure is carried out using several methods, but the most common of them are:

• solution leaching;
• use of ion exchange resins;
• electrolysis.

Udokan copper deposit

This deposit is located in the Trans-Baikal Territory on a ridge called “Udokan”. This area is seismically dangerous and is located in the permafrost zone. Udokan is the largest copper deposit in Russia.

It plays an important role in the extraction of this element throughout the world, being at the third stage.

The ores found in this mine consist almost entirely of copper and have only a small amount of silver in their composition.

The discovery of the Udokan deposit occurred in the last century, or more precisely in 1949.

The First Main Directorate of the USSR Ministry of Geology sent a forestry expedition to Udokan, which made the first discovery.

Over the next six years, a detailed study of this deposit took place and big plans were made for its development. But unexpectedly, after another year, all work was completely frozen.

After another ten years, they again became actively interested in the deposit, took many different samples, and carried out a huge number of other studies, but then again all work was completely unexpectedly stopped. It was only in 2008 that the deposit began to be actively developed. Its development takes place in an open-pit manner - copper is extracted from a quarry. At the moment, the copper deposits in this deposit are large-scale and more than thirty thousand tons of ore are mined from here every year.

Sorsk copper-molybdenum deposit

This source is located at the intersection of two tectonic zones - northwestern and northeastern, near the Batenevsky Ridge. The main minerals that include copper and are mined here are molybdenite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite.

This deposit was formed due to the fact that high-temperature processes regularly occurred in this area.

It is divided into several components - Western and Eastern, which in turn are separated from each other by a barren gap.

This field is also being developed by open-pit mining, and its parts - Eastern and Western - are developed to varying degrees. The second has been mastered almost twice as much as the first.

The ore here is enriched by several processes. This procedure occurs in several methods:

1. in cone-shaped crushers, minerals are crushed four times;
2. wet grinding using specially equipped mills, as well as classifiers made in a spiral shape;
3. flotation, divided into two stages - selective and collective;
4. finishing of copper and molybdenum concentrate;
5. dehydration;
6. drying;
7. blending.

  How to melt copper at home

The operation of the processing plant is dependent on recycled water supply.

Sibay copper-zinc-pyrite deposit

This deposit is not only copper, but also zinc and pyrite.

It is located near the city of Sibay, which is located in Bashkortostan.

The discovery of this deposit occurred in 1913, but they began to develop it only two decades later.

From west to east, the Sibay copper-zinc-pyrite deposit is limited by faults.

Here ores are mined exclusively using the closed method. At the beginning of the twentieth century, a mine was built on the deposit.

Its depth exceeds four tens of meters.

Source: https://steelfactoryrus.com/gde-dobyvayut-med-v-rossii/

Leading countries in copper reserves - Metals, equipment, instructions

The production of ferrous and non-ferrous metals has long been one of the main industrial areas. Thanks to metallurgy, people are provided with materials used for the construction of various structures in many technological fields.

Until the 70s of the last century, the metallurgical industry developed at an accelerated pace, but then there was a slight decline in activity associated with a decrease in metal production capacity.

Today, metallurgy has taken a course of development in the following directions:

• targeting consumer needs;
• increased interest in developing transport routes instead of exporting raw materials.
• preference for the development of enterprises with small and medium-sized capacities;
• bias towards the development of the industry in developing countries.

The metallurgical industry is divided into the production of ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

Ferrous metallurgy involves the following stages:

• development of ore deposits;
• raw materials preparation;
• smelting of materials such as cast iron, steel, rolled products and ferroalloys.

Stages of iron and steel industry

Ferrous metallurgy uses ore containing metals such as iron, chromium and manganese as a basic feedstock. In addition, many enterprises work with recyclable materials, such as depreciation scrap and metallurgical waste.

The use of scrap can significantly reduce the cost of production, since the stage of casting iron is skipped and the process of producing steel begins immediately. Coking coal is used as fuel for iron production.

Full cycle ferrous metallurgy produces its own product at each stage. Depending on this, there are several types of enterprises, such as:

• small capacity plants;
• metallurgy enterprises;
• full cycle plants;
• enterprises for the production of ferroalloys;
• electric steel plants.

In accordance with the location of coal or iron ore basins, ferrous metallurgy was often inconsistent in its localization. In the current period of scientific and technological breakthrough, the guidelines have shifted towards fuel and raw materials cargo flows.

Thanks to this, the size of enterprises under construction is reduced, and their geographical location does not depend on the deposits. For example, metallurgical plants in Western European countries and Japan are now located in areas with access to a seaport.

Major countries in iron ore mining

The deposits are developed by different countries, leaders in production, however, not all of them.

Until the 40s of the last century, the main development of iron ore deposits was carried out by Germany, France, the USA, Great Britain and Sweden.

In the post-war years, these countries lost their championship to South Africa, Australia, Canada and the USSR. Today the situation has changed somewhat, and the following countries are leading in this area:

• China;
• Brazil;
• India;
• CIS;
• Australia.

More than 40 countries in the world are engaged in the development of ore deposits, and the total amount of mined minerals is almost 1 billion tons. Approximately 70% of the total ore mined comes from countries such as China (23%), Brazil (17%), Australia (13 %), Russia (9%), India (8%).

Despite the impressive volumes, not all of these countries export this type of raw material. Australia and Brazil are the most important exporters, accounting for more than half of the world's exports.

Some countries that export iron ore resources also import it. Such countries include China, the USA, Italy and the UK, since on their territory there are full-cycle enterprises characterized by increased production material intensity.

In this case, the consumption of raw materials and fuel used exceeds the amount of cast iron produced by 4–5 times by weight. The costs of iron ore are especially significant compared to coking coal.

For this reason, the most economically advantageous locations for full-cycle plants are areas rich in raw materials and fuel at the same time. Representatives of such states are Ukraine, India, China, Australia. In other cases, centers of ferrous metallurgy arose near iron ore or coal deposits.

The localization of metallurgical centers in coastal areas provides an alternative for sea supplies of coal and iron ore. Sometimes the exploitation of imported raw materials and fuel is more profitable than the development of our own deposits.

In particular, India and Latin America transport iron ore raw materials by sea to the coastal plants of Japan, and Australia and China transport energy raw materials. Coal is supplied to EU countries in the same way from the USA, and ore is supplied by Brazil and South Africa.

