Copper
Native element · Cu · also: Native copper
Native copper is the pure metal occurring naturally, a red, malleable element that forms branching, wire-like and sheet-like masses.
What is copper?
Native copper is metallic copper occurring in nature as the element itself rather than in an ore. It is copper-red on a fresh surface, tarnishing to brown and green, and is malleable so it bends rather than shatters. It forms dramatic branching (dendritic), wiry and crystalline masses, and was humanity’s first worked metal.
Properties
- Chemical formula
- Cu
- Category
- Native element
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2.5–3
- Crystal system
- Cubic (isometric)
- Lustre
- Metallic
- Streak
- Copper-red (shiny)
- Colour
- Copper-red, tarnishing brown-green
- Cleavage / fracture
- None
How to identify copper
- →Metallic copper-red on fresh surfaces; brown-green tarnish outside.
- →Malleable: it dents and bends rather than breaking (a metal, not brittle).
- →Often branching, wiry or sheet-like shapes.
- →Heavy; hardness 2.5–3.
Where copper is found
The Keweenaw Peninsula (Michigan, USA) is world-famous; also Germany, Russia and Australia.
Copper finds on minShelf
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