Where is copper found - Metals and their processing

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Copper is a metal that was one of the first to be mastered by people and is widely used due to its low melting point. This metal is found in nature even more often than iron. The widespread use of copper began immediately after the Stone Age. S.A. Semenov conducted a lot of research that showed that the use of tools and tools made from copper provides significantly more advantages than stone ones.

In ancient times, copper was used not only in its pure form, but also in alloys with tin, calling the resulting metal bronze. Bronze was used to make tools, utensils, and jewelry because it was stronger than copper.

Initially, copper was mined not from sulfide ore, but from malachite ore, because it required much less additional processing. To obtain copper, a mixture of malachite ore and coal was placed in a clay vessel, the container was placed in a small pit, and then the coal was set on fire.

Carbon monoxide released by burning coal produced free copper from malachite. Already around the 3rd millennium BC. Mines engaged in the extraction and smelting of copper appeared in Cyprus.

Why was copper called that way?

In Latin, copper is called Cuprum, and this name comes from the first mine on the island of Cyprus. Another Latin name for copper is Aes, which means mine. The word copper is already found in ancient literary works, but there it does not have a clear designation. V.I.Abaev suggested calling the metal copper, based on the name of the country Media: *Copper from Iran. Māda.

Alchemists initially called copper “Venus,” although in more ancient treatises one can also find the name “Mars.”

Physical properties of copper

Copper is a highly ductile metal with a golden-pink color. When interacting with the air, copper in a fairly short time becomes covered with an oxide film, giving it a yellowish-red tint.

Copper is one of the few metals that has a color, because most metals have a silver color. Copper has high thermal conductivity, and in terms of electrical conductivity it ranks second among all metals.

In addition, this metal has a high temperature coefficient of resistance: 0.4%/°C.

There are many alloys with copper: an alloy with zinc - brass, an alloy with tin - bronze, an alloy with nickel - cupronickel, etc.

Application of copper in production

The use of copper in production is quite extensive, because this metal has significant advantages. Most often copper is used:

In electrical engineering - due to low resistivity. In electrical engineering it is used for the manufacture of cables and conductors.
Cooling system for laptop heat pipes - used due to high thermal conductivity.
For creating pipes, copper has high strength and is excellent for processing metal products. Copper pipes are excellent for transporting gas and liquids. In some countries, copper is the main material for making pipes.
In jewelry, this metal is widely used to create jewelry, because it easily contacts other precious metals.
Copper is an ideal conductor of electricity and is therefore ideal for induction installations. As a rule, the inductor is made of copper.

The scope of application of copper is quite extensive and is not limited only to the areas described above. Today, copper is a widely used metal that facilitates the task of many metallurgical enterprises. Copper easily lends itself to this type of heat treatment such as heating of high-frequency elements and soldering of high-frequency elements.

Interesting facts about copper

Since the 15th century, the Indians of Ecuador have been smelting copper containing 99.5% and creating coins from it. The coin, made by the Indians, circulated throughout much of South America, including being used by the Incas.
In Japan, copper pipes carrying gas are recognized as the most “earthquake-resistant”.
The adult human body can contain up to 80 mg of copper.
Polish scientists have discovered that in reservoirs containing copper, carp are especially large in size.

So we got acquainted with such a universal and popular metal as copper.

The price of copper today reaches up to $8,000 per ton.

Source: https://xn--h1afsf5c.xn--p1ai/%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C%D0%B8/%D0%BC%D0%B5% D0%B4%D1%8C-%D1%87%D1%82%D0%BE-%D1%8D%D1%82%D0%BE-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D0%BC%D0% B5%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BB-%D0%B8-%D0%B3%D0%B4%D0%B5-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8%D0 %BC%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8F%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%81%D1%8F

How to distinguish copper from other metals

For most of us, knowledge about copper and its properties is limited to a school chemistry course, which is quite enough at the everyday level.

However, sometimes there is a need to reliably determine whether a material is a pure element, an alloy, or even a composite material.

The opinion that this information is needed only by those who are engaged in the acceptance or delivery of scrap metal is erroneous: for example, on amateur radio forums, topics are often raised about how to distinguish copper in wires from copper-plated aluminum.

Briefly about element No. 29

Pure copper (Cu) is a golden-pink metal with high ductility, thermal and electrical conductivity. Chemical inertness in an ordinary non-aggressive environment is ensured by a thin oxide film, which gives the metal an intense reddish tint.

The main difference between copper and other metals is color . In fact, there are not so many colored metals: only gold, cesium and osmium are similar in appearance, and all elements included in the group of non-ferrous metals (iron, tin, lead, aluminum, zinc, magnesium and nickel) have a gray color with varying intensity of shine.

An absolute guarantee of the chemical composition of any material can be obtained only through spectral analysis. The equipment for carrying it out is very expensive, and even many expert laboratories can only dream of it. However, there are many ways to distinguish copper at home with a high degree of probability.

1. Determination by color

So, we have before us a piece of unknown material that needs to be identified as copper. The emphasis on the term “material” rather than “metal” was made specifically, since recently many composites have appeared that are very similar to metals in appearance and tactile sensations.

First of all, we consider color. It is advisable to do this in daylight or “warm” LED lighting (under “cool” LEDs, the reddish tint changes to yellow-green). It is ideal if there is a copper plate or wire for comparison - in this case, errors in color perception are practically eliminated.

Important: old copper products can be covered with an oxidized layer (a greenish-blue loose coating): in this case, the color of the metal must be looked at in a cut or saw cut.

2. Determination by magnet

Color matching is a reliable but not sufficient method of identification. The second step of independent experiments will be a test with a magnet. Chemically pure copper is classified as diamagnetic - i.e. to substances that do not respond to magnetic influence.

If the material under study is attracted to a magnet, then it is an alloy in which the content of the main substance is no more than 50%.

However, even if the sample did not react to the magnet, it is too early to rejoice, since often an aluminum base is hidden under the copper coating, which is also not magnetic (this can be eliminated by filing or cutting).

3. Determination by reaction to flame

Another way to identify copper is to heat a sample over an open fire (gas stove, lighter or regular match). When heated, copper wire will first lose its shine and then turn black-brown, covered with oxide. This method can also be used to cut off composite materials that, when heated, begin to smoke and form a gas with a pungent odor.

4. Determination through chemical experiments

The reaction with concentrated nitric acid is indicative: if the latter is dropped onto the surface of a copper product, a green-blue color will occur.

A qualitative reaction to copper is dissolution in hydrochloric acid followed by exposure to ammonia. If a copper sample is left in an HCl solution until completely or partially dissolved, and then ordinary pharmaceutical ammonia is dropped into it, the solution will turn intensely blue.

Important: working with chemicals requires precautions. Independent experiments should be carried out in a well-ventilated area using personal protective equipment (rubber gloves, apron, goggles).

How to distinguish between copper and its alloys?