Iron production

The main intermediate product in the ferrous metals production process is cast iron, which produces 50% of the world's total steel. Recently, the volume of the cast iron industry has been slowly declining, since it is economically unprofitable and pollutes the atmosphere. Since the early 90s of the last century, China has occupied a leading position in cast iron production; before that, the USSR had the lead.

Leading in steel production

Steelmaking is considered an important process in the iron and steel industry.

Typically, cast iron is supplied as a primary raw material for the production of steel, but increasingly, blast furnace production is being replaced by the use of recyclable materials in the form of scrap metal. Thanks to the scientific and technological revolution, modern technologies have practically replaced the old methods of producing steel.

Electrothermal and oxygen-envelope methods consume less resources, reduce energy costs and smelting time. A new technique for producing steel by processing metallized pellets made it possible to abandon classical cast iron production and build steel plants regardless of the location of iron ore deposits.

The main producing countries of ferrous metallurgy are:

• China;
• Japan;
• USA;
• Russian Federation;
• Germany;
• South Korea;
• Brazil;
• India;
• Italy.

Rolling production

The most popular product in the production of ferrous metals is rolled products, which represent the final product of the full cycle. Steel costs several times less than rolled steel, from which about 30 thousand types of products are produced in related industrial areas.

List of countries producing high-quality rolled products:

Leading countries in the production of non-ferrous metals

Non-ferrous metallurgy is divided into two large industries: heavy (production of Pb, Cu, Zn, Sn, Ni) and light (production of Al, Mg, Co, Ti, Li, Be and other metals). In terms of production scale, the metallurgy of ferrous metals exceeds non-ferrous metals by approximately 20 times.

Typically, non-ferrous metallurgy plants are built depending on the location of the deposits, since the amount of valuable metal in the ore is insignificant.

Other factors influencing the localization of non-ferrous metallurgy plants:

• energy;
• consumer;
• transport.

The initial production stages of copper, involving the extraction and beneficiation of ore, are localized in third world countries. Countries that do not have large copper reserves are focused on the final products of the production cycle.

The leading countries in copper production are occupied by the following countries:

• Chile;
• USA;
• Indonesia;
• Canada;
• Russia.

Transporting aluminum ore is more cost-effective than heavy metal raw materials, since the aluminum content of bauxite is about 50%. The total distance of bauxite transportation by sea is more than 7 thousand km, since their main deposits are located in regions with tropical and subtropical climates.

Countries producing the largest volumes of aluminum ore:

• Australia;
• Guinea;
• Jamaica;
• Brazil.

In aluminum production, the leadership is occupied by the USA, Germany, Japan, Norway, Russia, and Canada.

on topic:
Metallurgical industry

Source: https://spb-metalloobrabotka.com/strany-lidery-po-zapasam-medi/

Which countries have copper ores? copper production centers in Russia: characteristics, main enterprises

Copper is a ductile metal of golden-pink color, which in its pure form is found in nature more often than nuggets of gold or silver. But copper is mainly mined from copper ores - natural mineral formations. Most copper is found in sulfide ores. In oxidation zones, copper is contained in most silicates, carbonates and oxides. Copper is also found in sedimentary rocks: shales and cuprous sandstones.

Modern science knows more than 200 minerals containing copper. In industry, metal extracted from sulfates is most often used, including:

Chalcocite (79% copper);

Bornite (up to 65%);

Chalcopyrite, or copper pyrite (about 35%).

Copper is also contained in copper-nickel compounds. The most famous of them is cubanite (up to 45% copper). Of the oxidized ores, it is worth noting cuprite (88%), malachite (up to 58%), azurite (up to 56%). Sometimes there are deposits of native copper.

Characteristics and types of copper

Copper is one of the first metals that people began to use. The chemical symbol is Cu (cuprum). This metal has high thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and electrical conductivity. Copper melts at low temperatures, is excellent for soldering, and the metal is easy to cut and process.

Some copper compounds can be toxic to humans. High levels of copper in water and food can cause liver and gallbladder diseases. Quarries left behind after copper mining become sources of toxins. For example, Berkeley Pit Lake, formed in the crater of a former copper mine, is considered the most toxic lake in the world. But the bactericidal properties of copper are disproportionately higher. It has been proven that copper helps fight influenza viruses and destroys staphylococci.

In industry, copper is rarely used in its pure form. The following alloys have found greater use:

Brass (an alloy of copper and zinc);

Bronze (with tin);

Babbitts (with lead);

Cupronickel (with nickel);

Dural (with aluminum);

Jewelry alloy (with gold).

Copper deposits and mining

The largest copper deposit in the world is located in Chile - the Esconida quarry. Huge deposits of native copper were discovered here.

Other large deposits:

Mines on the Keweenaw Peninsula (USA, Michigan);

Chuquicamata mine in Chile (up to 600 thousand tons per year);

Corocoro mine in Bolivia;

Gumishevsky mine (Middle Urals, Russia) - now depleted;

Valley of the Levikha River (Middle Urals, Russia);

Gabbro massif (Italy).

According to the US Geological Survey, the largest copper deposits belong to Chile. Next come the USA, Russia, Peru and Mexico.

Copper mining methods:

Open;

Hydrometallurgical - when copper is leached from the rock with a weak solution of sulfuric acid.

Pyrometallurgical - consists of several stages (concentration, roasting, smelting for matte, purging and refining).

Copper Applications

Copper is one of the most important non-ferrous metals, which has found application in almost all spheres of human activity.

(Kyshtym copper-electrolyte plant", city of Kyshtym, Chelyabinsk region)

Electrical industry (wires, wire).

Mechanical engineering (starter, window lifters, radiators, coolers, bearings)

Shipbuilding (hull plating).

Construction (pipes, pipelines, roofing and facing materials, bathtubs, faucets, sinks).

In art (jewelry, statues, coinage).

In everyday life (air conditioners, microwave ovens, coins, food additives, musical instruments).

The Statue of Liberty, by the way, is made of copper. Its construction required about 80 tons of metal. And in Nepal, copper is considered a sacred metal.

The Russian metallurgical complex is a vast industry that includes enterprises that smelt ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The latter occupies a very important place in the economy of our country. Today we have several centers of non-ferrous metallurgy, which extract and enrich non-ferrous ores, rare and precious metals.

