What do you think about the consumption of minerals in everyday life? What is their importance? Does copper make our lives easy and efficient? What is the average consumption of copper at the global level? What is the role of Canada in global copper production? As per the research, only in the US, about 1.8 million metric tons of copper has been utilized in the year 2020. Even at the global level, copper consumption has been increasing day by day because of its construction, manufacturing, and electronic purposes.
Copper Production and Development
Do you know that copper is a recyclable product? But to make use of it, several processes have to be done. There are many uses of copper because of its enviable characteristics and properties. Besides copper, copper alloys have also been used in various sectors due to their distinctive properties. The best thing about copper is that it can be recycled without any effect on its efficiency and performance.
What are the qualities that make copper so desirable?
Copper has several useful properties that make it a reliable material for various purposes. It is recyclable, hygienic, non-metallic, catalytic, and tough. It is its thermal and electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance that make it useful in various sectors. Most commonly, it is used in construction and electronic products, though it has also been used in transportation equipment as well as consumer products.
Canada in Copper Production
It was 1846 when Canada started commercial copper production at Bruce Mine. After that, it didn’t take much time to explore more mines for copper exploration and development. Solaris Resources and Codelco are amongst their major copper exploration companies.
Copper production majorly takes place in two provinces, Ontario and British Columbia. Ontario mines produce copper that is locally processed; however, the mines in British Columbia produce the copper to be sent to East Asia for refining and smelting purposes.
Major copper mines in Canada
There are many Canadian copper companies including Solaris exploration that are working on various projects to explore copper to be consumed globally. The major copper mines in Canada are:
- Mount Milligan Mine
Established in British Columbia, the surface mine, Mount Milligan is possessed by Centerra Gold. It also produces gold. In the year 2020, the Mount Milligan mine created 37.56 thousand tons of copper. In Jan 2020, it completed 9 years.
- Red Chris Mine
Owned by RCDC (Red Chris Development Company), Red Chris Mine is settled in British Columbia. In the year 2020, it produced about 40.21 thousand tons of copper.
In the End
No doubt, copper has turned out to be an important element in our lives. It has improved our work efficiency and quality. Copper has been widely used in construction as well as electric equipment including motors and wires due to its thermal and electrical conductivity. Not just this, it has been extensively used in various other sectors because of its corrosion resistance, ductility, and malleability.
