The Copper
story starts here...
One day, three friends, Jack, Thembi and Susan were
playing in the school playground when they found a
strange-looking metallic rock buried in the sand, just
beneath the surface. The rock had an odd glow and that
was what had captured their attention. At first the children
were scared to touch it, as they did not know what it was.
Then, one of them reached over and picked it up. “It feels
heavy, like metal,” he said. SUDDENLY, the rock started
changing shape.
Jack, the boy who was holding it, got such a fright that he
dropped it. All the children huddled round watching, as the
strange, coppery metallic rock moved and changed.
“Look” says Thembi, “I can see arms and legs appearing!”
“Yes”, says Susan “there’s a head AND eyes AND …” All
the children shouted at once “THE ROCK IS CHANGING
INTO A PERSON!!” With that, a little copper figure sat up,
rubbed his head and said, “Hello friends, I am Curtis
Copper and I am your COPPER SUPERHERO. I have
been lying in this patch of sand for thousands of years just
waiting to be discovered. Don’t be afraid - I am about to
take you on a journey into the magical world of copper
starting more than 11,000 years ago when copper was first
discovered.”
1
CAVEMAN
2
“Copper was first discovered in 9,000BC
when ancient man was digging in the earth
and accidentally stumbled upon it. Six
thousand years later in 3,000BC, man had
learnt that copper was easy to mould into shapes, so he
made simple weapons such as spearheads and axes.
These weapons he used for hunting. As time passed,
communities found many uses for copper. Soon they were
making pots out of copper as they discovered that their
food cooked more quickly in copper pots than in those
made from other materials available at that time.
Ornaments and jewellery soon followed as copper is a
very beautiful metal and is pleasing to the eye.”
“Wasn’t that fascinating? The word
Copper comes from the Latin word
‘Cuprum’ which means ‘ore of
Cyprus’. As ancient man discovered,
Copper is a thermal conductor, which means that it can
conduct heat efficiently. So, if you heat one end of a piece
of copper the other end will quickly get hot.
Copper is mined out of the ground. “BUT WAIT” says
Curtis; “it is easier if I take you with so that you can
experience the mining process for yourselves.”
3
MINER
4
“Two basic methods of mining are used. These are called
‘Open Pit’ or ‘Underground Mining’. The sulphide and
oxide ores* are either dug or blasted out of the ground.
There are three main copper ores called chalcopyrite,
bornite and malachite. Once the ore is removed from the
earth, it is ground into a fine powder by large machines
called Cylindrical Machines. The crushed ore is then
concentrated into a thin sloppy mud called slurry. The
unwanted material sinks to the bottom and what remains
is sent to leaching tanks to remove the valuable material
from the ore. Once this process is complete, pure copper
cathode is extracted using two methods, called smelting
and electrolytic refining. The copper cathode is then
shipped to mills or foundries to be cast into wire rods,
billets, cakes or ingots.”
wire rods
billets
* Ore is rock that contains copper.
cakes
ingots
5
“Copper is mined in many countries; from this chart you
can see where copper is found and which countries
produce the most copper in the world.” Oh” says Jack;
“What is a tonne? We have only learnt about tons at
Chile
China P.R.
Peru
United States
Australia
DR Congo
Zambia
Russia
Canada
Indonesia
Mexico
Kazakhstan
Poland
Brazil
Iran
Mongolia
Laos
Papua New Guinea
Bulgaria
Argentina
Spain
Turkey
Sweden
Uzbekistan
Portugal
Philippines
6
5,776 tonnes
1,470 tonnes
1,376 tonnes
1,258 tonnes
990 tonnes
842 tonnes
752 tonnes
725 tonnes
632 tonnes
494 tonnes
489 tonnes
449 tonnes
429 tonnes
272 tonnes
250 tonnes
187 tonnes
149 tonnes
119 tonnes
110 tonnes
110 tonnes
107 tonnes
100 tonnes
83 tonnes
80 tonnes
77 tonnes
76 tonnes
32.2%
8.2%
7.7%
7.0%
5.5%
4.7%
4.2%
4.0%
3.5%
2.8%
2.7%
2.5%
2.4%
1.5%
1.4%
1.0%
0.8%
0.7%
0.6%
0.6%
0.6%
0.6%
0.5%
0.4%
0.4%
0.4%
school; is there a difference between a tonne and a ton?”
