Product

Knowledge
 Few Facts about Copper

❑ Copper is a malleable and ductile metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity
as well as being corrosion resistant and antimicrobial. It can be found in sulfide deposits (as
chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, covellite), in carbonate deposits (as azurite and malachite), in silicate
deposits (as chrysycolla and dioptase) and as pure "native" copper.
❑ Oldest metal discovered around 10,000 years ago. Essential element while transitioning from stone age
to bronze(Cu+Tin) age and extremely important in Industrial revolution.
❑ Ancient Egyptians used copper to sterilize chest wounds and drinking water. Greeks, Romans and
Aztecs relied on copper compounds to treat burns, headaches and ear infections.
❑ Copper is an essential element for human nutrition. The mineral is critical for blood cell formation and is
found in food and most water supplies. Excess copper can cause jaundice, anemia, and diarrhea
❑ Copper does not loose its chemical or physical properties during the recycling process.
 Copper Production

Primary Production Secondary Production

Geologists Survey

Conditions: Geographic, Economic,

Environmental, & Legal

Three ways of Copper Mining

Surface Mining Leaching

Underground Mining

Predominant way is by Open-Pit mining

 Roasting

Primary Production Contains 50-70% Cu Matte

Mine Discovery and Smelting

Initial Compliance
Contains 98.5-99.5% Cu

Blistering
Ore Extraction
Cast into Anodes - 99.99% Cu

Fire Refined/ Re-melted

Concentration by flotation Copper Cathode- 99.99% Cu

Contains 20-40% Cu Electro-Refining

 Uses of Copper

Water Pipes Electronics

Doorknobs and
Coins Household Fixtures
Wiring Cookware

Roofing Jewellery
Ornaments Vehicle Construction
Lightning Rods Ship building
Sector-wise Copper Usage in India and World(2019)
 Volume of Copper production in India from
FY 2012 to FY 2019

*Source: statista
 Global Copper reserves as of 2019, by country

*Source: statista
 Major countries in Copper mine production worldwide
from 2010 to 2019

*Source: statista
 Copper Concentrate

❑ A product of flotation milling. It composes sulfide minerals and entrained material and
contains one-third each copper, iron, and sulfur. It can be processed in a smelter to
produce matte requiring further processing to obtain copper metal.

❑ Copper content varies from mill to mill. Typically it is in between 20-40%

❑ Used for extraction of metals like Copper, Lead and Zinc

 Receiving Bunker(Conveyers)

Concentrate Production Output: Slurry

Grinding(Crusher & Millers)+

Ore Extraction(<3% Cu) Water
Contains Cu, Zn & Pb

Floatation + Chemical re-agents

Processing Facility(different
modes) Precipitate and water
separation by gravity

Thickening

Weighed Copper Concentrate- 20-40%

Filtration, Dehydration & Drying

 Copper Concentrate production in India

*Source: India Bureau of Mines

 Copper Concentrate production(by states)

61312
RAJASTHAN 56798

63982

75479
M.P 68187

79281

5072
JHARKHAND 9802

8574

0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000

2017-18 2016-17 2015-16

*Source: India Bureau of Mines

 Imports of Copper Ores and Concentrates (KT)

❑ Exports of copper ores and concentrates more than doubled to 61,005

tonnes in 2017-18 as compared to 22,711 tonnes in 2016-17
 References:
❑ https://www.statista.com/
❑ https://ibm.gov.in/index.php?c=pages&m=index&id=1373
❑ http://www.careratings.com/
❑ https://www.icsg.org/index.php/111-icsg-releases-latest-copper-market-forecast-2019-2020