Copper is a metallic element and its chemical symbol “Cu” is derived from the Latin word “cuprum”. That the Romans had a word for copper shows just how long the metal has not only been known but also considered important to mankind. The Romans obtained copper from Cyprus and shortened the word “cyprium” (metal of Cyprus) to cuprum. Pure copper is soft and malleable with high thermal and electrical conductivity. It is often alloyed with other metals to increase its hardness and durability – bronze and brass being but early examples. What might be lesser known is that copper is essential to life as a trace dietary mineral. In humans, copper is found in our livers, muscles and bones.
Copper Prices
Although there is a lot of copper still in the ground, the amount available from economically viable extraction methods is starting to run short. Therefore, the prices of freshly mined and refined copper can be expected to rise. Copper is considered as a commodity and, like all commodities, traders in futures effectively set prices on the international metals markets. Since 1935, the International Copper Cartel (ICC) has also actively influenced prices for new copper.
Uses For Copper Today
These days, less un-alloyed copper is being used in large scale construction (e.g. copper roofs) although it is still in demand for things like decorative handrails. The main use for pure copper is electrical wiring and other forms of electric conduction like busbars, integrated circuits and printed circuit boards. Copper is also widely used for lightning conductors and in the manufacture of electric motors.
Used Copper Prices
Copper is a metal that can be easily recycled without affecting its purity which makes it popular with the scrap metal industry that usually pay good prices for scrap copper (both pure copper and its non-ferrous alloys). However, unless you are demolishing an old building with a copper clad roof, you are not likely to have a large amount of the pure metal to offer for sale to a scrap metal trader.
Although there will be a lot of copper beneath the insulation layer of electrical wiring, all that insulation will need to be removed so you will not be offered the full copper market price based on a per pound value for the total weight of the wires that you hope to sell – unless you have already removed the insulation. The same principle applies to the copper content on circuit boards. Therefore, to obtain the best Scrap Copper Prices from traders like H&C Metals in Newark NJ, you should first isolate the copper from anything else that it was being used in conjunction with.