“That’s a good question Jack. A tonne is a unit of mass
equal to 1,000 kilograms. A tonne is sometimes also
referred to as a metric ton.”
South Africa
Botswana
Armenia
Finland
Mauritania
Serbia
India
Eritrea
Myanmar
Pakistan
Oman
Tanzania
Vietnam
Dominican Republic
North Korea
Macedonia
Morocco
Saudi Arabia
Bolivia
Romania
Georgia
Zimbabwe
Namibia
Albania
Cyprus
Columbia
74 tonnes
62 tonnes
47 tonnes
39 tonnes
38 tonnes
36 tonnes
32 tonnes
22 tonnes
20 tonnes
20 tonnes
20 tonnes
15 tonnes
14 tonnes
13 tonnes
12 tonnes
11 tonnes
11 tonnes
9 tonnes
8 tonnes
7 tonnes
7 tonnes
7 tonnes
5 tonnes
5 tonnes
4 tonnes
1 tonne
0.4%
0.3%
0.3%
0.2%
0.2%
0.2%
0.2%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
7
“Copper has many uses today - 65% is used for copper wire
and cables; 25% is used in buildings; 7% is used in
industrial machinery and 3% is used to manufacture coins,
musical instruments, cookware and jewellery.
Copper is easy to work with, it is durable (meaning it will last
a long time) and it won’t rust or corrode. Brass and bronze
are alloys of copper. An alloy is when two metals are
combined together. Brass is a combination of copper and
zinc. Bronze is a combination of copper and tin.”
Curtis says “Look around you and see how many copper or
brass items you can count in your homes and schools – I’m
sure there are many. Better still, let’s take a look together!”
“Let us visit your homes and school and see how many
copper items we can detect. So Jack, would you like to take
us to your home?” The children walked up the pathway to
Jack’s front door. “Look” says Susan, ‘your door knob is
made of brass which is an alloy of copper.” “Quite correct’
says Curtis ‘and, you will also see that that the letterbox is
made of brass and the door knobs and hinges.” “Gosh,”
says Thembi, “there are so many things made from copper
or one of its alloys in your house Jack; I wonder if my house
8
is the same? Let’s go and take a look. It’s just next door.”
PLUMBER
9
The children walked into Thembi’s house and started
picking out items that they could see were made of
copper. “Taps and mixers and, look!” says Susan, opening
one of the kitchen cupboards, “your mum even has pots
made from copper!”
With that, Thembi’s father walked
into the kitchen. “Morning children,
I see you are identifying copper items in our house. Well,
did you know that all our piping is made from copper as
well, but of course you cannot see them as the pipes were
buried deep in the walls when they built the house. Our
geyser is also made of copper.” Curtis and the children left
Thembi’s house and carried on walking down the street
towards the school. As they neared the entrance, Jack
shouted “Look on the roof; there are solar heating panels.
Are they also made from copper?” “Yes,” says Curtis;
“most solar heating panels are made from copper. In order
to heat water using solar
energy, a collector, usually
fastened to a roof or a wall
facing the sun, heats the
water that is either pumped
10
or driven by natural
convection through it. The collector is made of a simple
glass-topped insulated box with a flat solar absorber made
of sheet metal, attached to copper heat exchanger pipes.
Copper is an important component in solar thermal
heating and cooling systems because of its high heat
conductivity, resistance to atmospheric and water
corrosion, sealing and joining by soldering and,
mechanical strength.”
Curtis and the children made their way around the school,
identifying items made from copper or one of its alloys.
“Gosh” says Jack, “I never realised that there were so
many items in one building made from copper. Thank you
Curtis for showing us what a fantastic material copper is.”
Curtis Copper continues; “As you have
just seen, copper is used extensively
in the building industry, but there are
so many more uses for copper. Let us
continue our journey.”
“A really important area in which copper plays a role is in
human health. Come with me on a journey through the
magical world of copper and health.”
11
DOCTOR
“Copper is vital to the health of the human body from foetal
development right through to old age. As it is not made or
12
stored in the body, it must be obtained from the food that
we eat. The reasons why copper is so essential are:
n
Brain development
n
Maintenance of healthy skin and tissue
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Effective communication between nerve cells
Wound healing
Structural maintenance and function of the heart and
blood vessels
Growth of new blood vessels
Proper structure and functioning of circulating blood
cells
Formation of the cells of our immune system
Maintenance of a healthy and effective immune
response
Generation and storage of energy in our cells.
