Copper (symbol Cu, atomic number 29) has shaped civilization for more than 10,000 years. One of the first metals to be worked by humans, it helped early societies move beyond the Stone Age and remains essential in the modern world.Â
Few other metals are so woven into our everyday lives: copper brings water into our homes, delivers electricity and communications, supports critical infrastructure, enables the energy transition and the growth of AI.
Its name and chemical symbol come from the Latin cuprum, referring to Cyprus, a major source of copper in antiquity and why the Romans called it ‘aes Cyprium’ – the metal of Cyprus.
Sitting between nickel and zinc in the periodic table, copper hits a metallurgical sweet spot: malleable and ductile for crafting into multiple uses, highly conductive for energy, strong and corrosion-resistant for construction.Â
The metal behind iconic structures like the Statue of Liberty and the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral, the essential enabler of power grids, communications, electronics and digital infrastructure, and even an essential element in humans, animals, and plants, the ‘red metal’ is one of the most versatile materials on the planet – a building block of life as we know it.
Copper at a glance
Highly malleable and ductile
Easy to shape, bend, or extend into very thin wire, as well as being highly durable and corrosion resistant.
Alloys with other metals
Such as zinc (to form brass), aluminium or tin (bronzes), or nickel (cupronickel) – all used in specialized applications across infrastructure and industry.Â
Highest electrical conductivity of any non precious metal
Fundamental to power generation, transmission and distribution. Found in virtually all applications requiring electrical conductivity.
Critical and Strategic Raw Material
The EU officially lists copper as a Critical and Strategic Raw Material, due to its importance for renewables, e-mobility, aerospace & defense and ICT.
Occurs naturally in humans, animals, and plants
Copper is a biologically essential element, with antimicrobial properties. Critical for oxygen delivery, brain function, and immune defense.