Copper alloys are widely used in industry. Over many years of research, it has been possible to obtain many materials with unique properties: high ductility, electrical conductivity, chemical resistance, strength (all depends on alloying additives). The most common are bronze (with the addition of tin, aluminum, silicon, manganese, lead and beryllium), brass (with the addition of 10-45% zinc), as well as copper-nickel alloys (nickel silver, cupronickel, copel, manganin).

Only bronze and brass are difficult to identify, since copper-nickel alloys differ significantly in color due to their low copper content.

Copper or brass?

Brass can contain from 10 to 45% zinc, a silver-gray metal. Naturally, the more zinc, the paler the alloy. However, high-copper brasses, in which the amount of additives does not exceed 10%, differ little in color from the copper sample.

In this case, you can only trust your feelings: brass is much harder and more difficult to bend (for greater reliability, a comparison with a reference sample is advisable). You can try to remove the shavings: copper shavings will have a curl shape, brass shavings will be straight, needle-shaped.

When the samples are placed in a solution of hydrochloric acid, no reaction with copper is observed, and a white coating of zinc chloride forms on the surface of the brass.

Copper or bronze?

Like brass, bronze is much stronger, which is explained by the presence of harder metals in the alloy. The most reliable test will be a “tooth test” - there is unlikely to be a trace of pressure left on the surface of the bronze.

You can also experiment with a hot saline solution (200 g of table salt per 1 liter of water). After 10-15 minutes, a copper sample will acquire a more intense shade than a bronze one.

For those familiar with electrical engineering

Very often, copper cores from electrical cables are sold as scrap non-ferrous metals, and there are often cases when copper-coated aluminum is used in the production of electrical products. This material has a significantly lower density, but due to its irregular geometric shape, determining the volume to calculate the density is quite difficult.

In this case, copper can be determined by electrical resistance (of course, if you have the appropriate instruments - a voltmeter, ammeter, rheostat). We measure the cross-section and length of the core, take instrument readings, and Ohm’s law will help you.

Resistivity is a fairly accurate characteristic by which any metal can be identified with a high degree of reliability.

Conclusion

It is possible to accurately determine the quality of copper scrap or the content of the main substance in the alloy only after an examination: all of the above methods are approximate. If we consider pricing when purchasing scrap metal, the most expensive is electrical copper, the cheapest are alloys of the brass group. The final cost of the transaction can be clarified with the managers of companies involved in the purchase of scrap non-ferrous metals.

Source: https://blog.blizkolom.ru/kak-otlichit-med

Where to look for scrap copper

Copper is in great demand today. Many collection points for non-ferrous metals are willing to pay 250-300 rubles per kilogram of this reddish metal. It is quite expected that many people are wondering where to look for copper scrap metal . Some people take the easy route - they steal from dachas, cut off wires and cables. At best, they pay for this with money, at worst, with freedom or health.

Therefore, it would be much more reasonable to search for abandoned, unwanted scrap metal. Fortunately, if you approach this issue thoughtfully and wisely enough, finding precious copper will not be difficult at all.

We immediately suggest watching a video where the author explains where you can get copper:

What you need to search

First of all, you need a car. Still, search places are often located at a considerable distance from the searchers’ homes. And having found 20-25 kilograms (and on a good day you can find more), dragging such a load in a bag or backpack is very tiring. Fortunately, copper is a fairly heavy metal due to its high density, so up to several hundred kilograms can easily fit into the trunk of a regular passenger car. So, it is not necessary to have a minibus or truck at hand.

In addition, a gas cutter or grinder will come in handy. With their help, you can extract copper from the most inaccessible places (and, as practice shows, there are many of them).

Finally, you need to know where exactly to look for copper. After all, pieces of this red gold are not lying around on the streets of the city, waiting for someone to pick them up. The search for copper should be approached wisely and carefully.

Where to look?

Many people who know a lot about collecting non-ferrous metal know exactly where to look for copper scrap metal. First of all, this is a city dump. We do not recommend looking for non-ferrous metal in this not very pleasant place. But hardly anyone will have a complaint against a person who is looking for the copper he needs in the mountains of various, useless rubbish, unless, of course, there is a “garbage mafia” of his own.

In addition, copper can be found in power plant service stations. Here you can find a decommissioned cable, and if you’re lucky, a damaged and useless transformer.

But most often the employees themselves, knowing full well about the cost of copper, mine it and sell it on their own. However, trying is not torture.

Try to establish relationships with the workers, inspect the territory and the transformers found and try to bargain for them for a nominal fee. If you are lucky enough to pull this off several times, you can make good money.

Old small transformer

What does copper contain?

Particular attention should be paid to old tube TVs. Installation wires, inductor and transformer are the main sources of copper contained in them. Massive, slow-heating TVs may well contain up to 1.5 kilograms of copper. Therefore, two or three disassembled devices will already give a good catch.

A semiconductor TV gives less profit, but you shouldn’t ignore them either - each can contain up to 500 grams of copper.

Semiconductor TV

An old refrigerator is a real treasure. His compressor can bring from 1 to 1.5 kilograms of copper. True, the treasured metal is enclosed in an iron casing, which will have to be sawed to get to the goal. If you're lucky, you might come across a model with a copper coil. This will give almost another kilogram of non-ferrous metal.

Refrigerator compressor disassembled

You should not ignore any electric motors - they always contain copper. Moreover, the more powerful the engine, the more copper it contains (approximately 1 kg of metal per 1 kW of energy ). But you won’t be able to handle the case manually either.

It is not so easy to disassemble an electric motor and remove copper from it

Watch the video “How to remove copper from a winding”:

Fluorescent lamps can also please the searcher. Each contains reinforcement weighing 100-300 grams, depending on the model. Of course, not too much. But many companies, after repairs in the office or enterprise, throw away these lamps in whole boxes. Having discovered a treasure for 20-30 of these lamps, you can make a good profit.

Well, a transformer can be called a real dream of any copper collector. From a decommissioned device, you can extract several hundred kilograms of valuable metal and even more. Of course, such treasures come across extremely rarely - they attract the particularly close attention of many people, so most often you come across already gutted boxes. But it’s still worth a look once again.

A transformer like this is truly a stroke of luck, but it’s unlikely to be found abandoned

It is foolish to hope that each trip will bring several tens or hundreds of kilograms of copper. But still, even finding a few kilograms in half a day of not too hard work can be a pleasant help and replenishment of the family budget. Moreover, for this you only need to show observation and perseverance. Surely you will soon become an expert in finding and collecting copper.

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Source: http://xlom.ru/poisk-metalloloma/gde-iskat-metallolom-medi/

Copper - properties, characteristics properties

Copper is a ductile golden-pink metal with a characteristic metallic luster. In the periodic system of D.I. Mendeleev, this chemical element is designated as Cu (Cuprum) and is located under serial number 29 in group I (side subgroup), in the 4th period.

The Latin name Cuprum comes from the name of the island of Cyprus. There are known facts that in Cyprus back in the 3rd century BC there were copper mines and local craftsmen smelted copper. You can buy copper from the KUPRUM company.