Non-ferrous metallurgy deals with several types of metals - these are basic or so-called heavy. These include copper, light, small, alloying, noble, rare and scattered.

Let's take a closer look at copper production. Copper production centers are concentrated in different regions of our country. The location of such enterprises is determined by a number of factors, among which it should be noted:

• raw materials;
• energy and fuel factor;
• consumers.

Main copper centers of Russia

Copper ore in our country is mined in different regions. The richest ore deposits are located in Kazakhstan, although copper is also mined in other areas, for example, there are rich deposits in the Urals. It is worth noting that Russia today ranks first in the world in copper ore mining.

The main centers of copper production are located in the Urals. This region ranks first in copper production.

Copper plants are most often located near mines. The raw material factor is key due to the low content of concentrates in the raw materials.

Today, copper producers widely use copper pyrites, mined in deposits located in different regions of the Urals, as raw materials.

Therefore, copper production enterprises are also concentrated in this region, although they also use imported Kazakh ores in their activities. This industry also has its own raw material reserve in the form of cuprous sandstones, which are located in Eastern Siberia.

Chern copper in the Urals is produced by such enterprises as Sredneuralsky, Kirovograd, Krasnouralsky (“Svyatogor”), Mednogorsky and Karabash plants. The Verkhnepymensky and Kyshtymsky plants are engaged in refining copper.

In total, there are 11 copper enterprises in the Urals, which produce 43 percent of all copper in Russia.

Enterprises of the Urals are also characterized by waste disposal. Thus, factories in cities such as Revda, Kirovograd and Krasnouralsk use sulfur dioxide gases generated during production to produce sulfuric acid, which is subsequently used for the production of fertilizers.

Large centers of copper production are located not only in the Urals, but also in other regions of the country. The table shows where the raw material and industry centers are located.

Sredneuralsky plant: characteristics

As mentioned above, the Sredneuralsk Copper Plant (SUMZ) is one of the main copper smelting centers in our country. This plant is located in the city of Revda, in the Sverdlovsk region. SUMZ belongs to the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, and is also a member of the regional industrial chamber.

At SUMZ, copper is smelted from primary raw materials, which are taken from the Degtyarskoye deposit.

The Sredneuralsk Copper Smelter has a large copper smelting workshop, an enrichment plant, as well as xanthate and sulfuric acid workshops. The plant also has a number of auxiliary enterprises that serve the needs of the copper smelter.

SUMZ produces about one hundred tons of blister copper annually. Copper concentrates at this plant are processed by firing in fluidized bed furnaces, and the method of converting and reflective smelting of the cinder is also used.

The products of the Serdneuralsk plant are supplied to all large Russian enterprises operating in the metallurgical, mining and chemical industries and located in different regions of the country, as well as abroad.

Kirovograd copper smelting plant: characteristics

Another large copper smelting enterprise in the Urals is the Kirovograd plant. It is engaged in the processing of copper and copper-zinc ores, as well as their mining.

The plant began its activities in 1957, it was created on the basis of a copper smelting plant and a number of other small enterprises. Today the plant is a member of Tyazhtsvetmet LLP.

The plant in Kirovograd operates in several directions - mining, processing, beneficiation of ores containing copper, smelting copper from raw materials, both primary and secondary. The plant also processes metallurgical dust, gold concentrates, scrap and waste that contains copper and other metals.

In 2008, the plant in Kirovograd produced almost seventy thousand tons of blister copper, which was sent to various enterprises in our country.

Krasnouralsk enterprise "Svyatogor": characteristics

The third large enterprise in the Urals for the production of blister copper. Svyatogor includes the Volkovsky mine, which supplies the company with raw materials, a metal enrichment plant capable of processing almost two million tons of ore per year, and a sulfuric acid workshop (producing up to 240 thousand tons of acid). Every year the enterprise produces about 60 thousand tons of blister copper.

Source: https://realartist.ru/in-which-countries-there-are-copper-ore-copper-production-centers-in-russia-characteristics-main-enterprises.html

List of countries for copper ore mining - Metalist's Directory

In the history of mankind, the Stone Age was replaced by the Copper Age, and man made tools and weapons from this metal, not forgetting about stone and bone. The chemical element received its name in honor of the island of Cyprus, where a large center for the mining and processing of copper was located. Today, our focus is on the largest copper deposits in the world.

1

 Chuquicamata. Chile

One of the world's oldest and largest copper deposits, copper mining began in 1915, and the quarry is located at an altitude of 2,840 m in the Central Andes.

In terms of the volume of ore mined, it lost the palm to Escondida, but in terms of size it remains one of the largest. The quarry is 4.3 km long and 3 km wide. Moreover, work is already underway at a depth of over 850 m.

At the turn of the 60-70s of the last century, the Chilean company CODELCO began to develop ore. It should be noted that the company’s employees conduct not only production, but also active exploration to find new deposits.

2

 Escondida. Chile

On the northern edge of the Atacama Desert in the second half of the 20th century, large deposits of copper ores were discovered at an altitude of more than 3 thousand m above sea level.

Over the course of several years, a project was developed, and in 1990, open-pit copper mining began in this part of Chile. By 2011, this quarry had become the largest of all the world's deposits.

2007 was a record year, when 1.5 million copper was extracted from the bowels of the earth. The deposit consists of two huge quarries, and in total over 6,000 people are employed in the extraction and transportation of valuable metal.

3

 Bingham Canyon. USA

A giant deposit, where open-pit copper mining has been carried out since 1863. This is the deepest copper quarry, with a depth of 1,200 m.

The size of the anthropogenic formation is truly amazing. It covers an area of ​​7.7 km2 and its width is 4 km. According to geologists, ores containing copper will last for many decades, because reserves are estimated at 640 million tons.

Every day, 450 thousand tons of rock are extracted to the surface, and 1,400 workers work on the extraction. In 2013, a landslide occurred in the quarry, stopping work for several months.

4

 Kewino. USA

The mine is located on the peninsula of the same name in Michigan, and the first work began here back in 1854.

Over the entire history of exploitation, 5 million tons of copper have been extracted from the bowels of the earth. Mining is carried out in several quarries, and the deposit itself is located near the shores of the lake.

It is noteworthy that copper was mined here by the Dakota and Huron Indian tribes, who became the discoverers of this mine.

