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Following is a list of minerals that serve as copper ores in the copper mining process: [1] Image Name Formula % Copper when pure Chalcopyrite: CuFeS 2: 34.5 Chalcocite:
Chalcopyrite (/ ˌ k æ l k ə ˈ p aɪ ˌ r aɪ t,-k oʊ-/ [7] [8] KAL-kə-PY-ryte, -koh-) is a copper iron sulfide mineral and the most abundant copper ore mineral. It has the chemical formula CuFeS 2 and crystallizes in the tetragonal system.
Porphyry copper deposits represent an important resource and the dominant source of copper that is mined today to satisfy global demand. [6] Via compilation of geological data, it has been found that the majority of porphyry deposits are Phanerozoic in age and were emplaced at depths of approximately 1 to 6 kilometres with vertical thicknesses on average of 2 kilometres. [6]
Production trends in the top five copper-producing countries, 1950-2012. This is a list of countries by mined copper production. Copper ore can be exported to be smelted so that a nation's smelter production of copper can differ greatly from its mined production. See: List of countries by copper smelter production.
In the US, more copper is recovered and put back into service from recycled material than is derived from newly mined ore. Copper's recycle value is so great that premium-grade scrap normally has at least 95% of the value of primary metal from newly mined ore. [80] In Europe, about 50% of copper demand comes from recycling (as of 2016). [81]
At very high pressures, a copper disulfide, CuS 2, can be synthesized. Its crystal structure is analogous to that of pyrite , with all sulfur atoms occurring as S-S units. Copper disulfide is a metallic conductor due to the incomplete occupancy of the sulfur p band.
Cuprite is an oxide mineral composed of copper(I) oxide Cu 2 O, and is a minor ore of copper. [5]Cuprite from Tsumeb Mine (size:2.3 x 2.1 x 1.2 cm. Its dark crystals with red internal reflections are in the isometric system hexoctahedral class, appearing as cubic, octahedral, or dodecahedral forms, or in combinations.
Supergene enrichment occurs at the base of the oxidized portion of an ore deposit. Metals that have been leached from the oxidized ore are carried downward by percolating groundwater, and react with hypogene sulfides at the supergene-hypogene boundary. The reaction produces secondary sulfides with metal contents higher than those of the primary ...