According to historians, society has been familiar with copper for about nine thousand years. The most ancient copper products were found during archaeological excavations in the area of modern Turkey. Archaeologists have discovered small copper beads and plates used to decorate clothing. The finds date back to the turn of the 8th-7th millennium BC. In ancient times, copper was used to make jewelry, expensive dishes, and various tools with thin blades.

A great achievement of ancient metallurgists can be called the production of an alloy with a copper base - bronze.

1. Physical properties

In air, copper acquires a bright yellowish-red hue due to the formation of an oxide film. Thin plates have a greenish-blue color when examined through them. In its pure form, copper is quite soft, malleable and easily rolled and drawn. Impurities can increase its hardness.

The high electrical conductivity of copper can be called the main property that determines its predominant use. Copper also has very high thermal conductivity. Impurities such as iron, phosphorus, tin, antimony and arsenic affect the basic properties and reduce electrical and thermal conductivity. According to these indicators, copper is second only to silver.

Copper has high densities, melting points and boiling points. An important property is also good resistance to corrosion. For example, at high humidity, iron oxidizes much faster.

Copper lends itself well to processing: it is rolled into copper sheets and copper rods, and drawn into copper wire with a thickness brought to thousandths of a millimeter. This metal is diamagnetic, that is, it is magnetized against the direction of the external magnetic field.

2. Chemical properties

Copper is a relatively low-active metal. Under normal conditions in dry air, its oxidation does not occur. It reacts easily with halogens, selenium and sulfur. Acids without oxidizing properties have no effect on copper.

There are no chemical reactions with hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen.
In humid air, oxidation occurs to form copper (II) carbonate, the top layer of platinum. Copper is amphoteric, meaning it forms cations and anions in the earth's crust.

Depending on the conditions, copper compounds exhibit acidic or basic properties.

Methods for obtaining copper

In nature, copper exists in compounds and in the form of nuggets. The compounds are represented by oxides, bicarbonates, sulfur and carbon dioxide complexes, as well as sulfide ores. The most common ores are copper pyrite and copper luster. copper in them is 1-2%. 90% of primary copper is mined using the pyrometallurgical method and 10% using the hydrometallurgical method.

1. The pyrometallurgical method includes the following processes: enrichment and roasting, smelting for matte, purging in a converter, electrolytic refining.
Copper ores are enriched by flotation and oxidative roasting. The essence of the flotation method is as follows: copper particles suspended in an aqueous medium adhere to the surface of air bubbles and rise to the surface. The method allows you to obtain copper powder concentrate, which contains 10-35% copper.

Copper ores and concentrates with a significant sulfur content are subject to oxidative roasting. When heated in the presence of oxygen, sulfides are oxidized, and the amount of sulfur is reduced by almost half. Poor concentrates containing 8-25% copper are roasted. Rich concentrates containing 25-35% copper are melted without resorting to roasting.

The next stage of the pyrometallurgical method for producing copper is smelting for matte. If lump copper ore with a large amount of sulfur is used as a raw material, then smelting is carried out in shaft furnaces. And for powdered flotation concentrate, reverberatory furnaces are used. Melting occurs at a temperature of 1450 °C.

In horizontal converters with side blowing, the copper matte is blown with compressed air in order for the oxidation of sulfides and ferrum to occur. Next, the resulting oxides are converted into slag, and sulfur into oxide. The converter produces blister copper, which contains 98.4-99.4% copper, iron, sulfur, as well as small amounts of nickel, tin, silver and gold.

Blister copper is subject to fire and then electrolytic refining. Impurities are removed with gases and converted into slag. As a result of fire refining, copper is formed with a purity of up to 99.5%. And after electrolytic refining, the purity is 99.95%.

2. The hydrometallurgical method involves leaching copper with a weak solution of sulfuric acid, and then separating copper metal directly from the solution. This method is used for processing low-grade ores and does not allow for the associated extraction of precious metals along with copper.

Copper Applications

Due to their valuable qualities, copper and copper alloys are used in the electrical and electrical engineering industries, in radio electronics and instrument making. There are alloys of copper with metals such as zinc, tin, aluminum, nickel, titanium, silver, and gold. Less commonly used are alloys with non-metals: phosphorus, sulfur, oxygen. There are two groups of copper alloys: brass (alloys with zinc) and bronze (alloys with other elements).

Copper is highly environmentally friendly, which allows its use in the construction of residential buildings. For example, a copper roof, due to its anti-corrosion properties, can last more than a hundred years without special care or painting.

Copper in alloys with gold is used in jewelry. This alloy increases the strength of the product, increases resistance to deformation and abrasion.

Copper compounds are characterized by high biological activity. In plants, copper takes part in the synthesis of chlorophyll. Therefore, it can be seen in the composition of mineral fertilizers. A lack of copper in the human body can cause deterioration in blood composition. It is found in many food products.

For example, this metal is found in milk. However, it is important to remember that excess copper compounds can cause poisoning. This is why you should not cook food in copper cookware. During boiling, large amounts of copper can leach into food.

If the dishes inside are covered with a layer of tin, then there is no danger of poisoning.

In medicine, copper is used as an antiseptic and astringent. It is a component of eye drops for conjunctivitis and solutions for burns.

Source: https://cu-prum.ru/med.html

Copper

Native copper measuring about 4 cm

Copper is a mineral from the class of native elements. Fe, Ag, Au, As and other elements are found in natural minerals as impurities or forming solid solutions with Cu.

The simple substance copper is a ductile transition metal of golden-pink color (pink in the absence of an oxide film). One of the first metals widely mastered by man due to its relative availability for extraction from ore and low melting point.

It is one of the seven metals known to man since very ancient times. Copper is an essential element for all higher plants and animals.

STRUCTURE

Crystal structure of copper

Cubic system, hexaoctahedral type of m3m symmetry, crystal structure - cubic face-centered lattice. The model is a cube of eight atoms in the corners and six atoms located in the center of the faces (6 faces). Each atom of this crystal lattice has a coordination number of 12.

Native copper occurs in the form of plates, spongy and solid masses, filamentary and wire aggregates, as well as crystals, complex twins, skeletal crystals and dendrites.

The surface is often covered with films of “copper green” (malachite), “copper blue” (azurite), copper phosphates and other products of its secondary alteration.

PROPERTIES

Native copper crystals, Lake Superior, Kinawee County, Michigan, USA. Size 12 x 8.5 cm

Copper is a golden-pink ductile metal; in air it quickly becomes covered with an oxide film, which gives it a characteristic intense yellowish-red hue. Thin films of copper have a greenish-blue color when exposed to light.

Along with osmium, cesium and gold, copper is one of the four metals that have a distinct coloration that is different from the gray or silver of other metals. This color tint is explained by the presence of electronic transitions between the filled third and half-empty fourth atomic orbitals: the energy difference between them corresponds to the wavelength of orange light. The same mechanism is responsible for the characteristic color of gold.