5

 Grasberg. Indonesia

The large mine ranks third in terms of production volumes of valuable metal, and it is also the highest quarry, located on Mount Jayi.

20 thousand workers are employed in the extraction of rocks and their processing, and copper reserves, as geologists estimate, amount to 27 million tons. Annual production averages 600 tons of copper, and the gigantic quarry has become a landmark and a symbol of the mining industry.

It is worth mentioning that gold ores are also developed at the mine, and the Indonesian quarry is among the world leaders in terms of gold production volumes.

6

 Collahhuasi. Chile

A large copper mine in northern Chile is being developed by several global companies. 44% each belongs to Chilean and Canadian companies, and a small part is managed by the Japanese company Mitsui.

Copper reserves are estimated at 17 million tons, and development is carried out in several quarries. In 2004, a new Rosario quarry was launched, which increased the production of copper ore to 400 thousand tons of mine copper.

Development also continues at the Eugene quarry, and ore reserves will last for another 50 years.

7

 Anniversary. Russia

Copper mining began at Yubileiny in 1996, and when considering copper deposits in Russia, it is one of the largest. It was opened back in 1966.

Geologists who discovered and explored this area in the Republic of Bashkortostan were awarded State Prizes. In terms of the size of the quarry, it is one of the largest in the Russian Federation, and in terms of production volumes it is in 4th place.

It is interesting that there are also gold-containing ores at Oktyabrsky, but not in such large quantities as copper-containing ores are presented.

8

 Udokan. Russia

The Udokan deposit, located on the mountain range of the same name in the Trans-Baikal region, honorably ranks third in the world in terms of copper reserves of 24.6 million tons.

Copper on Udokan was discovered in 1949 during a forest exploration expedition, and the first mining developments began only at the beginning of the 21st century. As of today, exploration work has stopped at a depth of 1,200 m.

The difficulty of mining lies in the fact that copper ore deposits are located in the permafrost belt, and even in an earthquake-prone area of ​​the planet.

9

 Antamina. Chile

Another large copper mine located among the mountain peaks of the South American Andes with reserves of approximately 15-17 million tons.

During development, mining companies began to use new technologies to ensure that the extraction of copper ores causes as little damage to the environment as possible.

The management also pays great attention to ensuring safety, since the work is being carried out in a remote mountainous area. Copper ore mined in the Antamina mine is sent for processing both to national factories and to concerns located in other countries.

10

 El Tesoro. Chile

The Chilean field was discovered in 2008, and by April 2009 the development company completed all geological exploration work.

Reserves are estimated at 32 million tons with a high copper content, so the start of development will take the Chilean mining industry to a new level.

Exploration work at El Tesoro once again proved that the largest reserves of copper are concentrated in the volcanic rocks of the Andes.

11

 Vale-Salobu. Brazil

In recent decades, Brazil has become a world leader in copper exports, including due to an increase in ore production at the Vale Salobu mines.

The mine is located in the Brazilian state of Pará, and the use of the latest technologies has significantly increased the production of copper-bearing rocks.

This is the largest mine in the South American state, from which copper is exported to different parts of the world. In recent years, profitable contracts have been concluded with Poland and Ukraine.

12

 Nurkazgan. Kazakhstan

The entire periodic table has been collected in the depths of the Kazakh steppes. And one of the largest copper mines in Kazakhstan is located in the north of the country, and is part of the unified system of the Nurkazgan Mining and Processing Corporation.

Exploration work has been carried out since the late 90s, and the mine was put into operation in 2006. A little more than 700 workers are employed in mining.

Employees of Kazakhmys, which owns the rights to develop and mine gold and copper, estimate Nurkazgan’s copper reserves at 1.8 million tons.

13

 Uyu Tolgoi. Mongolia

The Mongolian mine specializes in the extraction of gold and native copper. Experts consider the mine one of the most promising in terms of the use of new technologies that will increase production volumes.

Copper mining was suspended in 2013 due to disagreements between Mongolian authorities and the Austro-Belgian exploration and mining company.

But Rio Tinto PLC, which owns the majority of the shares, presented a new promising project in which it invested more than $5 billion.

14

 Pebble. USA

In terms of the resource potential of gold and copper reserves, the deposit in Alaska is second only to the Indonesian Grasberg mine.

Exploration work was carried out by employees of the Canadian company Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd, and active development will begin as soon as the preparatory work is completed. Pebble reserves are estimated at 36 million tons.

Canadians have approached the development of deposits thoroughly, and now they are assessing the productivity and prices for transporting the mined minerals.

15

 Sibay. Russia

The quarry located in Bashkiria was opened in 1913, and copper mining began in the 30s of the twentieth century. The first exploration work was carried out in 1915, and already at that time a small copper smelter began operating nearby.

The largest site, Novo-Sibaisky, consists of 3 large lenses connected to each other by a common ore column. The depth of the quarry is just over 500 m, and its dimensions are 1.4 km by 1.3 km.

The deposit is considered the standard of pyrite ore deposits of the Ural group. In addition to copper, zinc is also mined at the mines, and according to experts, the reserves will last for many more decades.

By the way, on our website thebiggest.ru there is an informative article about the highest mountains of Bashkortostan.

Finally

Copper is an important material in industrial production, because copper alloys are used in the production of the latest electronic equipment and are widely used in the electric power industry. Well, receiving a copper medal in sports or intellectual competitions is also an honor.

Source: https://ssk2121.com/spisok-stran-po-dobyche-mednoy-rudy/

Copper deposits

Metals in the copper subgroup are characterized by low chemical activity, for this reason they are found in the form of chemical compounds, as well as nuggets. Many centuries ago, copper could only be found in the form of sulfur compounds - chalcopyrite and chalcocite.

This is because copper has a high chemical affinity for sulfur.
Most primary ores contain copper in sulfide form - CuS. Over time, especially under conditions of volcanic activity, under the influence of large amounts of oxygen, copper sulfides became oxides.

Copper nuggets were formed in nature during the strong heating of oxidized sulfur ore. For example, if oxidized copper minerals and sulfur ores lay under a thick layer of rock, they were heated by natural disasters and earthly heat. In such natural “metallurgical shops” colossal volumes of copper were smelted.

A nugget weighing 420 tons was found in North America. However, this is rare; native copper on the planet is approximately 1%.

