The Manufacture of Copper Metal

The changes in annual copper production in the rich copper region in Central and South Africa reflect the unstable pohtical situation, the lack of investments and health problems within the population, see Table 7.4. 

The Democratic Republic of Congo has 10 million tonnes of copper in its rocks. 

This corresponds to 3% of the total copper reserves of the world. In the year 2000, production in its own mines was 21000 tonnes, i.e. less than 0.2% of the world production. 

The manufacture of copper metal from ores is called the primary production. Ores worked may be of oxide or sulfide type. Only 9% of exploitable copper resources worldwide consist of oxide ores while 90% are sulfide ores. When copper metal is manufactured from scrap it is a secondary production. 

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