Copper has high thermal and electrical conductivity (it ranks second in electrical conductivity among metals after silver). Specific electrical conductivity at 20 °C: 55.5-58 MS/m. Copper has a relatively large temperature coefficient of resistance: 0.4%/°C and is weakly dependent on temperature over a wide temperature range. Copper is diamagnetic.

There are a number of copper alloys: brass - with zinc, bronze - with tin and other elements, cupronickel - with nickel and others.

Reserves and production

Copper specimen, 13.6 cm. Kinawi Peninsula, Michigan, USA

The average copper content in the earth's crust (clarke) is (4.7-5.5) 10−3% (by mass). In sea and river water the copper content is much lower: 3·10−7% and 10−7% (by weight), respectively. Most copper ore is mined by open pit mining. copper in ore ranges from 0.3 to 1.0%. World reserves in 2000 were, according to experts, 954 million tons, of which 687 million tons were proven reserves; Russia accounted for 3.2% of total and 3.1% of confirmed world reserves.

Thus, at the current rate of consumption, copper reserves will last approximately 60 years.
Copper is obtained from copper ores and minerals. The main methods for obtaining copper are pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy and electrolysis. The pyrometallurgical method involves obtaining copper from sulfide ores, for example, chalcopyrite CuFeS2.

The hydrometallurgical method involves dissolving copper minerals in dilute sulfuric acid or ammonia solution; From the resulting solutions, copper is replaced by metallic iron.

ORIGIN

Small nugget of copper

Typically, native copper is formed in the oxidation zone of some copper sulfide deposits in association with calcite, native silver, cuprite, malachite, azurite, brochantite and other minerals. The masses of individual clusters of native copper reach 400 tons.

Large industrial deposits of native copper, along with other copper-containing minerals, are formed when volcanic rocks (diabases, melaphyres) are exposed to hydrothermal solutions, volcanic vapors and gases enriched in volatile copper compounds (for example, the Lake Superior deposit, USA).

Native copper is also found in sedimentary rocks, mainly in cuprous sandstones and shales.

The most famous deposits of native copper are the Turin mines (Urals), Dzhezkazgan (Kazakhstan), in the USA (on the Keweenaw Peninsula, in the states of Arizona and Utah).

Source: http://mineralpro.ru/minerals/copper/

Products containing large amounts of copper: table of content in mg

What effect does copper have on the human body? Where is she kept? Daily dosage for women, men and children.

Maintaining immunity at a high level is impossible if there are no foods rich in copper in the diet. It maintains an optimal balance of microelements in the body, normalizes the functioning of the central nervous system and performs a number of other equally important functions.

What are the benefits of copper for humans? What is the normal content of the element in the diet? What products contain it? These issues require detailed consideration.

Effect on the body

The benefits of copper are difficult to overestimate. By taking this element in sufficient quantities, it is possible to improve health and even eliminate many diseases. The main functions include:

Participation in blood formation.
Helps in the production of elastin and collagen. This action helps strengthen bone and connective tissue, optimizing the formation of epithelium.
Improving the functioning of the endocrine system, due to which the activity of pituitary hormones increases.
Helps in the production of hemoglobin, which occurs in combination with vitamin C and iron.
Strengthening the immune system, increasing resistance to various diseases.
Normalization of the gastrointestinal tract. It has already been proven that products containing copper have a positive effect on the endocrine glands.
Nutrition of cells, as well as maintaining control of energy balance.
Normalization of skin and hair pigmentation processes.
Providing a powerful anti-inflammatory effect.

Without a sufficient amount of microelement, the process of consuming carbohydrates and proteins becomes more complicated. This feature should be taken into account by people who are actively involved in sports.

Dosage

No less important is the issue of daily dosage of a useful element. On average, the copper (Cu) content in the human body is 100-200 mg . This is the second largest reserve of metal in the body after zinc. Its greatest volume accumulates in the following parts of the body:

liver;
heart muscles;
brain cells;
bones;
blood;
muscle tissue.

The daily copper content in food products should be:

for an adult - 2.5 mg ;
for a child under three years old - 1 mg ;
for a child 4-6 years old - 1.5 mg ;
for children and adolescents 7-18 years old - 1.8-2.0 mg .

The diet should contain more of this substance in the following cases:

active physical activity;
weak immune system;
diseases of the cardiovascular system;
excessive alcohol consumption.

Doctors have established a maximum upper level of metal, which is 5 mg per day . Taking this element in excess of the permissible amount can lead to an overdose and a number of other problems.

Signs of deficiency and excess

Every person's diet should include foods containing copper. Otherwise, the risk of deficiency of this useful element increases. The consequences of metal shortage are expressed by the following symptoms:

violation of pigmentation of hair and skin;
depressive states;
the appearance of a rash;
difficulty breathing;
increased fatigue;
exposure to infectious diseases;
loss of appetite;
diarrhea;
anemia, etc.

In addition, if the body’s need for the substance is not met, there is a high risk of failures in connective tissue and bones. The risks of bleeding and increased cholesterol levels also increase.

A large amount of copper coming from food and special medications is also bad. In this case, the following consequences are possible:

accelerated aging of the body;
disruption of menstrual cycles;
brain disorders;
epilepsy;
insomnia;
hair loss.

To avoid the problems mentioned, it is enough to know what copper contains and also formulate your diet correctly. It is worth considering the main reasons for the excess of the element. There are several of them:

hereditary problems;
taking hormonal medications;
lack of other important elements;
poisoning with medications;
excessive copper content in drinking water;
hemodialysis;
various occupational diseases.

in food

Copper is found in many products that come to our table every day. Among them:

Vegetable and animal oils . The most famous sources here are walnut and sesame oil.
Nuts . If we consider which products contain copper, we cannot fail to note the presence of a sufficient amount of metal in peanuts and hazelnuts.
Juices . Of all the juices, the leading positions are occupied by grape and pomegranate. Scientists have long proven that taking these drinks contributes to an increase in hemoglobin levels in the blood.
Porridge . To cover the deficiency of the element, it is recommended to eat a lot of oatmeal, buckwheat or millet porridge. In addition, its greatest volume is contained in the seeds of cereal crops, including sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. All that is required to cover the deficit is to eat baked goods made from wholemeal flour (the use of bran is allowed).
Vegetables . If you ask a vegetarian what foods contain a lot of copper, he will certainly cite carrots, cabbage (Peking cabbage, broccoli), potatoes, beets, radishes and cucumbers as examples. It is worth considering that the substance leaves the potatoes or beets during the cooking process.
Dairy . Here, the leading position is occupied by breast milk, which can cover the baby’s metal deficiency.
Dried fruits and fruits . Products containing copper in large quantities - apples, gooseberries, pears, apricots. In addition, a sufficient amount is available in grapefruits, oranges and bananas.

When filling your diet with these products, it is worth considering that this useful element is not always absorbed by the body in full. The main reason for this is often the presence of casein in the diet, which prevents the metal from entering the blood. For example, if you had a hearty breakfast with milk and cottage cheese in the morning, milk soup for lunch, and kefir in the evening, then the risk of copper deficiency increases.