SHEW! From this very complicated list, we can see that we
cannot do without a daily intake of copper but … where do
we find it?”
“In nuts, seeds, chickpeas, liver and oysters! Well, I for one,
find all of those copper-rich foods quite delicious except
maybe for the oysters although, many people, especially
grown-ups enjoy them!”
13
“Copper is also an antimicrobial material, which means
that it kills bacteria, mould, algae, fungi and viruses. This
means that using copper in hospitals on all touch surfaces
will reduce the risk of infections. This also applies to
veterinary practices, schools and public buildings. Can you
think of ‘touch surfaces’ where copper can be used to
reduce infection?”
LIST OF TOUCH SURFACES
14
“The ancient Egyptians kept their water in copper
containers and were the first to discover the antimicrobial
properties of copper. The copper prevented germs from
growing in the water thus keeping it safe to drink.”
“But remember,” says Curtis; “not all bacteria and fungi are
bad, some are harmless and others are actually good for
you. Let me explain; the good bacteria and funguses are:
The Good
Saccaromyces
Cerevisiae
is a yeast used in many
baked goods and beer.
The Good
Lactobacillus
helps to break down lactose
and other sugars in the
digestive system. It has
anti-inflammatory and
anti-tumour properties.
The Good
Bifidobacterium
aids in digestion in the
human gut and has antitumour qualities.
The Good
Penicillum/Peniclium
effectively treats formally
untreatable diseases.
15
And the BAD are:
The Bad
VRE
an antibiotic resistant
organism responsible for
4% of all healthcare
associated infections.
The Bad
Clostridium Difficile
MRSA
is an extremely dangerous
bacterium and is
resistant to antibiotics.
The Bad
Adenovirus
is a major cause of
life-threatening illnesses.
is a group of viruses that
infect the membranes of the
respiratory and urinary tracts,
eyes and intestines.
The Bad
The Bad
Staphylococcus Aureus
16
The Bad
is the most common of all
bacterial infections and can
cause life-threatening
illnesses.
E.Coli
a seriously bad guy; E.Coli is
highly infectious and is carried
on food and in water. It can
cause diarrhoea, severe
aches and nausea.
So, watch out for these baddies; keep your hands clean
and remember that copper, when used on touch surfaces
in public places such as airports, trains, hospitals, clinics,
schools and shopping malls can actually protect you from
the harm that these baddies can do!”
“Shew!” says Curtis – “that was exhausting yet fascinating
at the same time. BUT our story does not end there. Do
you know that Copper is also used in Aquaculture. What is
Aquaculture you may ask? It is the rearing of fish, shellfish
and some aquatic plants to supplement the natural supply.
The fish are placed in net cages usually 5 x 5 x 5 meters.
They are fed and kept healthy and, once having reached
maturity, are farmed for commercial markets.
Aquaculture takes the burden off over-fishing of the
oceans of the world and provides a solution to the food
shortages that we are currently experiencing.”
Curtis says, “This is quite a complicated subject. Rather
come with me and let me show you what I mean.”
17
FISH FARMER
18
“This is a fish farm in South
Africa. The nets that are used
for the cages are manufactured
from Polyethylene and rigid
High-Density Polyethylene
(HDPE). You can clearly see that microorganisms, plants
and algae are covering the nets. This is known as
biofouling. Biofouling stresses the fish and causes them to
get sick. There are over 1,700 different species of
organisms that attack these synthetic nets, preventing
good water flow and depriving the fish of oxygen and other
nutrients. The cleaning of these nets can only be done by
hand which is time consuming and increases the risk to
the fish. Happily, there is a solution to this problem.
Copper net cages are NOT prone to biofouling. So, by
replacing the synthetic netting with copper, the
antimicrobial properties in copper completely stop
biofouling, the use of antibiotics is therefore reduced and
the fish farms are able to produce healthy fish for the
market.”
