The copper whose symbol is Cu is the chemical element of
atomic number 29. It is a transition metal of coppery color (and
metallic sheen that, together with silver and gold, is part of the so-called
copper family , Is characterized by being one of the best conductors of
electricity (the second after silver). Thanks to its high electrical
conductivity, ductility and malleability.
It was one of the first metals to be used by humans in
prehistory. Copper and its alloy with tin, bronze, became so important that
historians have called the Age of Copper and Bronze Age to two periods of
antiquity. Although its use lost relative importance with the development of
the steel industry, copper and its alloys continued to be used to make objects
as diverse as coins, bells and cannons.
Copper is found in a large amount of
regular dietary foods such as oysters, seafood, legumes, viscera and nuts
among others, in addition to drinking water and therefore it is very rare for a
copper deficiency to occur in the body. Copper imbalance causes liver disease
known as Wilson's disease.
Most of the world's copper is obtained from mineral
sulphides such as calcocite, covelite, chalcopyrite, bornite and enargite. The
oxidized minerals are cuprite, tenorite, malachite, azurite, chrysocolla and
brocantita. Natural copper, formerly abundant in the United States, is now
extracted only in Michigan.
In the Work
Environment contact with Copper can lead to catching flu known as the metal
fever. This fever will pass after two days and is caused by an over
sensitivity.
Long-term exposures to copper can irritate the nose, mouth,
and eyes and cause headache, stomach pain, dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea. A
large copper intake can cause damage to the liver and kidneys and even death.