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When including certain foods in your diet, it is worth considering the following points:

The amount of an element in food directly depends on the volume of metal in the soil where the vegetable or fruit grows.
substances in ginseng are always at a high level. This is true even when there is a minimum amount of metal in the soil where the plant grows.
The human body absorbs 10-15% of copper, and the rest is excreted in the stool.
When dieting, the intake of the element should be combined with molybdenum. This is easy to explain - it is to this pair that protein and sulfur are most quickly connected.

Now let’s look at which products contain copper in terms of quantity (starting with the leader, mg/100 g):

cod liver - 12.5;
cocoa - 4.5;
cow liver - 3.8;
squid meat - 1.5;
hazelnuts - 1.15;
chocolate products - 1.1;
pasta - 0.7;
buckwheat - 0.65;
walnuts - 0.53;
oatmeal - 0.5.

Results

Often the copper contained in the food consumed is enough to cover the daily requirement. At the same time, it would be useful to keep this moment under control, adjusting the diet if necessary, avoiding deficiency and overdose of the substance.

February 6, 2017

Source: https://Proteinfo.ru/voprosy-pitaniya/produkty-i-sostav/soderzhashhie-med/

What products contain copper: list, table

The list of foods that contain copper is very wide—the microelement is often found in food. But only some dishes supply it to the body in really high dosages and therefore deserve detailed study.

What foods contain copper?

Among microelements that are important for human health, copper occupies a special place. Every day the body should receive from 1.5 to 3 mg of the substance, otherwise unpleasant symptoms may develop. Microelement deficiency leads to anemia and decreased immunity, negatively affecting the condition of the liver and biliary tract.

The microelement is present in varying quantities in a large list of food products. But it contains especially a lot of:

in animal and fish liver;
in cereals and seeds;
in nuts and natural oils;
in cereals and legumes;
in vegetables and herbs;
in fermented milk products.

You can get copper not only from vitamins, but also from food.

Copper should always be present in the human body in volumes of about 75-100 mg. If you need to get rid of a mineral deficiency, you should pay attention to products with maximum amounts of its content.

Products containing large amounts of copper

The easiest way to get a mineral is from food that can 100% satisfy the body's need for the microelement. A detailed list of copper foods will help you decide what to include in your diet.

Liver

In the human body, the microelement accumulates mainly in the liver tissue, and animals have exactly the same feature. Therefore, the best source of copper in food is the liver of fish, poultry or large animals.

The largest amount of the substance is found in cod liver - about 12.5 mg per 100 g serving. Pollock liver is in second place, containing 10 mg of the trace element. Pork and beef liver can supply the substance to the body; they contain 3.75-3.8 mg of copper.

Cod liver is one of the richest foods in copper.

The liver brings the greatest benefit when boiled, since frying destroys some of the vitamins and minerals in it. The product can be consumed with vegetables, but it is better not to add sour cream and eggs to ready-made dishes, as they interfere with the absorption of the element.

Nuts

The trace element is present in large quantities in almost all nuts. With their help, you can successfully replace vitamin complexes. In particular, copper contains:

in cashews and walnuts;
in hazelnuts and pistachios;
in almonds and peanuts;
in pine and Brazil nuts.

The leader in substance content is cashew - 2.2 mg per 100 g serving. Slightly less microelement is found in hazelnuts and Brazil nuts - 1.7 and 1.65 mg respectively, in other varieties the volume of the element does not exceed 1.5 mg.

Nuts are high on the list of copper-containing products.

It is most beneficial to consume nuts fresh, since after roasting the volume of minerals in the product decreases and the calorie content increases. In addition to copper, nuts supply the body with other minerals - iron and calcium, zinc.

Seafood

Seafood is a valuable source of the chemical element. Among the leaders in substance content are:

oysters, 100 g contains about 4.4 mg of trace elements;
squid - about 2.1 mg of substance;
lobster, approximately 1.9 mg per 100 g serving.

The highest levels of copper are found in lobsters, squids and oysters.

The benefit of seafood is that it comprehensively supplies the body with not only copper, but also selenium, zinc, fatty acids and B vitamins. Regular consumption of squid, lobster and oysters helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels and prevents the development of cancer.

Vegetables

You can get the chemical element from vegetables; even with a modest diet, it is quite possible to avoid a deficiency. Among the foods richest in micronutrients are:

radish - about 0.15 mg;
potatoes - up to 0.14 mg per 100 g serving;
beets - 0.14 mg;
eggplants - approximately 0.14 mg;
cucumbers - about 0.1 mg;
cabbage and onions - 0.08 and 0.09 mg, respectively.

Copper-containing vegetables include cabbage, potatoes and onions.

Garlic contains quite a lot of copper - 0.13 mg per 100 g serving. But it must be taken into account that garlic is very pungent and is present in the diet in minimal quantities. Accordingly, it is difficult to obtain truly large portions of the microelement from it.

Source: https://poleznii-site.ru/zdorove/produkty-bogatye-medyu-podrobnyy-spisok-tablitsa.html

Copper scrap - price, types of copper scrap

Today, copper is one of the most sought-after metals on the planet. Copper is used in most industries and in all areas of human activity. This is due to the fact that copper is used in addition to both in its pure form and in combination with various alloys.

If you are reading this article just to find out how much scrap copper costs per kg in Moscow, then you can follow the link to the page with prices or read the article to the end, there will also be the cost of scrap metal per 1 kg, all prices.

What types of copper waste exist?

There are four categories of copper assessment that comply with GOST and are used at our scrap metal collection point:

Pure copper without impurities with a characteristic red luster
The second grade is alloys where the impurity content is no more than 5%, and corresponds to 95% pure copper content
The third grade is where the content of pure copper metal is at least 80%
Fourth grade. Assorted scrap metal, where the copper content may not exceed 30%

Please understand that the cost of copper is constantly changing and we also depend on copper quotes on the stock exchange. We always keep for you the best prices for accepting scrap non-ferrous metals and are ready to consider the cost of scrap metal per 1 ton to increase for large volumes. We will make the best offer for you, link to our contacts.

Where is copper most commonly found?

Copper is most often found in electrical equipment such as:

Cables vary in thickness and purpose
Winding to transformers, electric motors, all electric coils
Components for air conditioners, heat exchangers, condensers
Parts used for the automotive industry

I also advise you to read interesting articles about copper on our website: “Phosphorous copper MF 10”, “Use of copper and aluminum wires when renovating apartments”.

Copper is very often found in plumbing; copper pipes are especially popular. Cranes, connecting valves, etc.

found most often in the form of brass (an alloy of copper and zinc), the copper content in brass varies from 65% to 90%, zinc has strong anti-corrosion properties, so its use in plumbing is justified. To accurately determine the composition of the alloy, we use a metal analyzer.

