Cyprus copper production

Some Famous Copper Mines. The word copper is indicative of its Cyprian origin. Whether the Island of Cyprus was named for the metal or the metal for the island would be difficult to decide (98). Copper was mined at Cyprus in antiquity, especially in the foothills of the Troodos range along the coast from Marium to Soli, and was its most important product (98) Long before the Roman period, copper was exported from Cyprus as ore and as ingots. The copper mines of this island are still productive (98). 

The name copper comes from the Latin word cuprum, which means from Cyprus. Cyprus is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey. Ancient Romans mined copper from this island. Other ancient societies mined copper from ores. At that time, it was easy to refine the copper and make it into jewelry. But because it was a soft metal, unlike iron, it was not used in the production of weapons or tools. 

In classical times azurite is referred to by Theophrastus (c. 315 Bc) and Pliny (77 ad) as Cyprian blue, which came fiom the copper mines of Cyprus, Theophrasms telling us that it is rare. Vitruvius calls azurite Armenium after its country of orgin and it is this variety that Pliny hsts among his florid colours (at a massive 300 sesterces per poimd). Pliny also says that a sandy form of azurite is to be derived from Spain, and that flooding the market with this product had caused prices to drop to only six denarii. 

According to Phny (77 ad) the misy of the ancients was eifrier iron or copper pyrites, or oxidation products of friese. Pliny reports that some people obtained misy by burning minerals in trenches the fine yellow powder mixed with the wood ashes could be easily separated. He adds the best kind is obtained in frie copper-factories of Cyprus, its marks being that when broken it sparkles hke gold and when groimd it has a sandy appearance . 

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