“Hold tight, let us go and take a look at a fish farm that
uses copper alloy nets.” “So children” says Curtis “here we
are at a fish farm in Mozambique to see for ourselves the
19
effectiveness of using
copper alloy netting in
preference to synthetic
netting. In May 2013,
the CDAA assisted with
the installation of copper
alloy nets at Mozambezi, a fish farm on the shores of Lake
Cahora Bassa. The cage was populated with 13,000
tilapia fish.” “Sorry for interrupting” says Jack “but what
does CDAA stand for?” “Oh good question Jack” says
Curtis. “CDAA stands for the Copper Development
Association Africa and they promote the use of copper
throughout Africa. Anyway, to continue with my story… In
November 2013, the fish were harvested and it was found
that they were about 50 grams heavier than those in the
synthetic nets AND they were healthier. The crocodiles
and other predators attacked and destroyed the synthetic
cages on a regular basis but stayed away from the copper
cages. Also, the copper nets stayed clean thus saving the
farmer time and money.”
“GOSH! Those fish did look happy. But, my story does not
end there. Copper can also be used to protect our planet
in other ways. Come along with me and let me show you
how.”
20
SUPERHERO
“Well” says Curtis, “we all know that copper is amazing but,
SAVE OUR PLANET – how can this be? Let me explain.”
21
“Copper never goes bad; it can therefore by recycled over
and over again. In fact, copper is 100% recyclable, as are
all its alloys such as brass and bronze. But, what does this
ability to recycle mean to our planet? Here are five good
reasons why the recycling properties of copper are vital to
the health of our planet:
n
n
n
n
n
Recycling helps minimise pollution.
Recycling helps preserve our natural resources
ensuring a better future for the children of tomorrow.
Recycling provides employment.
Recycling helps create awareness about the planet
and the need to work together to help save our
environment.
Recycling can help save expenses and resources. It
helps reduce the amount of materials that are wasted
or thrown into landfills and also enables companies to
rely less on raw materials, which then require more
energy to manufacture into a new product. This
therefore is more cost-effective and environment-
friendly as carbon emissions are lessened and the
use of energy is greatly reduced.”
22
“Here is a fact to remember: Copper is an important
conductor in wind power generation. So, what does this
mean and how can it help save our planet? Power plants
that use fuel to generate electricity are bad for our health
and our planet as these fuels combust and gasses are
released into our atmosphere damaging our ozone layer.
On the other hand, using wind turbines to generate
electricity will not harm the ozone layer and in this way will
protect the planet. Copper is an important conductor in
wind power generation. Isn’t this a fantastic fact?”
23
“Have any of you heard of sun-generated electricity called
Photovoltaics? No? Well it is quite complicated but let me
try to simply explain the meaning.”
“Photovoltaics is a method of generating electrical power
by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity
using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect.
Photovoltaic power generation uses solar panels
composed of a number of solar cells containing a
photovoltaic material. Copper is one of these materials.
Although this is fairly new technology, there is such a
demand for renewable energy sources that the
manufacturing of solar cells and photovoltaic arrays has
advanced in recent years.”
“Now children,” says Curtis “I for one am committed to
saving our planet. What about you? Let us pledge here
today that in future we will do our best to promote the use
of solar power for heating, wind turbines to generate
electricity, windmills for mechanical power, wind pumps for
pumping water and drainage and sails to propel ships.
Just by using a solar panel at your school or home can
save on heating bills and provide 70% of your energy
requirements.”
24
“So, my little copper buddies, we have learnt so much
about copper and the role that it plays in our health and
well-being. I hope that like me, you have come to realise
that copper is essential to us as we go about our daily
lives BUT as often happens with every story, there is a
downside. This story is no different, but what you may ask,
can possibly be the problem? COPPER THEFT – that’s
what! Let’s step into a day of the life of a policeman in
South Africa. Hold tight … here we go!”
25
POLICEMAN
“There is no doubt that copper is the superior metal to use
in the production of electrical cables and components
where efficient conductivity is required.
26
As we discussed earlier, 65% of the copper produced in
South Africa has an electrical application. Now, for a quick
lesson in economics … the enormous demand for copper
has resulted in a fairly high price of the metal and this has
put it at the top of the list of items to steal.
Whilst the replacement of the stolen cable is costly, the
destruction of infrastructure and inconvenience to
business cannot be measured. So, WHAT IS THE
SOLUTION?
n
Companies are going to great lengths to permanently
mark the copper cable under the outer cover so that it
can at least be identified when it is offered to a
n
recycler or scrap metal dealer.