You can always be sure that at our metal collection point you will receive an honest assessment of the cost of the brought scrap metal. Watch a video of how the metal analyzer works:

Use in construction

Previously, copper was often used to cover the roofs of houses, and if the roof has outlived its useful life, you can always make good money by selling copper roofs for scrap metal. You can read more in our article “Advantages and Disadvantages of Metal Roofing.”

How to take copper

When handing over whole parts, our receivers know exactly the copper content in this or that equipment, which will greatly simplify the handing over of metal and you won’t have to personally disassemble the product down to small parts and select copper parts. With cable reception, things are even simpler; we have special equipment for cable reception and subsequent cleaning, you can watch a video on this topic.

If you are wondering, “How do I sell scrap copper?” You will always find the answer from our specialists by calling us and receiving a free consultation, our contacts. The price for non-ferrous metal scrap is constantly changing, please check below the prices at our scrap metal collection point. Let me remind you that the cost per ton of scrap metal will be higher, since we are interested in purchasing large volumes.

Source: https://lom77.ru/%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BC-%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8-%D1%86%D0%B5%D0 %BD%D0%B0-%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D1%8B-%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B0-%D0%BC%D0%B5% D0%B4%D0%B8/

History and origin of the name

Copper is one of the first metals widely used by man due to its relative availability from ore and low melting point. In ancient times, it was used mainly in the form of an alloy with tin - bronze for the manufacture of weapons, etc. (see Bronze Age). The Latin name for copper Cuprum (ancient Aes cuprium, Aes cyprium) comes from the name of the island of Cyprus, where already in the 3rd millennium BC e.

There were copper mines and copper smelting was carried out.

Strabo calls copper chalkos, from the name of the city of Chalkis on Euboea. From this word came many ancient Greek names for copper and bronze objects, blacksmithing, blacksmithing and casting. The second Latin name for copper Aes (Sanskrit, ayas, Gothic aiz, German erz, English ore) means ore or mine.

Proponents of the Indo-Germanic theory of the origin of European languages derive the Russian word copper (Polish miedz, Czech med) from Old German smida (metal) and Schmied (blacksmith, English Smith). Of course, the relationship of the roots in this case is undoubtedly, however, both of these words are derived from the Greek. mine, mine independently of each other. From this word came related names - medal, medallion (French medaille).

The words copper and copper are found in the most ancient Russian literary monuments. Alchemists called copper Venus. In more ancient times the name Mars was found.

Physical properties

Copper forms a face-centered cubic lattice, space group F m3m, a = 0.36150 nm, Z = 4. Copper has high thermal and electrical conductivity (it ranks second in electrical conductivity after silver).

It has two stable isotopes - 63Cu and 65Cu, and several radioactive isotopes.

The longest-lived of these, 64Cu, has a half-life of 12.7 hours and two decay modes with different products.

There are a number of copper alloys: brass - with zinc, bronze - with tin and other elements, cupronickel - with nickel, babbit - with lead and others.

Chemical properties

Does not change in air in the absence of moisture and carbon dioxide. It is a weak reducing agent and does not react with water diluted with hydrochloric acid. It is transferred into solution with non-oxidizing acids or ammonia hydrate in the presence of oxygen, potassium cyanide. It is oxidized by concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids, aqua regia, oxygen, halogens, chalcogens, and non-metal oxides. Reacts when heated with hydrogen halides.

Modern mining methods

90% of primary copper is obtained by pyrometallurgical method, 10% by hydrometallurgical method. The hydrometallurgical method is the production of copper by leaching it with a weak solution of sulfuric acid and subsequent separation of copper metal from the solution. The pyrometallurgical method consists of several stages: enrichment, roasting, smelting for matte, purging in a converter, refining.

To enrich copper ores, the flotation method is used (based on the use of different wettabilities of copper-containing particles and waste rock), which allows one to obtain copper concentrate containing from 10 to 35% copper. Copper ores and concentrates with a high sulfur content are subjected to oxidative roasting.

In the process of heating the concentrate or ore to 700-800 °C in the presence of atmospheric oxygen, sulfides are oxidized and the sulfur content is reduced by almost half of the original. Only poor concentrates (with a copper content of 8 to 25%) are roasted, and rich concentrates (from 25 to 35% copper) are smelted without firing. After firing, the ore and copper concentrate are smelted into matte, which is an alloy containing copper and iron sulfides.

Matte contains from 30 to 50% copper, 20-40% iron, 22-25% sulfur, in addition, matte contains impurities of nickel, zinc, lead, gold, and silver. Most often, smelting is carried out in fiery reverberatory furnaces. The temperature in the smelting zone is 1450 °C. In order to oxidize sulfides and iron, the resulting copper matte is blown with compressed air in horizontal converters with side blast. The resulting oxides are converted into slag.

The temperature in the converter is 1200–1300 °C. Interestingly, heat is released in the converter due to chemical reactions, without fuel supply. Thus, the converter produces blister copper containing 98.4 - 99.4% copper, 0.01 - 0.04% iron, 0.02 - 0.1% sulfur and a small amount of nickel, tin, antimony, silver, gold. This copper is poured into a ladle and poured into steel molds or a casting machine.

Next, to remove harmful impurities, blister copper is refined (fire refining and then electrolytic refining are carried out). The essence of fire refining of blister copper is the oxidation of impurities, removing them with gases and converting them into slag. After fire refining, copper with a purity of 99.0 - 99.7% is obtained.

It is poured into molds and ingots are obtained for further smelting of alloys (bronze and brass) or ingots for electrolytic refining.

Electrolytic refining is carried out to obtain pure copper (99.95%). Electrolysis is carried out in baths where the anode is made of fire-refined copper, and the cathode is made of thin sheets of pure copper. The electrolyte is an aqueous solution.

When a direct current is passed, the anode dissolves, the copper goes into solution, and, cleaned of impurities, is deposited on the cathodes. Impurities settle to the bottom of the bath in the form of slag, which is processed to extract valuable metals. The cathodes are unloaded after 5-12 days, when their weight reaches 60 to 90 kg. They are thoroughly washed and then melted in electric furnaces.

Source: http://edu.glavsprav.ru/info/cu

Which products contain the most copper: list, table and features:

Copper is one of the biologically active elements that ensures the normal functioning of all vital functions of the human body.

This microelement is involved in many biochemical processes: it forms a protective covering of nerves and connective tissue, increases the flow of oxygen to cells, ensures the absorption of beneficial vitamins, as well as macro- and microelements from food.

To maintain optimal body functioning, you need to know which foods contain copper.

Beneficial properties and daily intake for the body

The human body contains on average 100-190 mg of the copper component, which is concentrated mainly in the tissues of the human body, bones, brain cells, liver, kidneys and blood. A significant deficiency of Cu is detrimental to the body due to the participation of the element in internal processes. The functions and beneficial properties of the microelement for the human body are as follows:

Maintaining the immune system.
Participation in the construction of many enzymes and proteins.
Improving the functioning of the endocrine system.
Synthesis of collagen and elastin (skin elasticity, bone strength).
Participation in metabolic processes (synthesis of proteins, amino acids).
Strengthening the walls of blood vessels.
Positive effect on the functioning of the endocrine glands.
Participation in the production of skin and hair pigments.