World copper deposits

A lot of copper, like other minerals, is located at the bottom of the oceans.
At the bottom there are clusters of round stones containing approximately 0.5% copper. According to the analysis of geologists, the reserves of copper ore in the ocean reach 5 billion tons. There are almost 250 copper minerals, but only 20 are used industrially. The main copper ores include:

• chalcocite - Cu2S, which contains 79.8% copper
• chalcopyrite - CuFeS2, which contains 30% copper. This ore accounts for almost 50% of all copper deposits
• bornite - Cu5FeS4, contains from 52 to 65% copper
• covellite – CuS, contains 64% copper.

According to genetic and industrial-geological parameters, copper deposits are:

• stratiform, which include copper shales and sandstones
• pyrites. This group includes native and vein copper
• hydrothermal 
• igneous, including the most common ores of the copper-nickel type
• carbonate. This group includes iron-copper and carbonatite ores.

Copper reserves in the world

The largest amount of copper, approximately 65%, occurs in North and South America.
European states have 15% of resources, Asian states - 11%, African states - 4.5%. The largest confirmed copper reserves are recorded in Chile. Almost 20% of the world's reserves are located there.

And in the USA - 12.7%. In addition to these countries, there is a lot of copper in Poland, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, as well as in Zaire, Zambia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Australia. In each of these states, according to experts, there are about 10 million tons.

Due to the low copper content in the ore, its extraction involves processing large volumes of rock.
In order to smelt 1 ton of copper, over 200 tons of ore must be processed. Copper mining methods:

• open method. If ore deposits are located close to the earth's surface, then they are developed in this way; the depth of open-pit mining is 150-300 m. The method is characterized by lower losses  
• underground method. Using this method, ore is mined from a depth of 500 m, and sometimes from 800-1000 m.  

There are five technological systems for field development:

• using self-propelled equipment. This technology is widely used
• using continuous vibration mechanisms
• using hardening goaf backfill. In this case, there is a continuous excavation of reserves of powerful deposits with minimal losses. With the use of such systems, losses are reduced by 3-4 times  
• method of extracting ore in horizontal layers. When filling goafs (in underground mines) with hardening compounds, pipes lined with rubber or basalt are used, the service life of which is 50-100 times higher than that of steel
• cyclic-flow technology for the implementation of mining operations.

Table 1. Copper mining in the world CountryOre mining (thousand tons per year)Reserves (million tons)

Chile	5,38	140
USA	1,16	35
Peru	1	30
Indonesia	0,8	35
Australia	0,85	24
Russia	0,84	20
China	0,62	26
World	14,49	467

Copper production centers

Copper production centers are present in different regions of Russia.
Kazakhstan boasts the richest ore deposits. There are also deposits in the Urals. According to the latest data, Russia ranks first in the world in copper ore mining. Copper plants are being built in close proximity to the mines.

The raw material factor is the determining component, due to the low content of concentrates in the feedstock. There are 11 copper complexes located in the Urals, producing 43% of the country’s copper. In addition to our own raw materials, production also uses materials imported from Kazakhstan. There are also waste recycling plants.

For example, sulfur dioxide gases, as a byproduct of copper mining, are used to create sulfuric acid, which is then used to make fertilizers.

Source: http://mining-prom.ru/cvetmet/med/mestorozhdeniya-medi/

What prospects does the copper market offer for investors?

Thanks to the combination of ductility, good electrical conductivity and high heat capacity, the metal is indispensable in a number of industries, such as electrical engineering, pipeline industry, chemical industry, as well as in medicine, architecture, jewelry and other fields. Global copper production in 2017 amounted to 23.5 million tons.

The growth in demand for metal in recent years has averaged 3% per year. The largest share of copper production in the world occurs in South America, which has the largest reserves of the metal. Chile and Peru mine about 40% of the world's copper.

Significant volumes of metal are mined in China, which is also a key consumer. It accounts for 40% of total global demand.

Accordingly, the growth or stagnation of the economy in the Middle Kingdom directly affects demand, and therefore copper price quotes.

Russia accounts for about 3-4% of global production. But in terms of reserves, our country is in second place in the world after Chile (data from the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation). But it is worth noting that due to the difference in assessment methodology, data from the US Geological Survey gives second and third places in terms of reserves to Australia and Peru.

Copper prices

The International Copper Study Group (ICSG) records key trends in the copper market regarding its use, reserves, prices and trade in metal products in its monthly newsletters.

ICSG (International Copper Study Group) is an intergovernmental organization of metal producing and consuming countries that functions as an international commodity council. Its main goal is to increase market transparency and promote international debate and cooperation on copper-related issues.

Membership of the ICSG is open to any state that is involved in the production, trade or consumption of copper. As of 2018, ICSG unites 26 countries, including Russia.

The market also monitors forecasts from the World bureau of metal statistics, which maintains an extensive database of metal markets and is the largest provider of industry statistics.

The largest volumes of copper futures trading take place on the LME (London) and COMEX (New York) exchanges. The main pricing takes place on these sites, which mainly depends on the global balance of supply and demand in the physical market, as well as on the expectations of hedgers and speculators.

For the copper market, the second half of last 2017 passed on an optimistic note. Expectations of metal shortages stimulated a price rally and active production increases by key players. According to market experts, supply growth will lag behind Chinese demand growth until 2020 due to low investment in new mines in previous periods.

However, this year, much of the 2017 growth has been erased. Not least of all, the reason for the decline was fears of trade wars between the US and China, due to which the global economy could slow down, which would negatively affect the demand for raw materials. Analysts see serious risks for commodity markets from this factor in the next year or two.

Analyst surveys expect metal prices to average around $7,000 per ton in 2019, a level seen as the average price needed to stimulate investment in new mine development. Demand growth will remain at 2.5-3%, while supply growth will gradually slow down until 2020.

S&P Global Ratings specialists are more conservative in their forecasts. Experts expect average metal prices of about $6,100 per ton in 2019 and a slight increase in 2020 to $6,200. In addition to trade wars, agency experts note a negative impact on the market from rising interest rates in the United States and the strengthening of the dollar.

The longer-term outlook for copper remains largely positive. The optimism mainly stems from expectations of growth in the electric vehicle industry, which requires 3-4 times more copper to produce than conventional gasoline cars.

Opportunities for investors

Unlike gold or platinum, purchasing physical copper for investment purposes does not make sense. Copper itself is mainly in demand from industry, and in jewelry it most often acts as an additive to gold jewelry to increase hardness.