The Copper Development Association Africa (CDAA)
and other industries are engaging with the South
African Government in an attempt to introduce control
over the export of scrap copper.
These measures will definitely assist in reducing the theft
of copper, but there also has to be improved control over
scrap copper for, as long as there is an eager (and
underhand) buyer, there will be thieves who steal the
copper to generate income for themselves.”
27
“So, you may wonder why the CDAA cares so much about
the theft of copper and is trying so hard to put a stop to it.
Here are some of the reasons:
n
n
n
They feel responsible for what happens to this
amazing metal, COPPER.
The theft of copper means that if there is a shortage,
other materials will be substituted.
Thieves don’t know or don’t care about the danger
that they are placing themselves in when they steal
copper wiring and cabling.
The problem is that the metal is used in so many different
ways it is difficult to protect it from theft. Can you think of
areas where copper is used where it cannot be protected
from theft? Let me give you an example to start you off.
Think of railway lines – there are thousands of kilometres
of railway lines in South Africa. It would be impossible to
protect such a vast area from copper theft. On the
following page you can list the areas that you can think of
where copper can easily be stolen.”
28
LIST AREAS
29
TEACHER
“So my good friends, we have learned a lot about copper
and the importance that it plays in our lives and our planet.
Here are some quick copper facts for you to remember:
30
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Copper is a natural element – it is a metal and is
represented by the atomic number 29.
Copper is virtually 100% recyclable.
People have been using copper since 9,000BC.
When alloyed with tin, bronze is made. When alloyed
with zinc, brass is made.
Copper is resistant to corrosion.
Copper is the only naturally occurring metal other than
gold that has a distinctive colour.
Copper conducts electricity reliably and efficiently.
Most copper in use will remain in use for over half a
century.
Copper is strong, ductile and easily joined by
soldering or brazing.
Copper is a better conductor of heat and electricity
than any other metal except silver.
Copper is an essential nutrient enabling the body to
metabolise energy and function properly.
The health of plants and animals relies on an
adequate copper intake.
Copper is antimicrobial which means that it kills
germs.
Copper keeps drinking water safe and pure.
31
n
Copper is biostatic, which means that it does not
n
An average South African home contains about 180
n
sustain the growth of bacteria.
kilograms of copper for electrical wire, water pipes
and appliances.
The Statue of Liberty is made up of about 80,000
kilograms of copper.”
“So, my friends, we have now come to the end of our
journey through the wonderful world of copper. I trust that
you have enjoyed learning about this fantastic metal and
will take our story to your community. Goodbye.”
And with that, Curtis dissolves back into the shape in
which the children first found him. “Oh gosh,” says Jack
“that was fun and we learnt so much about copper.” “Yes,”
says Thembi, “I can’t wait to get to school tomorrow, no
one is going to believe us when we tell them what has
happened.” “Just remember” says Susan, “we need to
follow Curtis’ instructions and tell everyone about copper,
where it is used and just how fantastic it is and …” she
adds, “we need to alert everyone to the facts about copper
theft and hopefully, by educating those around us, we can
make a difference.” “WOW, what a day! Let’s go home for
supper – I’m starving!”
32
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
COPPER QUESTIONNAIRE
Name three bad germs that are harmful to
humans.
Name three good germs.
What is the chemical symbol for copper?
Why is copper theft bad for communities?
Name the processes used when mining copper.
Why is it better to use copper netting instead of
synthetic netting for Aquaculture?
Where does the word copper come from?
What percentage of copper is recyclable?
Name three items where copper is used.
Which is a better conductor of heat. Steel or
copper?
What is produced when tin is alloyed with
copper?
What percentage of the world’s copper reserves
are produced in South Africa?
Why is copper so important to keep our bodies
healthy?
Name two common copper alloys.
Which country produces the most copper in the
world?
What does CDAA stand for?
33
The CDA Africa is the representative
forum for the copper industry in Africa.
Contact Person: Mr E Swanepoel
Phone:
+27 11 824-3916
+27 11 824-3712
Fax:
+27 11 824-3120
[email protected]
Postal Address:
Street Address:
Box 14785
Wadeville 1422
South Africa
53 Rendell Road
Wadeville
Germiston