Copper is an essential component in many of the products that make up the world around us. Ductility, malleability, and superior conductivity of heat and electricity, are just a few of the properties that make this unique metal so useful across a broad range of applications.
According to the International Copper Study Group’s (ICSG) annual World Copper Factbook, use of refined copper has more than tripled over the past 50 years, with 2015 global production of the red metal at 19.1 million tons.1
Provided here is an overview on the current copper industry, including common and emerging uses of copper, where copper is produced, who is producing it, refinement techniques, and what other materials are being produced alongside copper.
Copper is a key component in many of the products that keep our world running. Among many others, some of the products that rely on copper include:
And while copper has an array of well developed applications, its valuable combination of physical and chemical properties have continued to make it the subject of research and development. The Copper Alliance recognizes a diverse range of emerging applications for copper. Among them:
While copper is produced around the globe, production is largely localized to select regions, specifically Latin America; in 2015, Latin America accounted for 41% of global copper mine production. Asia was the second largest producer at 17%, followed by North America and Europe at 14% and 13% respectively, Africa at 10%, and Oceania with 5%. Chile is the largest producing country of all, providing nearly ⅓ of global output.1
According to ICSG, as of July 2016, the top 20 copper mines by production, almost half of which are in Chile, were:
Click on the image below to view the infographic showcasing the top 20 copper mines by production capabilities, along with the owners and what other materials were produced.
Not unlike other metals, the copper industry is comprised of several industry magnates. Earlier this year, Investing News ranked the top ten copper producers according to 2015 production numbers. In order, they are:
Onced mined, copper ore goes through a series of processing stages in order to refine it into a saleable copper product. Copper can be refined by one of two approaches: pyrometallurgy or hydrometallurgy.
The pyrometallurgical approach, often referred to as smelting, is the primary method used for refining copper. In this process, used for sulphide ores, copper concentrates are thermally treated in a smelter and then refined into a pure copper product.
Of the top 20 copper mines listed by ICSG, half produced copper by the pyrometallurgical approach alone.
The hydrometallurcial approach to refining copper ore is known as solvent extraction electro-winning (SX-EW), or leach solvent extraction electro-winning (L-SX-EW) for its convergence with the heap leaching technique.
SX-EW is a series of steps whereby ore is heap leached to obtain a pregnant solution, then combined with an extractant/reagent in order to produce an electrolytic-bearing copper solution from which copper can be electrowon.
SX-EW has become a critical tool in the copper industry, as it can be used where smelting is not an economically feasible option, namely to process oxide and low-grade sulphide ores.
Of the top 20 mines, half incorporated SX-EW into their operations.
See our infographic to learn more about these two copper refining techniques >>
It is not uncommon for copper mines to process additional metals at their facilities. Many copper mines also produce gold, silver, and/or molybdenum, and less commonly, may also produce platinum group metals, nickel, zinc, and even uranium.
Copper’s unique combination of properties lend it to a diverse range of applications. The production of copper is just as diverse as its uses, with mines scattered all over the globe and several industry magnates accounting for production. The two refinement techniques – copper smelting and SX-EW – allow both traditional ore sources as well as oxide and low-grade sulphide ores to be processed, with many materials often produced alongside copper.
TJIT provides heavy-duty pug mills (paddle mixers) for use in the copper smelting process, as well as agglomeration drums (ore drums) for use in the heap leaching/SX-EW process. Some of the world’s largest and most environmentally advanced copper mines rely on TJIT for the best in process equipment. For more information, contact us today!
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