Copper is a heavy metal that conducts heat and electricity well and is very durable.
In its pure form, it shines bright red. However, a patina forms in the air over the years, which protects the metal from further corrosion, which can be easily observed on copper roofs.
Copper is relatively soft and ductile. It is therefore easy to process and shape. And above all, it is almost 100 percent recyclable!
History of copper
Copper is the oldest metal to be worked and used by humans. Our ancestors are said to have made the first objects from copper as early as 9000 BC. The material became important for mankind at the beginning of the Copper Age, which lasted from around 3500 – 2200 BC.
Over the centuries, people learned to handle the metal better and better and to treat it in a variety of ways – for example by hammering, heating, casting or mixing (alloying) with other metals such as lead, silver, zinc or tin.
Where is copper found?
Copper is an element of life. It is found in the earth’s crust, oceans, lakes and rivers in various forms and concentrations – from tiny trace elements to rich mining deposits. The raw material can still be found on all continents – and there is no sign of a shortage, as copper is not consumed but used because it can be melted down again and again.
The most important copper ore deposits today are in Chile and the USA. 20 percent of the world’s known reserves are stored there. Other important mining areas are Africa, Australia, China, Canada, Indonesia, South America, Russia and Poland. In Germany, the sparse deposits are exhausted. The once largest European copper mine in the Mansfeld region was active until the 1980s.
Function in the human body
The trace element copper has a wide range of functions in the human body: It is needed to build red blood cells and is an important component of many enzymes. It contributes to blood formation, is involved in the production of energy, ensures firm connective tissue, influences the immune system and has a positive effect on inflammation.
Nutritional requirements
According to a publication by the German Nutrition Society, an adult needs 1 to 1.5 mg of copper per day. Other sources recommend up to 3 mg. As a rule, this requirement is covered by a balanced diet. The body excretes too much copper.
Deficiency symptoms are rare. They can manifest themselves, for example, as anemia, listlessness, sleep disorders, increased cholesterol levels, impaired iron utilization or a general feeling of weakness.
Copper is found in dairy products, avocados, meat, fish, shellfish, whole grains, eggs, nuts and pulses, among other things