Anonymized metal accounts for copper are also almost never practiced. Therefore, for an investor, the most successful way to invest in copper is exchange-traded instruments.

Copper futures

Copper futures contracts are traded on the London and New York exchanges. They are also available on the Russian market. The Moscow Exchange offers investors settlement futures with execution in 3 and 6 months, linked to quotes of the corresponding contracts on the LME. In practice, contracts are not popular. The specification of contracts on the Moscow Exchange can be viewed on the corresponding page of the official website of the exchange.

If liquidity is an important consideration, then it is better to pay attention to futures on the COMEX and LME exchanges. But it’s worth considering that the contracts there are more deliverable, so if you don’t plan to buy copper in volumes of 25 tons (minimum lot) or don’t plan to deliver it to anyone, then you will need to close the entire position before expiration.

On these same exchanges, investors have access to options for trading on the corresponding contracts, which significantly expand the range of possible trading strategies.

Copper ETFs

A simpler tool for investors would be copper ETFs.

Read what an ETF is and how to use it in the article “ETF: The Future of the US Market” .

The ETF market is most widespread in the United States. Well-developed regulation reliably protects the interests of the investor. Through the benefits of collective investing, ETF investors have the opportunity to benefit from the growth of a wide range of different assets, including financial instruments linked to copper prices.

Copper ETFs can be designed to track copper futures prices or mimic the performance of mining companies' portfolios. The most popular ETFs from these classes are:

Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX) - An ETF issued by Global X, tracks the Solactive Global Copper Miners Index, which includes companies engaged in copper exploration, mining and production.

United States Copper Index ETF (CPER) - this fund copies the Summer Haven Copper Index Total Return Index, forming a portfolio of exchange-traded copper futures.

First Trust ISE Global Copper Index ETF (CU) - First Trust's fund tracks the ISE Global Copper Index, which includes copper ore mining companies.

The iPath DJ-UBS Copper Total Return Sub-Index ETN (JJC) is an exchange-traded note issued by Barclay's iPath linked to the Dow Jones-UBS Copper Sub Index Total Return. This note mirrors the performance of COMEX copper futures contracts.

Shares of mining companies

Another option for investing in copper is to buy shares in mining companies. On the Russian market, the representative of the industry is MMC Norilsk Nickel, whose revenue is generated by almost a third from sales of copper products. Other large metal producers are the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UMMC) and the Russian Copper Company (RMK), but their shares are not traded on the stock exchange.

You can find a large number of different companies on foreign trading platforms. The largest market players are:

Investing in mining stocks offers a number of advantages over futures or ETFs. By becoming a shareholder in a company, you can claim a portion of the profits in the form of dividends. In addition, you benefit not only from rising copper prices, but also from the organic growth of the company itself.

Open an account

BCS Broker

Source: https://bcs-express.ru/novosti-i-analitika/kakie-perspektivy-dlia-investora-predlagaet-rynok-medi

Copper ores

Copper ores are natural mineral formations containing copper in such compounds and concentrations at which their industrial use is technically possible and economically feasible.

Classification of copper ores[ | ]

Copper ores are divided into sulfide, oxide and mixed. In the primary ores of most industrial deposits, copper is present in the sulfide form. In the oxidation zone it is represented by carbonates, silicates, sulfates, oxides and other compounds. Over 200 copper-containing minerals are known; industrial accumulations form approx. 20.

The main copper minerals in sulfide ores, which account for over 90% of the world's copper reserves and production, are chalcopyrite (34.5% Cu), bornite (52-65% Cu) and chalcocite (79.8% Cu). In copper-nickel deposits, cubanite (22-24% Cu) is found in significant quantities, and in native copper deposits - native copper (98-100% Cu).

The main copper minerals in oxidized ores: malachite (57.4% Cu), azurite (55.5% Cu), chrysocolla (36.1% Cu), brochantite (56.2% Cu), cuprite (88.8% Cu ). Copper ores often contain minerals Fe, Mo, W, Pb, Co, As. There are Au and Ag in significant quantities, as well as V.

Copper deposits are divided into 9 geological and industrial types (copper-nickel, iron-nickel in gabbroids, carbonatite, skarn, porphyry copper, quartz-sulfide, native copper, cuprous sandstones and shales), included in 6 genetic groups (I. Magmatic ; II. Carbonatite; III. Skarn; IV. Hydrothermal; V. Pyrite; VI. Stratiform).

In the future, deposits of copper-containing marine iron-manganese nodules and mules, as well as uranium-gold-copper deposits, may take shape as an independent geological and industrial type. The average copper content in various types of ores ranges from 0.3-5%. Copper is present in complex ores Ni, Co, Pb, Sn, W, Bi, Au. The main producing countries at the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st century were Chile, USA, Canada, Zambia, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), Peru.  

Certain varieties of copper ores[ | ]

Porphyry copper ores occupy first place in terms of copper reserves and production (about 40% of world copper production). The high industrial value of these ores is determined by the large size of the ore bodies, their shallow occurrence, and uniform distribution of the metal. copper in porphyry copper ores ranges from 0.4 to 1.2%. Ore minerals - malachite, azurite, cuprite, brochantite, chrysocola, chalcocite, pyrite. Sometimes magnetite, sphalerite, bornite, galena, and hematite are present in the ores.

In quartz-sulfide or vein ores, ore minerals are represented by magnetite, chalcopyrite and sometimes molybdenite, and non-metallic minerals are calcite, quartz, sericite and chlorite, and sometimes barite and fluorite. These ores are characterized by vein, vein and disseminated textures. They lie at depths of 30 - 40 m, the content of oxidized ores does not exceed 5% of all quartz-sulfide ores. Quartz-sulfide ores are of secondary importance.

Native copper deposits typically form in the oxidation zone of some copper sulfide deposits along with the oxidized copper minerals cuprite, malachite, and azurite. Native copper may also occur in cuprous sandstones and shales.

Copper pyrite ores are characterized by a wide variety of shapes, sizes and types of relationships between ore and rock minerals. The main ore mineral is pyrite; there is also chalcopyrite, sphalerite, sometimes pyrrhotite, galena, bornite, chalcocite, and arsenopyrite.

