Extracting Copper from Copper Ore

Copper is a very versatile metal and is used for a variety of applications, such as power, communications and water supply. Copper has a remarkable combination of properties including:
~ good electrical and thermal conductor
~ corrosion resistant
~ easily joined
~ ductile
~ malleable
~ recyclable and easy to alloy
Copper is derived from the Earth’s Lithosphere and is easily recyclable because it doesn’t lose any properties in the melting process, 40% of today’s copper needs are recycled.
Native copper is found in nuggets because of its un-reactivity with the atmosphere, but the main process is mining the copper ores which consist of three main substances ~ Chalcopryrite, Bornite and Malachite
The industrial separation process involving copper has 3 main steps: mining, extraction and purification, but these can be broken down in more detail, they are:
Exploration: The concentrated area of profitable copper or is located by geologists, metallurgists and engin...