7 Interesting Facts About Copper and Why It Is So Valuable

Copper is a type of metal that is widely used in many aspects of our life, from home appliances, plumbing, and builder’s hardware to vehicles like cars. 

It is categorized as non-ferrous metal as it does not contain iron. Just like gold, copper is a naturally occurring metal that has a unique colour.

So, let’s take a look at some interesting facts about copper. See why it is such a valuable metal.

Why Is Copper Valuable?

Copper has some great traits that make it so valuable and widely used in many industries.

1. High Thermal Conductivity

Copper has a high thermal conductivity which makes it an ideal option for use as a heat conductor. This means that it is widely used for air conditioners, boilers and home heating systems.

In a car, copper is inside the radiator system. The coolant liquid that is passing through the radiator will help reduce heat when the car’s engine is hot.

If we compare copper with stainless steel, it is up to 30 times better at thermal conductivity. From here, we can see how valuable copper is.

2. High Electrical Conductivity

Since copper has excellent electrical conductivity, it is installed in many of the electronic goods that we can find around the house. It is used for electrical wiring in generators and motors for radios and TVs. 

3. Good Corrosion Resistance

Copper is resistant to corrosion, making it very suitable for water pipes and a great choice for roofing. Sometimes you see antique buildings with green roofs which is typical because it was made of copper.

Copper will slowly turn green when it comes in contact with oxygen (oxidation). Nowadays, copper isn’t used frequently as roofing because it is an expensive option that can be replaced with other materials.

4. High Ductility

Cooper is very flexible and easily moulded, making it a great material for making statues. You can crook and shape the copper pipes whichever way you want and follow the shape of the area, without breaking it. This is another reason why copper is suitable for water pipes.  

5. Good Bearing Properties

Copper is widely used in the moving parts of engines as it has a very long lifespan and does not wear or stick easily. When the engine moves, copper alloys provide strong support as a bearing.

6. Good as Fungicides and Insecticides

Copper sulphate protects pipes, water reservoirs and timber from the likes of algae, root plants or fungi. The function of copper sulphate as a fungicide helps prevents unwanted plants, fungi and even animals from blocking the drains and sewerage system.

7. Copper is Recyclable 

Copper is almost 100% recyclable! Because of its durability, around 70% of produced copper is recycled and still in use today. You can receive money from the cash for cars Perth program by recycling goods that contain copper or other metal materials.

Copper In Our Life

Here are some more practical and relevant facts about copper.

On average, a house contains about 90 kilograms of copper, including plumbing, builder’s hardware, electrical wires, house appliances and brass goods.

A lot of car parts rely on copper because of its excellent heat-conducting ability. A regular family car contains about a kilometre of copper which weighs around 15 kg for a small car and 28 kg for a luxury car.

It is so important to keep recycling copper as it is a non-renewable natural resource. We can recycle home appliances and car parts to help save the earth.

And you can also line your pockets a little in the process! Isn’t that great? Call a reliable scrap metal recyclers company like Dream Lucky. They can take your unused copper scraps and give you money in return.

If you have unused cars at home, they very well may contain copper. You can also get cash for cars from Dream Lucky.

This is a very beneficial solution for you and the environment and knowing that what you consume can be recycled and won’t end up in a landfill will surely make you feel good.

If that’s not some interesting facts about copper, I don’t what is.