Non-metallic minerals are sericite, chlorite, quartz, as well as barite, calcite and siderite. According to the mineral composition, pyrite ores are divided into copper and copper-zinc, polymetallic and sulfur.

In sulfur-pyrite ores, sulfur is of primary importance; copper, lead, zinc - subordinate.

Stratiform ores are represented by cuprous sandstones and shales. Cuprous sandstones and shales are the second largest source for copper (about 30% of all copper reserves) after porphyry copper ores. The main copper mineral of these ores is chalcocite, as well as bornite and chalcopyrite; coveline, native copper, is sometimes present. Lead, zinc, silver, cobalt, etc. may be present as impurities.

Based on textural features, copper ores are divided into solid , massive and disseminated .

Solid sulfide copper-pyrite ores, of course, are richer than disseminated ones, and are characterized by a high sulfur content (up to 90 - 95%), which is represented by pyrite in intergrowths with copper and zinc sulfides. The ratio of copper, zinc and sulfur in solid copper-pyrite ores reaches 1:1:20.

The main reserves of copper are concentrated in disseminated ores . The most common are porphyry copper ores and cuprous sandstones. Porphyry copper ores usually contain chalcopyrite and pyrite, and molybdenum and gold as valuable accompanying components.

Cuprous sandstones, as a rule, have an insignificant pyrite content, and the copper minerals in them are often represented by chalcocite and bornite, which makes it possible to obtain concentrates with a high copper content when enriching them.

In cuprous sandstones, silver is associated with chalcocite and, to a lesser extent, with bornite.

Copper ore deposits in the world[ | ]

Chuquicamata copper mine in Chile

Unique deposits have reserves of more than 5 million tons of copper (El Teniente, Chuquicamata in Chile, etc.), very large - 1-5 million tons, medium - 0.2-1 million tons and small - less than 0.2 million tons of copper . Rich ores contain Cu 2.5-3%, ordinary ores - 1-2.5% and poor ores - less than 0.5%.

Among the industrial copper deposits there are: igneous, carbonatite, skarn, plutonogenic hydrothermal, volcanogenic hydrothermal, pyrite and stratiform types.

Igneous deposits are represented by sulfide copper-nickel ores and copper-vanadium complex ores, from which, in addition to copper (content 1-2%) and nickel, cobalt, gold, platinum and trace elements are also mined. Nonmetallic minerals are mainly represented by plagioclase and pyroxene.

Such deposits in Russia include: Pechenga, Allarechenskoye, Monchegorskoye (Kola Peninsula); Talnakh, Oktyabrskoye, Norilsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory); in Finland - Pori; Sweden - Cool; Canada - Sudbury, Thompson; USA - Stillwater and in South Africa - Bushveld, Insizwa.

The group of volcanic hydrothermal deposits includes rare occurrences of native copper formations (deposits of Lake Superior, USA). Such ore occurrences are known in Azerbaijan, the Urals, the Kola Peninsula, Kazakhstan and Mountain Shoria.

Copper and copper-zinc pyrite deposits are known in the Urals (Gai, Sibay), in Mugodzhary (Priorskoye), in the Caucasus (Urup, Kafan), in Turkey (Ergani), in Cyprus (Skursho-Tissa), in Bulgaria (Radka), Spain (Rio Tinto), Norway (Lekkon), Sweden (Boliden), USA (United Verde), Canada (Kidd Creek), Japan (Bessie), etc.

The ores are composed of iron sulfides (80-90%) and containing up to 40% S, 3-5% Cu, 2-4% Zn. Along the way, Cd, Se and Te are removed.

Carbonatite copper ores are very rare; in addition to copper, they contain magnetite, and the rocks are represented by carbonates, olivine, and apatite. A representative of carbonatite ores is the Palabor deposit (South Africa). The deposit is complex, containing copper (0.68% on average), iron and phosphate raw materials. Copper reserves are estimated at 1.5 million tons.

Skarn copper deposits are complex; they contain molybdenum, cobalt, bismuth, selenium, tellurium, iron, lead, antimony, arsenic, nickel, tin, and tungsten.

Sulfide minerals in these ores have uneven inclusions or are associated with epidote, quartz, and calcite. These deposits are known in Kazakhstan (Sayak), the Russian Federation - in the Urals (Turinsky group), in Western Siberia (Yulia), the USA (Clifton, Bisbee), Mexico (Dolores), etc.

copper in them is high, but uneven (1-10%, on average 1.5-3%). Ores, in addition to copper, contain Mo, Au, Hg, Co, Bi, Se, Te.

Among the plutogenic hydrothermal deposits, porphyry copper and vein deposits are distinguished. The first include deposits of large accumulations of low-grade copper or molybdenum-copper veinlet-disseminated stockwork-type ores in porphyry intrusions.

They are known in Kazakhstan (Konrad), Uzbekistan (Kalmakir), Transcaucasia (Kajaran), in the countries of the former Yugoslavia (Medet, Asarel), Chile (El Teniente), Peru (Toquepala), Panama (Sierra Colorada), USA ( Bingham Canyon, Morenci, Manuel), Canada (Valley Copper), etc.

The average copper content in primary ores is 0.2-0.7%, in the re-enrichment zone it increases to 1-1.5%. Mo (0.005-1.05%), Se, Te and Re are produced along the way. Vein deposits are common, but large objects are rare.

These include Chatyrkul and Zhaisan (Kazakhstan), Rsen and Virli Bryag (Bulgaria), Butte, Magma (USA), Mataambre and El Cobre (Cuba). Ore veins with a thickness of 0.3-10 m can be traced to a depth of 500-600 m and a length of up to 10 km. copper reaches 4-5%. Along the way, precious and trace metals are mined.

Hydrothermal deposits include porphyry copper, quartz-sulfide deposits and native copper deposits.

See also[ | ]

• Copper
• Copper resources and reserves
• Native copper
• Copper-molybdenum ores
• Copper-zinc ores
• Copper ore enrichment technology
  • Flotation of copper sulphide ores

Literature[ | ]

Source: https://encyclopaedia.bid/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%8F/%D0% 9C%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B0

World copper market

28.11.2016

The global copper market, like other markets of various metals, has recently been undergoing an increasingly active process of consolidation and acquisition of some companies, which ensures the rise and improvement of various areas of overall systematic work on financial and commercial issues. The global market demand for metal and the cost of copper on the world market is rising.

