CHAPTER 2

Production And Use

Metallic copper occurs occasionally in nature. For this reason, it was known to
man about 7000 B.C (Killick, 2002). Its early uses were in jewelry, utensils,
tools and weapons. Its use increased gradually over the years then dramatically
in the 20 th century with mass adoption of electricity (Fig. 2.1).

15
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Q.
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8~
= ~10
.o c:
~g

|
E'~ 5
0

w I I
0 ~ -~ -~
1800 1850 1900 1950 2000

Year

Fig. 2.1. World mine production of copper in the 19th and 20th centuries
(Butts, 1954; USGS, 2002b).

Copper isan excellent conductor of electricity and heat. It resists corrosion. It is

easily fabricated into wire, pipe, sheet etc. and easily joined. Electrical
conductivity, thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance are its most
exploited properties, Table 2.1.
17
18 ExtractiveMetallurgy of Copper

Table 2.1. Usage of copper by exploited property (Copper Development Association,

2002) and by application (Noranda, 2002). Electrical conductivity is the property most
exploited. Building construction and electrical/electronic products are the largest
applications.
Exploited property % of total use
Electrical conductivity 61
Corrosion resistance 20
Thermal conductivity 11
Mechanical and structural properties 6
Aesthetics 2

Application % of total use

Building construction 40
Electrical and electronic products 25
Industrial machinery and equipment 14
Transportation equipment 11
Consumer goods 10

This chapter discusses production and use of copper around the world. It gives
production, use and price statistics - and identifies and locates the world's
principal copper-producing plants. It shows that Chile is by far the world's
largest producer of copper, Table 2.3.

2.1 Locations of Copper Deposits

World mine production of copper is dominated by the western mountain region

of South America. Nearly half of the world's mined copper originates in this
region. The remaining production is scattered around the world, Table 2.3.

2.2 Location of Extraction Plants

The usual first stage of copper extraction is beneficiation of ore (-1% Cu) to
high-grade (30% Cu) concentrate. This is always done at or near the mine site to
avoid transporting worthless rock.

The resulting concentrate is smelted near the mine or in seacoast smelters around
the world. The trend in recent years has been towards the latter. Seacoast
smelters have the advantage that they can conveniently receive concentrates
from around the world, rather than being tied to a single, depleting concentrate
source (mine). The world's smelters are listed in Table 2.4 and plotted in Fig.
2.2.
 Production and Use 19

Copper electrorefineries are usually built adjacent to the smelter that supplies
them with anodes. The world's major electrorefineries are listed in Table 2.5
and plotted in Fig. 2.3.

Leach/solvent extraction/electrowinning operations are located next to their

mines. This is because leach ores are dilute in copper, hence uneconomic to
transport. The world's main copper leach/solvent extraction/electrowinning
plants are listed in Table 2.6 and plotted in Fig. 2.4. Chile dominates.

2.3 Copper Minerals and 'Cut-Off' Grades

Table 2.2 lists copper's main minerals. These minerals occur at low
concentrations in ores, the remainder being 'waste' minerals such as andesite
and granite. It is now rare to find a large copper deposit averaging more than 1
or 2% Cu. Copper ores containing down to 0.5% Cu (average) are being mined
from open pits while ores down to 1% (average) are being t a k e n from
underground mines.

Table 2.2. Principal commercial copper minerals. Chalcopyrite is by far the

biggest copper source. Sulfide minerals are treated by the Fig. 1.1 flowsheet,
i.e. pyrometallurgically. Carbonates, chlorides, oxides, silicates and sulfates
are treated by the Fig. 1.2 flowsheet, i.e. hydrometallurgically. Chalcocite is
treated both ways.

Type Common Chemical Theoretical

minerals formulae % Cu
Primary_ sulfide chalcopyrite CuFeS2 34.6
minerals
__(hy_p9 gene- _su! fide_s). . . . bp_m_ite . . . . . . . . Cu 5_Fe S_4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63_.3_. . . . .
Secondary minerals
supergene sulfides chalcocite Cu2S 79.9
covellite CuS 66.5
native copper metal Cu ~ 100.0

carbonates malachite CuCO3.Cu(OH)2 57.5

azurite 2CuCO3.Cu (OH)2 55.3
hydroxy-silicates chrysocolla CuO.SiOz.2H20 36.2
hydroxy-chlorides atacamite Cu2CI(OH)3 59.5
oxides cuprite Cu20 88.8
tenorite CuO 79.9
sulfates antlerite CuSO4.2Cu(OH)2 53.7
brochantite CuSO4.3Cu 2(_~)2
OH ~ 56.2
Table 2.3. World production of copper in 1999, kilotonnes of contained copper (USGS, 2002a). Smelting and refining include primary (concen-
trate) and secondary (scrap) smelting and refining. Electrowon production accounted for about 20% of total mine production.

