The beautiful ORE......COPPER

 

The beautiful ore called..... COPPER

Copper has a good combination of properties. It is good conductor of heat and electricity in its natural form. This clearly indicates that we rely on copper for power, lightning, and also communication, water supply and transportation. It marvels also when decoratively it takes the center stage for crafting and decorations. One opinion we have come to believe is that it could come in its natural state called (native copper) but obviously it really comes in this form. Most copper comes in form of ore (mineral-bearing rock which has been mined and treated at a profit or can be mined and treated profitably under current or immediately foreseeable economic conditions). Against this backdrop, copper ore has to be treated so as to get the copper concentrate, the left over is regarded as gangue. This process is called mineral processing

This write-up is not to describe mineral processing but explicitly appraise the colour formation or colourful formation of this ore in it’s natural state. Colour ranges from Green, blue, deep turquoise red, bright yellow, brownish red etc. Picture below are common ore samples infused with various colours of copper

Chrysocolla

Chalcopyrite

Malachite

The case study of the deposits I came across in Nasarawa State, Nigeria was mind blowing and for a long time it will keep lingering in my heart. On that site the top of the deposit is completely weathered off leaving on the top layer useless what is called Gosson or iron hat because quite often it is enriched with a stable iron hydroxide FeO(OH)called limonite and therefore looks rusty. A gossan gives a clear hint that digging there might be worthwhile.

Below are some copper formulas and their natural colour.

Name	Formula	Componds	Colour
Malachite	CuCO3•Cu(OH)2	Carbonates	Green
Azurite	2CuCO3·Cu(OH)2	Carbonates	Deep blue
Chrysocolla	CuO·SiO2·2H2O3	Oxides	Blue-green
Cuprite	Cu2O	Oxides	Red
Covellite	CuS	Sulphides	Indigo blue
Chalcocite	Cu2S	Sulphides	Dark grey
Bornite	2Cu2S·CuS·FeS	Sulphides	Peacock(multicolor)

These materials are not limited to the ore as there are other types including chalcopyrite, Tetrahedrite, Digenite, Tennantite, Dioptase, Enargite.

Sample of this ore was analyzed. The following result was gotten.

This results could still be improved on if the sample to be tested is  fetched in a deeper position from the initial sampling point . Geologically it can be explained that rain leaches this material below water level where it penetrates again, this enriching the ore concentrates at this level. Deep in the ground the copper sulphides are found to dominate at this level. This no doubt is the best copper ore.