Today, global demand in the mining industry of the largest Asian countries is growing very quickly. The increase in demand in the commodity market for metals and minerals is much more active in China, as well as in India, since the economic sectors in these countries require more materials and raw materials, compared to the economic demands of the advanced countries of the world.

Extractive industries in such a situation should become the basis for the development of the world market over a fairly long term.

Global copper market: leading countries in production and extraction

Copper is the very first existing metal that became known to man. Over the centuries, it has become very deeply embedded in our everyday life.

Today, however, copper is not as common, ranking third behind more well-known and widely used minerals such as aluminum and iron.

Under natural conditions, this metal is not in its original state; it is obtained by mining ores of different compositions. The suitability of ore for beneficiation is determined if it contains 0.5-1% copper.

The types of copper ore found in a porphyry copper mine depend on the location and rock stock:

• The stratiform type includes sandstone and copper shale;

• A unique type of copper nugget belongs to the pyrite type;

• The hydrothermal type includes porphyry ore rocks;

• Copper-nickel ore belongs to the igneous type;

• The carbonate type includes a mixed composition of iron and copper.

In the natural environment there are rocks that include copper. This is bornite (the second name is copper purple, or variegated pyrite), which contains mainly iron, sulfur, and also copper; chalcopyrite (also known as copper pyrite or CuFeS2), it includes such chemical elements as sphalerite and galena; chalcocite - copper luster (formula CuS) is a very rare ore found in the natural environment.

There are secondary minerals in which copper can also be found:

• Ores such as cuprite contain native copper and malachite;

• A mineral such as covelin, or sulfur sulfide, contains 66% copper and 34% sulfur;

• Malachite contains copper dihydrocoxcarbonate, which can be found in Russia near Nizhny Tagil.

Latin America has the largest deposits of copper ore of any continent. For example, Chile produces 40% of the world's copper. The largest deposit of red metal in the state is located near the city of Rancagua. In this place, copper ore was found by the Indians before the arrival of European colonists. Industrial-scale mining of copper ore began at the end of the 19th century. Thus, the world market for copper was opened.

The largest mine in Chile, El Teniente, covers an area of ​​up to 4 thousand hectares. The mine employs 6 thousand people with a minimum salary of $700 per month. The maximum depth of the mine reaches 80 meters, the length of mining is up to 2,400 kilometers.

In one lift, the mining elevator brings approximately 350 workers out of the ground. The enrichment of the rock is determined by the presence of 1-4% copper. From the depths, ore is delivered by train along 10-kilometer-long rails; workers make 15 such shipments throughout the day.

Ore is transported from the deepest mine in huge trucks seven meters high and eight meters wide.

The global copper market includes other mine locations in Chile:

• El Abra, where production is 150.4 thousand tons throughout the year;

• Cerro Colorado, where 89.5 thousand tons are mined;

• Los Pelambres, where 268.4 thousand tons are processed;

• Escondida, where they produce 1.34 million tons of copper ore per year.

It should be noted that in Chile copper ore is mined by nationalized enterprises, which indicates state control over their activities.

A lot of copper ores are found on the African continent. In Central Africa there is generally a kind of copper belt. This belt is located on the lands of the African countries of Zambia and Zaire.

This strip of ore deposits stretches 50 kilometers wide by 160 kilometers. African ore deposits are very rich in metal. They contain 3.3-4% red metal, which is found in pyrites, chalcopyrites, bornites and chalcocites. Rock on the “black” continent is mined in mines only 60 meters deep, which makes its extraction very easy.

The largest ore-bearing reserves of copper are located in Zambia near such villages as Chililabombwe, Nkana, Nchanga, Mufulira, Ron Antelop, as well as on the lands of Zaire within Kambowe, Ruwe, Kipushi, Musonoi, Dikuluwe, Musoshn.

Recently, due to the tense political situation, copper ore production on the African continent has noticeably decreased - by as much as 3.5%. The world copper market reacted immediately, prices began to rise at a very fast pace.

The Republic of Congo and South Africa hold the leadership in copper mining on the African continent. These countries are not located within the so-called “copper belt”, but, nevertheless, supply a very large amount of the red metal to the world copper market.

Since deposits of ore containing copper are located almost on the surface, copper-containing ore is mined in most cases by open-pit mining. On the African continent, most of the rock is obtained from the ground by hand; here labor is practically not mechanized. Even small children earn money by mining ore, and the work is very hard, there are no normal conditions at all. In this regard, there is always a high probability of injury and even death.

By the way, it is worth noting that in Chilean mines, the owner of the mining enterprise is not responsible for safety precautions and conditions that threaten the life of the employee. The miners sign an agreement with the enterprise, which states that they go into the mine passages voluntarily and at their own responsibility. Government agencies pretend not to notice anything.

Only the international association that defends human rights is concerned about human life.

According to Transparency International, huge deposits of copper were discovered on the territory of the Afghan Republic, which brought the country to the world copper market, placing it in second place. But a large number of deposits have not yet been explored, so industrial production is not yet fully carried out.

The Ainak copper ore deposit is recognized as the largest, not only in the country, but throughout the world. The main contradictions regarding its development appeared in the process of a dispute between an ore mining company and an archaeological organization. It so happened that on a honey vein, archaeologists discovered the old city of Mes Aynak, once built by Buddhists and representing an invaluable historical find. And after that, ore mining at this place was prohibited.

State plans include organizing the development of an ore deposit in Ainak, in the amount of 300 thousand tons per year, with a gradual increase in production rates in order to enter the world copper market.

The Ainak deposit is characterized by an area of ​​5 km2, as well as copper reserves, according to experts, in the central part - 9.8 million tons, in the western part - 9.9 million tons. Planned investment investments in copper mining amount to $4.4 billion. The Chinese company MCC was attracted as an investor.

Active development on the territory of the Ainak field was planned in 2011. In 2015, production was supposed to be 200 thousand tons of copper. Now these plans have been postponed to 2018. There is hope that the Aynak field will eventually be launched at full capacity and will significantly improve the economic condition of Afghanistan. The country's dream of entering the global copper market will come true, but at the same time preserving the remains of the old Buddhist settlement as a cultural historical heritage.

• Customs clearance in international trade

World copper market: metal production from 1900 to 2015.

Source: http://www.iccwbo.ru/blog/2016/mirovoy-rynok-medi/