About Copper Wire
Copper---the "Red Metal ---is a naturally occurring element. Its unique characteristics make it a highly valued material for producing wire for utility purposes, jewelry-making and even deepwater fishing.
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Physical Properties
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Copper has a characteristic that makes it highly desirable for wire production: It is ductile, which means it can easily be drawn into wire form. Scientists at the University of Nevada, Reno have discovered that a copper bar 4 inches thick can be heated and pulled into a wire thinner than a human hair and 20 million times longer than the original bar.
Copper is also valued for its conductivity. Only silver is better than copper in its ability to conduct heat and electricity.
History
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Copper was once so abundant that it could be found lying on the ground, its red color making it easy to spot. Copper beads which date back to 9000 B.C. have been found in Iraq, and Native American objects made from copper go back to 2000 B.C.
One of the earliest uses of copper as an electrical conductor was in 1857 by Italian inventor Antonio Meucci, credited with inventing the first working telephone.
Copper wire has long been the material of choice for the electrical systems of homes and commercial buildings. Because the price of copper soared in the mid-1960s, builders switched to aluminum wiring. However, a series of home fires over the next 10 years prompted the Consumer Product Safety Commission to investigate the safety hazards of aluminum wiring, and, consequently, issue two recommendations for remedying the problem, both of which make use of copper wire.
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Major Uses
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Copper wire is used by jewelry makers because of its malleability and attractive color. In addition, copper doesn't corrode, so objects made with copper wire have a long shelf life.
Copper wire is used for deepwater fishing because of its superior sinking rate (less floating line) and strength.
The major uses of copper wire---for appliances, electronics and electrical wiring of buildings---come about because of its ability to allow heat and electricity to pass through.
Geography
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Chile and the United States have the largest copper deposits. Most U.S. copper mines are located in western states. Copper is also plentiful in Canada, Australia and Peru, and is found in about 45 other countries.
Copper Theft
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The theft of copper wire, even in broad daylight, has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Some law enforcement officials believe that selling copper wire in China, India and Brazil is too lucrative a business for drug addicts to ignore. In fact, prices paid for black market copper wire have been at an all-time high beginning in 2008, due to a rise in the market price of copper and these countries' increased building needs.
Copper wire is found on huge spools in electric utility storage facilities; in the sprinklers of irrigation systems left unattended in farm fields; at new construction sites; and in road and highway lighting fixtures.
Costs of copper theft are passed along in the form of tax increases, higher electric rates, and higher food and housing costs.
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References
Resources
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