Country Mine production Smelter production Refineryproduction Electrowonproduction

Argentina 145 16 ,.,,.

Armenia 7
Australia 829 393 487 78
Austria 78 79
Belgium 165 423
Botswana 38 21
Brazil 32 195 185
Bulgaria 75 166 31
Burma 27 27
Canada 634 604 551
Chile 4602 1457 1296 1373
China 590 1190 1400
Congo 21 21
Cyprus 11 11
Egypt 5
Finland 12 157 114
France 2
Georgia 8
Germany 350 710
Hungary 12
India 36 226 243
Indonesia 1012 174 174
Iran 145 154 130 14
Italy 70
Japan 1 1481 1437
Kazakstan 430 400 395
Korea, North 14 25 25
Korea, South 410 475
Macedonia 10
Mexico 365 328 355 45
Mongolia 125 1
Morocco 7
Namibia 5 13
Norway 27 27
Oman 24 24
Papua New Guinea 201
Peru 554 340 324 127
Philippines 32 140 135
Poland 456 518 486
Portugal 76
Romania 16 19 18
Russia 570 780 840
Saudi Arabia 1
Serbia & Montenegro 41 90 86
Slovakia 10 20
South Africa 137 126 101
Spain 23 330 316
Sweden 76 130 130
Taiwan 4
Turkey 76 37 72
United Kingdom 50
United States 1440 1000 1238 557
Uzbekistan 65 80 80
Zambia 241 170 170 55
Zimbabwe 2 10 7 2
Total 13200 11800 12700 2300
22 Extractive Metallurgy of Copper
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 Production and Use 23

T a b l e 2.4. Principal primary smelters of the world. The numbers correspond to those in
Fig. 2.2. The type of smelting furnace is: F: Outokumpu flash furnace; T: Teniente
furnace; N: Noranda Furnace; M: Mitsubishi system; IF: Inco flash furnace; IS: Isasmelt
furnace; R: reverberatory furnace; S; shaft furnace; E: electric furnace; V: Vanyukov
furnace; K: Kivcet furnace. (s: smelting; c: converting; cu: direct to copper furnace.
*Annual production, kilotonnes of copper per year.
Location Furnace * Location Furnace *
1 Kennecott, Utah Fs, Fc 280 38 Baia Mare, Romania F 50
2 Miami, Arizona IS 200 39 Pirdop, Bulgaria F 45
3 Hayden, Arizona IF 180 40 Samsun, Turkey F 30
4 Chino, New Mexico IF shut 41 Mednogorsk, Russia R 40
5 La Caridad, Sonora F, T 320 42 Sredneuralsk, Russia R 70
6 Flin Flon, Manitoba R 60 43 Kirovgrad, Russia R 70
7 Timmins, Ontario M 130 44 Krasnouralsk, Russia R 40
8 Sudbury, Ontario IF 170 45 Norilsk, Russia F,V 300
9 Falconbridge, Ont. E 30 46 Oman R 25
10 Noranda, Queb6c Ns,Nc 220 47 Sar Chesma, Iran R 150
11 Gasp6, Queb6c R shut 48 Dzhezkasgan, Kazak E 200
12 La Oroya, Peru R 70 49 Almalyk, Uzbekistan IF 120
13 Ilo, Peru R, T 285 50 Balkash, Kazakstan R, V 300
14 Chuquicamata, Chile F,R,T 535 51 Irtysh, Kazakstan K 30
15 Altonorte, Chile N, R 160 52 Birla, India F 150
16 Potrerillos, Chile T, R 160 52a Swil, India 50
17 Paipote, Chile T 80 53 Khetri, India F 30
18 Chagres, Chile F 150 54 Tuticorin, India IS 165
19 Las Ventanas, Chile T 115 55 Ghatsila, India F 30
20 Caletones, Chile T 380 56 Kunming, China IS 170
21 Caraiba, Brazil F 200 57 Bayin, China 60
22 Tsumeb, Namibia R 20 58 Daye, China N 100
23 Palabora, S. Africa R 140 59 Tonling, China F 100
24 Selebi-Phikwe, Botswana F 20 59a Jinlong, China 130
25 Mufulira, Zambia E 230 60 Guixi, China F 200
26 Nkana, Zambia R,T 240 61 Shengyang, China S to N 100
27 Luanshya, Zambia R 50 62 Onsan, Korea F, M 400
28 Huelva, Spain F 290 63 Leyte, Philippines F 180
29 Hoboken, Belgium IS 75 64 Gresik, Indonesia M 240
30 Hamburg, Germany F 370 65 Olympic Dam, Aus. Fcu 250
31 Glogow, Poland SF,Fcu 350 66 Port Kembla, Aus. Ns, Mc 150
32 Legnica, Poland SF 120 67 Mount Isa, Australia IS 260
33 Ronnskar, Sweden E, F, TBRC 140 68 Saganoseki, Japan F 450
34 Harjavalta, Finland F 150 69 Toyo, Japan F 250
35 Monchegorsk, Russ. E 80 70 Tamano, Japan F 220
36 Krompachy, Slovakia R 20 71 Naoshima, Japan M 270
37 Bor, Serbia R 165 72 Onahama, Japan R 260
73 Kosaka, Japan F 70
24 ExtractiveMetallurgy of Copper
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 Production and Use 25

