Mineral Group

Material Description

Copper (Cu) is one of the best electrical conductors of all the metals, and its abundance helped it become the material that tied the world together in telecommunications. Light red in color and easily oxidized to a gritty green hue, copper can be drawn and formed to serve many purposes from architecture and jewelry to water pipes and circuit boards. Source – http://metals.about.com/od/metalproperties/a/Material_Profile_-_Copper.htm

The advantages of copper include:

- Corrosion Resistance

- Electrical and Thermal Conductivity

- Malleability, Ease of Fabrication

Extraction Process

Cu is extracted from concentrated ores by froth floatation or bioleaching followed by flash smelting. The resulting matter is then electrorefined to pure copper.

The concentrated ore is heated strongly with silicon dioxide (silica) and air or oxygen in a furnace or series of furnaces.

- The copper(II) ions in the chalcopyrite are reduced to copper(I) sulphide (which is reduced further to copper metal in the final stage).
- The iron in the chalcopyrite ends up converted into an iron(II) silicate slag which is removed.
- Most of the sulfur in the chalcopyrite turns into sulfur dioxide gas

An overall equation for this series of steps is:

The copper(I) sulfide produced is converted to copper with a final blast of air.

Cu2S+O2→2Cu+SO2

The end product of this is called blister copper - a porous brittle form of copper, about 98 – 99.5% pure.

Source - http://www.chemguide.co.uk/inorganic/extraction/copper.html

Check out a visual by Verite, Inc – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmaGh4g1JtY

Basic Properties

Compressive Strength - 70000000 N/M2 (70 MPa)

Tensile Strength - 220000000 N/M2 (220MPa)

Stiffness - 117000000000 N/M2 (117 GPa)

Density – 8.96 g/cm3

Carbon Footprint – less than average, 5.5 tons

Recyclable – Yes

Fabrication

Laser – Yes

Small Laser – TBD

Milling – Yes

3D Printing – No

Local Material Suppliers

Servei Estacio – www.mwmaterialsworld.com/es

Peninplastic, S.L. - http://www.gmdu.net/corp-798978.html

Aurubis - http://www.aurubis.com/en/our-business/products/contact-rolled-products

Just Metals & Services - http://www.scrapmonster.com/website/home/just-metalsservices-sl/17271#message

Price  

5,98 Euros for 20×30 cm sheet @ Servei Estacio

Reference / Precedent Applications

Peix Fish, Frank Gehry, Port Olimpic, 1992

Etch Shade, Tom Dixon