Native copper (specimen ~4 cm)

Copper, as native copper, is one of the few metallic elements to occur in uncombined form as a natural mineral, although most commonly occurs in oxidized states and mixed with other elements. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 The M acro E xpansion T emplate A ttribute L anguage complements TAL, providing macros which allow the reuse of code across A chemical element is a type of Atom that is distinguished by its Atomic number; that is by the number of Protons in its nucleus. A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition a highly ordered atomic structure and specific Native copper was an important ore of copper in historic times and was used by pre-historic peoples. An ore is a volume of rock containing components or Minerals in a mode of occurrence that renders it valuable for mining

Native copper occurs as rarely isometric cubic and octahedral crystals, but more typically as irregular masses and fracture fillings. It is a copper-red color on fresh surfaces, but typically is weathered and coated with a green tarnish of copper(II) carbonate. Copper(II carbonate (often called copper carbonate or cupric carbonate) is a blue-green compound (chemical formula CuCO3 forming part of the Its specific gravity is 8. Specific gravity is defined as the ratio of the Density of a given solid or liquid substance to the density of water at a specific temperature and pressure typically 9 and the hardness is 2. The Mohs scale of mineral hardness characterizes the scratch resistance of various Minerals through the ability of a harder material to scratch a softer material 5. ^[1]

The mines of the Keweenaw native copper deposits of Upper Michigan were major copper producers in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and are the largest deposits of native copper in the world. Keweenaw Peninsula (ˈkiːwənɔː roughly KEY-win-awe is the most northern part of Michigan 's Upper Peninsula. Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. ^[2] Native Americans mined copper on a small scale, and evidence exists of copper trading routes throughout North America among native peoples, proven by isotopic analysis. The first commercial mines in the Keweenaw Peninsula (which is nicknamed the "Copper Country") opened in the 1840s. Keweenaw Peninsula (ˈkiːwənɔː roughly KEY-win-awe is the most northern part of Michigan 's Upper Peninsula. The Copper Country is an area in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States, including all of Keweenaw County Michigan and most of Houghton Isle Royale in western Lake Superior, was also a site of many tons of native copper. Isle Royale is an island of the Great Lakes, located in the northwest of Lake Superior. Some of it was extracted by native peoples, but only one of several commercial attempts at mining turned a profit there. ^[2]

Another major native copper deposit is in Corocoro, Bolivia. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America.

The name copper comes from the Greek kyprios, of Cyprus, the location of copper mines since pre-historic times. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía ^[3]

References

1. ^ Native Copper. Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery. Retrieved on 2005-06-26. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire.
2. ^ ^{a b} Michigan's Copper Deposits and Mining. Retrieved on 2005-06-26. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. (Web archive; click cancel when it asks for authentication. )
3. ^ Copper: Copper mineral information and data.. Mindat. Retrieved on 2005-06-26. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire.

• Prehistoric Copper in Wisconsin. Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center. Retrieved on 2005-06-26. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire.