Copper:  Essential, Natural & Recyclable How does copper contribute to society? Of all the materials used by man, copper has had the most profound effect on societies.  From the dawn of civilization and into the third millennium, copper has played, and continues to play a vital role in contributing to, sustaining and improving society.  Copper is: Vital for maintaining health in humans, animals and plants; A material of choice for use in: Power generation and distribution Communications Building, construction and transportation Industrial, domestic and high technology applications An important contributor to: National economies of mature, newly developed and developing countries Building and maintaining regional and national infrastructures Creating jobs, wealth, trade and investment opportunities A critical component of energy efficient products Infinitely recyclable, extending efficiency of use and reducing energy consumption Is there enough copper to meet future needs? Between 1950 and 1998, 280 million tons of copper were mined, even though world copper reserves had been estimated at 90 million tons in 1950.  By 1998, world reserves of copper were estimated at 340 million tons. Like any other natural element, copper is distributed in the earth's crust and oceans in various forms and concentrations.  Often, there are references to "world reserves" of a metal.  Reserves indicate the amount of material, whose existence has been demonstrated with reasonable certainty, and that can be economically extracted or produced at the time of determination.  Exploration, improved extraction and processing techniques and technologies, depletion, and changes in social and economic conditions are some of the factors that alter reserve levels. The demand for copper will continue to be met by the discovery of new deposits, technological improvements, efficient design, and by taking advantage of the renewable nature of copper through reuse and recycling.  As well, competition between materials, and supply and demand principles, contribute to ensuring that materials are used efficiently and effectively. Copper will continue to contribute to society’s development well into the future. Information provided by the International Copper Study Group - www.icsg.org