Table 2.5. Copper electrorefineries around the world. The numbers correspond to those
in Fig. 2.3. PC = polymer concrete cells. SS - stainless steel cathodes, y - yes. Prod -
production capacity kilotonnes of cathode copper per year. See Appendix E for more
details on Chinese refineries.
Location PC SS Prod. Location PC SS Prod.
1 Kennecott, Utah y y 281 38 Denizil, Turkey 40
2 Miami, Arizona y y shut 38a Egypt 12
3 La Caridad, Mexico y y 3013 39 Oman 2t3
4 E1 Paso, Texas y 426 40 Sar Chesma, Iran 158
5 Amarillo, Texas 500 41 Pyshma, Russia 3013
6 Jocotitlan, Mexico 6( 42 Kyskhtym, Russia 75
7 Mexico City, Mexico y 12( 44 Almalyk, Uzbekistan 1213
8 White Pine, Michigan y 70 43 Dzhezkasgan, Kazakstan 207
9 Timmins, Ontario y y 130 45 Balkash, Kazakstan 300
10 Sudbury, Ontario 170 47 Norilsk, Russia 300
11 Montreal East, Quebec y y 360 48 Khetri, India 31
12 La Oroya, Peru 70 49 Birla, India y y 150
13 Ilo, Peru y 280 49a Swil, India 50
14 Chuquicamata, Chile y 653 50 Silvassa, India y y 165
15 Potrerillos, Chile y 134 51 Ghatsila, India 17
16 Las Ventanas, Chile y 300 52 Kunming, China 170
17 Caraiba, Brazil 180 53 Bayin, China 60
18 Palabora, South Africa 140 54 Tonling, China 250
19 Kitwe, Zambia y 220 54a Jinlong, China 130
20 Mufilira, Zambia 270 55 Guixi, China y 200
21 Huelva, Spain y y 250 56 Daye, China 100
22 Olen, Belgium y y 350 57 Shengyang, China 100
23 Beerse, Belgium y 37 58 Cheung Hang, Korea 60
24 Hamburg, Germany y 370 59 Onsan, Korea, 2 refs. y y 365
25 Hettstedt, Germany 60 60 Leyte, Philippines 173
26 Lunen, Germany y 180 61 Gresik, Indonesia y y 2013
27 Brixlegg, Austria y y 75 62 Olympic Dam, Austral. y y 2113
28 Krompachy, Slovakia 2O 63 Port Kembla, Australia y y 1213
29 Glogow, Poland, 2 refs. y 390 64 Townsville, Australia y y 2713
30 Legnica, Poland 8O 65 Saganoseki, Japan y 2713
31 Ronnskar, Sweden y y 140 67 Toyo, Japan y 105
32 Pori, Finland 125 68 Nishibara, Japan y 145
33 Pechenga, Russia y 75 69 Naoshima, Japan 2213
34 Bor, Serbia 165 70 Tamano, Japan y 2213
35 Baia Mare, Romania 50 71 Hitachi, Japan y y* 1813
36 Pirdop, Bulgaria y 45 72 Onahama, Japan 2613
37 Sarkuysan, Turkey 7O 73 Kosaka, Japan y 713
* under contract
26 ExtractiveMetallurgy of Copper
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 Production and Use 27

17e

Table 2.6. Solvent extraction/electrowinning plants around the

world. The numbers correspond to those on Figs. 2.4a and 2.4b.