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Every day an adult body needs to consume from 2.5 to 3 mg of copper. For pregnant women, the daily dosage is slightly lower - 2 mg. The consumption rate for children and adolescents is:

up to 3 years – 1 mg;
4-6 years – 1.5 mg;
from 7 to 18 years – 1.5-2 mg.

Consumption of an increased norm is necessary for heavy physical activity, weak immunity, cardiovascular pathologies, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and anemia.

Signs of excess and deficiency of copper

A varied diet and well-combined foods are an excellent source of micronutrients. If the human body receives a lot (more than 5 mg) or, conversely, not enough copper (less than 1 mg), then over time various symptoms begin to appear that negatively affect the functioning of internal organs. The first thing you should take care of is adjusting your diet and selecting quality products.

In adults and healthy people, negative symptoms of excessive consumption or excess of Cu are extremely rare. Cases of acute copper hypervitaminosis mainly lead to:

gastrointestinal disorders (abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting);
muscle pain;
sleep disturbances, memory impairment;
atherosclerosis;
menstrual problems;
depression, irritability;
inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and liver.

The causes of excess of this substance can be: deficiency of magnesium and zinc, hereditary metabolic disorders, high content of Cu in drinking water, taking hormonal pills.

The most important symptoms indicating copper deficiency in organs and tissues are:

increased hair loss;
low hemoglobin level;
pale skin, skin rash;
loss of appetite;
depression, bad mood, fatigue;
worsening breathing, heart rhythm disturbances.

Diseases and certain circumstances can lead to copper deficiency, such as: impaired intestinal absorption, decreased redox potential, prolonged alcohol abuse, insufficient amounts of enzymes containing this microelement (hereditary factor).

Foods Rich in Copper

So where is copper found? In what products? The main food sources of the microelement are:

Liver of beef, pork, pollock, cod.
Seafood (lobster, oysters, octopus, squid and crab).
Pistachios, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pine and Brazil nuts.
Legumes (lentils, soybeans, beans).
Cereals (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds).
Vegetables (asparagus, spinach, beets, tomatoes, carrots, all varieties of cabbage, eggplant, cucumbers, all greens).
Cereals and porridges (sprouted wheat, oatmeal, buckwheat, millet).
Fruits, dried fruits and berries (pineapple, raspberries, gooseberries, banana, grapefruit, dried apricots, raisins).
One-day fermented milk products (yogurt, kefir).
Vegetable and animal oils (sesame, pumpkin and walnut oils).
Spices (ginger, thyme, black pepper, marjoram, basil, oregano).

What products contain copper: table

Before planning your diet, you need to find out what the concentration of copper is in foods. The information presented in the table indicates how much and which commonly consumed foods contain the mineral.

Copper concentration in food

Product name	copper(mg/100 g)
Cod liver	12
Spinach	7,0
Cocoa	4,3
Sesame	4,1
Liver (beef, pork)	3,8
Sunflower seeds	1,8
Walnuts	1,5
Pumpkin seeds	1,4
Pistachios, peanuts	1,3
Dark chocolate	1,2
Green peas	0,75
Durum pasta	0,70
Buckwheat	0,64
Millet cereal	0,37
Pearl barley	0,28
Rice	0,25
Sausages, sausage (semi-smoked, boiled)	0,18
Potato	0,14
Apples	0,11
Onions and green onions	0,9
Cabbage, carrots, chicken eggs	0,8

As a rule, copper is found in almost every product in a certain amount. Microelement deficiency in the body is rare, but for preventive purposes it is recommended to ensure that the menu is balanced and includes the maximum amount of nutrients.

Micronutrient-rich foods

So which foods contain the most copper? High content of the microelement can be found in meat by-products (liver, kidneys, hearts), seafood, mushrooms, as well as in vegetables and fruits. The richest sources of mineral content are the following food sources:

Fish, seafood (cod, pollock, shrimp).
Peanut.
Carrots and cabbage of all varieties.
White mushrooms.
Baker's and brewer's yeast.
Fermented soy products (miso, soy sauce, tempeh).
Sesame.
Green spinach.
Rose hip.
Prunes.
Fresh meat, liver.

The first place in terms of maximum Cu concentration is unconditionally occupied by seafood (fish, shrimp, mussels) and liver. Plant sources (nuts, cocoa grains? dried fruits) are given a secondary role in replenishing reserves of this mineral.

in food sources

Copper and zinc play an important role in the human body, provided they are balanced. In this case, it is necessary to eat foods that contain both of these microelements. What foods contain copper and zinc? They are present to a certain extent in products such as:

oysters;
beef stew;
turkey;
duck;
boiled chicken hearts;
veal and lamb liver;
pine nuts;
peanut;
flax seeds;
cocoa powder;
wheat bran.

Zinc acts as an auxiliary element that interacts with copper during its absorption. This substance improves the absorption of copper and enhances the biological effect.

There are also some cases in which the need for zinc and copper increases significantly: pregnancy, lactation and excessive alcohol consumption.

List of foods containing copper

As mentioned above, for the normal and smooth functioning of the body, a person needs no more than 2.5-3 mg of copper per day. The richest foods containing copper were: hazelnuts, cereals, legumes, fish and liver (cod, pollock).

Depending on the state of health (presence of food allergies, intolerances), age and taste preferences, not everyone can consume certain products.

The expanded list below lists foods and drinks that contain copper and can be on every table due to availability and everyone’s taste preferences:

Poultry liver (turkey, goose, chicken, duck).
Asparagus.
Champignon.
Leafy vegetables (chard, spinach, lettuce).
Greens (parsley, dill, cilantro).
Olives.
Cocoa.
Mineral water.
Avocado.
Black and red currants.
Strawberries, wild strawberries, blackberries.
Coconut pulp.
Pomegranate.
Lemon, tangerine, orange.
Kiwi.
Passion fruit.
Plum.
Cherry.
Watermelon melon.
Rose hips and ginseng.
Dried fruits (dates, dried apricots, raisins, prunes).
Powdered milk.
Curdled milk.
Cow's milk.
Pasta made from durum wheat flour.

It should be noted that copper retains its properties during heat treatment, and only a third of this trace element is absorbed in the human body.

Features of copper absorption

Approximately 93% of the copper that comes with food is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. The microelement is easily absorbed if it is combined with low molecular weight proteins, inorganic acids and amino acids.

Cobalt can have a positive effect on the absorption of this element by the body, and egg yolk, iron, magnesium, zinc, molybdenum, phytates, high dosages of vitamin C and fructose can reduce the absorption of copper from food. In addition to the listed factors, systematic alcohol abuse can interfere with normal absorption.

