Definition
Copper (Cu), chemical element, a reddish, extremely ductile metal of Group 11 (Ib) of the periodic table that is an unusually good conductor of electricity and heat. Copper is found in the free metallic state in nature. This native copper was first used (c. 8000 bce) as a substitute for stone by Neolithic (New Stone Age) humans.
|
Element properties |
|
|
Atomic number |
29 |
|
Atomic weight |
63.456 |
|
Melting point |
1,083 °C (1,981 °F) |
|
Boiling point |
2,567 °C (4,653 °F) |
|
Density |
8.96 at 20 °C (68 °F) |
|
Valence |
1,2 |
The top 10 copper producers in the world (Nasdaq)
|
Country |
Production in Metric Tons (MT in 2023) |
|
Chile |
5 000 000 |
|
Peru |
2.6 000 000 |
|
Democratic Republic of Congo |
2.5 000 000 |
|
China |
1.7 000 000 |
|
United States |
1.1 000 000 |
|
Russia |
910,000 |
|
Indonesia |
101,000 |
|
Australia |
810,000 |
|
Zambia |
760,000 |
|
Mexico |
750,000 |