Location Cath- Location Cath-

ode* ode*
1 Gibraltar, BC 5 28 Mantos Blancos, Chile -~
2 Bagdad, AZ 10 29 Chiquicamata, Chile, 2 115 22
3 Pinto Valley, AZ 7 30 Zaldivar, Chile 145
4 Miami (BHP), AZ 12 31 Escondida Oxidos, Ch. 130
5 Miami (PD), AZ 73 32 El Salvador, Chile 12
6 Ray, AZ 46 33 Bio Cobre, Chile 10
7 Silver Bell, AZ 23 34 Manto Verde, Chile 42
8 Sierrita, AZ 23 35 Dos Amigos, Chile 3
9 San Manuel, AZ 23 36 Andacollo, Chile 20
l0 MorenciAZ4SX, 3EW 420 37 E1 Soldado, Chile 8
11 Tyrone, NM 74 38 Los Bronces, Chile, 2 30
12 Chino, NM 68 39 Pudahuel, Chile 18
13 Cananea, Mexico 55 40 E1 Teniente, Chile 8
14 La Caridad, Mexico 22 41 Chingola, Zambia 110
15 Tintaya, Peru 34 42 Nkana, Zambia 14
17 Toquepala, Peru 56 43 Chambishi, Zambia 15 Santiago
18 Cerro Verde, Peru 60 43a Bwana Mkubwa 25
19 Cerro Colorado, Ch. 130 44 Hellenic Cu, Cyprus 5
20 Collahuasi, Chile 50 45 Kokkola, Finland 21
21 Quebrada Blanca, Ch 83 46 Nifty, Australia 21
22 Tocopilla, Chile 5 47 Mt Gordon, Australia 50
22a E1 Tesoro 75 48 Mt Cuthbert, Australia 4
23 E1 Abra, Chile 225 49 Cloncurry, Australia 6
24 Lomas Bayas, Chile 60 50 Port Pirie, Australia 5
25 Michilla, Chile 60 51 Olympic Dam, Aus. 20
26 Radomiro Tomic, Ch 256 52 Girilambone, Australia 18
27 Ivan Zar, Chile 10
* kilotonnes of cathode copper per year

Fig. 2.4b. Leach-solvent extraction-electrowinning

plants in Chile. They are mainly in the northern
desert.
28 ExtractiveMetallurgy of Copper

The average grade of ore being extracted from any given mine is determined by
the 'cut-off' grade (% Cu) which separates 'ore' from 'waste'. Material with
less than the 'cut-off' grade (when combined with all the ore being extracted)
cannot be profitably treated for copper recovery. It is 'waste'. It is sent to waste
dumps rather than to concentrating or leaching.

'Cut-off' grade depends on mining and extraction costs and copper selling price.
If, for example, copper price rises and costs are constant, it may become
profitable to treat lower grade m a t e r i a l - in which case 'cut-off' grade (and
average ore grade) decrease. Lower copper prices and increased costs have the
opposite effect.

2.4 Price of Copper

The selling price of copper through the 20 th century is shown in Fig. 2.5. In
actual dollars, the price has moved upwards. In constant dollars, however, the
price has fallen precipitously. At the start of 2002, it is near a 50-year low.

The low price is caused by an excess of supply over demand. It is difficult for
producers but beneficial to users.

300
Constant year 2000 cents
"10
t-

O
Q.

C
o
200

2?

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e~
~ 100
Q.
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I I I I I

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Year

Fig. 2.5. Price of copper since 1950 (U.S.G.S., 2002b). (*U.S. producer price
for cathode, 99.99% Cu)
 Production and Use 29

2.5 Summary

Copper is produced around the world. Nearly half, however, is mined in the
western mountain region of South America.

Concentrators and leach/solvent extraction/electrowinning plants are located

near their mines. Smelters and refineries, on the other hand, are increasingly
being located on seacoasts so that they can receive concentrates from all the
world's mines.

Copper's most exploited property is its high electrical c o n d u c t i v i t y - in

conjunction with its excellent corrosion resistance, formability and joinability.
Its high thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance are also exploited in many
heat transfer applications.

Worldwide, about 14 million tonnes of copper come into use per year. 85 to
90% of this comes from new mine production and 10 to 15% from recycled used
objects.

References

Butts, A. (1954) Copper, The Science and Technology of the Metal, Its Alloys and
Compounds, Reinhold Publishing Corp., New York, NY.

Copper Development Association (2002) Copper and copper alloy consumption in the
United States by functional use- 1997. www.copper.org (Market data)

Killick, D. (2002) Personal communication. Department of Materials Science and

Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, U.S.A.

Noranda Inc. (2002) Copper end uses. www.noranda.com (Our business, Copper,
Copper end uses)

USGS (2002a) United States Geological Survey, Commodity statistics and information-
copper. Tabulated by Edelstein, D.L., Coleman, R.R., Roberts, L. and Wallace, G.J.
http//minerals.usgs.gov (Commodity statistics and information, Copper, Minerals
Yearbook, Copper 2000)

USGS (2002b) United States Geological Survey, Historical statistics for mineral
commodities - copper. Tabulated by Porter, K.E. and Edelstein, D.L.
http://minerals.usgs.gov