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Mining Copper Ore affects the environment, in many negative ways. Firstly, it uses land, so animals and plants are usually moved or plowed over. This usually means that there are less trees, as most Copper reserves are in dense Rainforrests; resulting in an increase in the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the air, and a lower composition of Oxygen. Also, there is a higher chance that animals and plants indigenous to these areas, will become endangered or extinct.

Furthermore, refining Copper uses a lot of energy, usually coming from the burning of Fossil Fuels, meaning that a lot of Carbon Dioxide will be given off, as well as other dangerous pollutants. These chemicals can often cause Acid Rain; damaging crops, animals (including livestock), and humans.

On the other hand, if Recycled Copper is cleaned and refined, this has less of an effect on the environment. This is because the Copper has already been mined, so less land needs to be used to retrieve it, and there don't need to be any extra emissions to mine it either. Also, as the Copper is purer already than an ore from the ground; the electrolysis process takes much less time, meaning less energy is needed; so less emissions are given off, and there is less of a threat to animals, plants, and humans.

Similarly, mining Copper has negative effects economically, as the miners have to be paid, as well as the people who transport it to the refineries, along with the fuel needed. And, it takes a long time- several days in fact- to purify the copper; at extreme temperatures. This means that a lot of energy is required, resulting in a lot of money spent, as well as a use of precious Fossil Fuels. This means that companies are not making as much profit, as these expenses keep on increasing.

Contrastingly though, if companies were to recycle Scrap Copper, they would have less of an expenditure. This is because, as the copper is purer, it takes less to purify, meaning more can be extracted from Scrap, than Ore, in the same time; resulting in more to sell. Also, as it takes less time, less energy is needed, meaning the cost to refine a tonne of Copper would reduce. Therefore meaning, that the company will have a larger profit, as it has cost less to purify.

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12y ago
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6mo ago

Copper ore mining can have negative impacts on the environment through habitat destruction, soil and water contamination, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Deforestation, acid mine drainage, and disturbance to wildlife are common issues associated with copper mining activities. Implementing proper environmental management practices and technologies can help minimize these impacts.

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Q: How does copper ore mining affect the environment?
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The mining of obsidian can absolutely affect the environment. Any mining in general can strip the Earth of valuable natural resources. Using heavy machinery and processing the ore can be detrimental as well.


How is the copper ore extracted from the ground?

Copper ore is typically extracted from the ground through a process called mining. This involves drilling, blasting, and hauling the ore to the surface for processing. Methods such as open-pit mining or underground mining are commonly used to extract copper ore from the ground.


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NAICS Code(s) 212234 (Copper Ore and Nickel Ore Mining) 212299 (Other Metal Ore Mining)


What is the energy cost for mining copper?

The energy cost for mining copper can vary depending on factors such as the mining method used, the ore grade, and the location of the mine. On average, it is estimated that mining and processing one ton of copper ore can require between 10-100 gigajoules of energy. This energy is mainly used for blasting, crushing, grinding, and processing the ore into copper concentrate.


Do we get copper from trees?

No, copper is a metal. It is obtained by mining various copper ores from underground, then smelting the ore in a very hot furnace to separate the copper from everything else in the ore.


How do you mine copper?

Copper is typically mined through open-pit or underground mining methods. In open-pit mining, large pits are dug into the ground to extract the copper ore. Underground mining involves digging tunnels to access the ore deposits. Once the ore is extracted, it is processed to separate the copper from other minerals.


How the copper is mined?

Copper is mined through open-pit or underground mining methods. In open-pit mining, large machinery and explosives are used to extract the ore from the earth's surface. In underground mining, tunnels are dug to access the copper ore, which is then extracted using various methods such as blasting or drilling.


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What are the stages of separation of copper from its ore in industry?

http://www.energymanagertraining.com/mining/pdf/CopperMiningProcess.pdf


How you get copper out of the ground?

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How is copper extracted from earth?

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What is the copper ore industry?

This category includes establishments primarily engaged in mining, milling, or otherwise preparing copper ores.