Electrical copper

Copper is a highly conductive material. These are materials whose resistivity value is less than one tenth of a microohm per meter. For copper, this value is 0.017-0.018 μOhm*m. Copper is also a conductor in terms of electrical properties and a diamagnetic in terms of magnetic properties.

How is copper obtained?

Copper used in wires and cables is of fairly high purity. To obtain it, copper ores (sulfide, oxide and mixed) are used. Let me remind you what sulfide ores are - they are fossil raw materials that are mined in nature and consist of heavy metal (ore), sulfur (sulfide) and various impurities.

Sulfide ores account for almost all copper production and reserves (among ore production). The most common minerals in terms of deposits and feasibility of extraction among sulfide ores are chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), chalcocite (Cu2S), bornite (Cu5FeS4).

name of the mineral chemical formula % copper color

chalcopyrite	CuFeS2	34,5	gold, yellow
chalcocite	Cu2S	79,8	black, gray, blue
bornite	Cu5FeS4	63,3	red, copper

In general, in the first stage, copper-containing ores are mined.

The mined ores must then be purified of all impurities and foreign metals to produce copper. For these purposes, the following methods are used: pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical and electrolysis. For example, after the pyrometallurgical method we will receive copper ingots in which the copper itself will be 90 percent. Not bad, but it could be better.

Then this blister copper is brought to 99.99% purity using electrolytic purification and we get what is used in the energy industry.

The influence of impurities on the properties of copper

The issue of copper purity is quite important:

in the presence of 0.02% aluminum impurity, electrical conductivity decreases by approximately 10%. But aluminum is a fairly good conductor.
in the presence of 0.1% phosphorus, the resistance increases by 55%, therefore the conductivity decreases as the reciprocal of the resistance
if there is bismuth or lead in copper in an amount of more than 0.001%, then this causes red brittleness (cracking during hot pressure treatment)
Oxygen in copper makes soldering difficult and increases resistivity. To avoid this, a phosphorus additive is introduced
hydrogen - forms microcracks and increases brittleness

If several impurities are present, then there are situations where they interact and their influence increases significantly.

For the use of copper to transmit electricity, the presence of impurities has only a negative effect.

Copper grades for electrical engineering and in general

Copper grades consist of the letter “M”, which means copper. This is followed by a number from 0 to 4. Sometimes one of the letters is then found that characterize the method of producing the metal: k - cathode, p - deoxidized with low residual phosphorus, f - deoxidized with high residual phosphorus, b - oxygen-free. Oxygen-free is M0, and deoxidized is M1. There are many grades of copper, let's look at some:

A special grade of copper is M1E. This is electrical copper, which is produced in the form of tires, rods of various diameters and sections. It can be extra hard, hard, semi-hard and soft. The conductivity of soft copper is a couple of percent higher.

Available in the form of tires, rods, circles. The rods, in turn, have a diameter from 5 to 40 mm and a cross-sectional shape - circle, square, hexagon. This type of copper has a limited shelf life - up to a year for soft copper and six months for hard copper.

Copper alloys in electrical engineering

There are various copper alloys, including bronze, brass and others. Some of them have found application in energy. Let's look at these alloys.

Bronzes are alloys of copper with tin, aluminum, silicon, and lead. Among other impurities, the highest electrical conductivities are (in order of decreasing electrical conductivity): cadmium, chromium and beryllium bronze. The most common tin bronze has a low electrical conductivity. Bronze is used for the manufacture of contacts, spring contacts, plates in parts of electrical machines, and high-strength wires.

Brass is an alloy of copper with zinc (these two substances make up the majority of the alloy) and other impurities. The percentage of zinc reaches 43%. Used for spring contacts, plug connectors.

Manganin is an alloy of copper with the addition of manganese and nickel. Used for the manufacture of additional resistors and shunts in measuring technology. If silver is used instead of copper, the electrical properties are improved.

This article provides basic concepts about the use of copper in the energy sector; a more in-depth study is possible by mastering special technical literature on this topic.

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Liquid and gaseous dielectrics

SF6 gas

Where and how to find copper

Finding scrap metal has become a source of income for many. There are people for whom this is a hobby or a way to earn money. This process is labor-intensive and time-consuming. For beginner metal detectors, this may seem like a challenge, but if you know where to find metal, then this task is not so difficult.

Devices containing copper and its alloys

You don't have to go far to mine copper. This does not have to be excavations in the fields using a metal detector. You can take copper from old electrical appliances. Because repairing old appliances takes a lot of time and money, they are often thrown away. But before that, it is possible to obtain scrap metal from them, which, after processing, is used to make pipes, wire, profile sheets, or to replace some elements for devices.

Copper alloy can be easily found:

In bearings, radiators, motors, gears.
In old jewelry and decorative elements.
In plumbing.
In kitchen utensils.
In radiators and computers.

Copper itself can be found in the following devices:

Up to one and a half kilograms of scrap metal can be found in a tube TV.
Almost three kilograms of copper can be taken from the engine of an old Soviet-style refrigerator.
Smaller amounts of copper are taken from washing machines, hair dryers, and microwave ovens.
If there is a starter from a vehicle that is unsuitable for repair, then metal can also be extracted from there.

From these devices, you can’t take much copper, but these devices are widely found.

How to properly collect colored scrap

Almost all metal detectors streamline the scrap collection process. To carry out this process, you need to optimize your activities to the maximum. To do this you will need:

Decide on a system for collecting devices that are unsuitable for further use.
Take care of the delivery of collected scrap metal to the dismantling point. To do this, you need a vehicle on which transportation will be carried out. Take care in advance of the place where all the scrap metal will be located, because there will be quite a lot of it.
Develop a disassembly process. To do this, you need to purchase a special tool to separate the metal from other materials and begin sorting.
Arrange rapid transportation of metal to collection points.

You should also know that prices for non-ferrous scrap vary depending on the time of year. Since the winter period is difficult for metal mining, the price is higher than in the summer. Therefore, it would be more advisable to hold on to the existing material until “better” times.

Copper production method

Obtaining copper, even in industrial conditions, is a very labor-intensive process:

At the initial stage, the metal is crushed, after which it is cleaned of impurities of other rocks. After purification, the starting material is fired, after which a solid substance can be obtained - cinder, which in turn undergoes melting.
After this procedure, matte is obtained, which contains up to 50% copper.
The manufactured matte is enriched with oxygen, air blowing, and quartz flux.
Only after these procedures can blister copper be obtained; it is melted and passed through an oxygen melt.
Finally, the resulting material is treated with sulfur oxide, after which the percentage of copper is 99.9%.

How to get a high price for scrap metal

Every scrap hunter wants to sell the scrap metal he finds at the best price for himself. As mentioned above, you can search for metal in the summer and sell it in the winter, when prices rise. But if your priority is to make a profit regularly, then it is best to look for collection points that offer prices higher than those of competitors. Do not also forget that the cost depends on the quality and composition of the material that is being rented. The highest price is offered for pure copper.

Where and how to find copperLink to main publication

Source: https://oxmetall.ru/metalli/med/gde-i-kak-najti