Copper industry

Japan, Canada, and the United States accounted for 70% of the 1995 estimated world production of 2000 t (Table 5). At least 100 t of selenium was also available to Western markets from the former Soviet bloc. Selenium production is expected to rise in South America, particularly Chile, as the copper industry continues rapid expansion. A considerable amount of unrefined selenium is also shipped to Chile and the Philippines for conversion to final commercial product by either hydrometaHurgical or distillation processes. 

The United States is largely self-sufficient with respect to copper, meeting any shortfall by imports. AustraHa and the CIS consume most of their production on the domestic market. Japan and Western Europe import substantial quantities of copper in the form of concentrates, bHster, and refined copper. World mine, smelter, and refining capacities in 1989 are given in Table 6. Copper industries in Chile, Pern, Zaire, and Zambia are nationalized. 

In 1988, a comprehensive report on the technology and competitiveness of the U.S. copper industry was issued (54). This report concludes that the revitalized U.S. copper industry could compete in all but the worst foreseeable markets and that the industry s turnaround came entirely from its own efforts, with Httie governmental assistance. The U.S. copper industry is a world leader in smelter and refinery production, applying modem technology and measures to improve productivity. 

In addition, the copper industry s market development activities have resulted in appHcations such as clad ship hulls, sheathing for offshore platforms, automotive electrical systems including electric vehicles, improved automobde radiators, solar energy, fire sprinkler systems, parts for fusion reactors, semiconductor lead frames, shape memory alloys, and superconducting ceramics (qv) containing copper oxides. 

I. B.Joralemon, Copper. The Encompassing Sto of Mankind s First Metal, H.owe]l-Notth Books, Berkeley, Calif., 1973. R. F. Mikesell, The World Copper Industry Structure and Economic Mnaljsis,]o m.s Hopkins Press, Baltimore, Md., 1979. 

The foregoing has been a brief and general account of the environmental impact that ensues from the processing of sulfidic resources of metals. For obvious reasons, a major emphasis has been placed with regard to the copper industry in the presentations. It will be worthwhile for the reader to become more acquainted with this area, which has featured in as many as twenty papers contained in the proceedings of the EPD-96 Congress (see Literature). 

Of recycled, or secondary copper, 56% is derived from new scrap, while 44% comes from old scrap. Domestically, the secondary copper smelting industry is led by four producers. Like the secondary aluminum industry, these producers buy the scrap they recycle on the open market, in addition to using scrap generated in their own downstream productions. The secondary copper industry is concentrated in Georgia, South Carolina, Illinois, and Missouri. 

Primary copper processing results in air emissions, process wastes, and other solid-phase wastes. Particulate matter and sulfur dioxide are the principal air contaminants emitted by primary copper smelters. Copper and iron oxides are the primary constituents of the particulate matter, but other oxides, such as arsenic, antimony, cadmium, lead, mercury, and zinc, may also be present, with metallic sulfates and sulfuric acid mist. Single-stage electrostatic precipitators are widely used in the primary copper industry to control these particulate emissions. Sulfur oxides contained in the off-gases are collected, filtered, and made into sulfuric acid. 

Hamilton, H. (1967). The English Brass and Copper Industries to 1800. Cass, London, 2nd edn. 

Some Typical Accidents in the Steel and Copper Industries... 

Continnons casting is used in the steel and copper industries. In this process, molten metal is delivered to a permanent mold in much the same way as semicontinuous... 

As for the sources of contamination from air which are likely to cause respiratory ailments, the primary contributor is fungicide sprays containing copper sulfate solutions (24), Another major source is copper mines and copper industries, where copper concentration in the environment may reach as high as 1% (J3). A most recent contributor to serious copper exposure in the female is the copper-containing intrauterine contraceptive device (25,26,27),... 

The BDSA conducts industrial economic studies, on a world-wide basis, of the production, uses, trends, and outlook for the major commodities and products. Some of the publications which are used to make this information available to the public are Chemical and Rubber Industry Report Copper Industry Report Pulp, Paper, and Board Industry Report Industry Trend Series and the Outlook Studies. Copies of the latest list of BDSA publications may be obtained from any Department of Commerce field ofifice or from the Publications Officer, BDSA, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington 25, D.C. 

Copper Industry Uses Much Scrap Iron, Environ. Sci. Technol. 7(2), 100 (1973). 

W. J. Schlitt, Current Status of Copper Leaching and Recovery in the U.S. Copper Industry, in... 

Old Rdiable. [Poiinsola Copper Industries] Cupric oxide. 

From 1995 to 1999, McKinnon was safety consultant and safety advisor to Magma Copper and BHP Copper North America. At BHP Copper he was a catalyst in the safety revolution in the copper industry that resulted in an 82% reduction in the injury rate, and an 80% reduction in the severity rate. 

Recycling of Cobalt From Waste Streams of the Copper Industry... 

Shamsham S (1992) Distribution of some metals in arable soil profiles in the region contaminated by copper industry. Part 1. Soil characteristics. Rocz Glebozn 43, 3-4 125-131... 

Weber J (1989) Chemical and micromorphological properties of soils under the influence of copper industry. Proceedings of International Conference on Soil Conservation and Environment, Piestany-Spa, Slovakia, 8-11... 

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