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List of copper ores

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Following is a list of minerals that serve as copper ores in the copper mining process:

% Copper
Name Formula
when pure

CuFeS2 34.5

Chalcopyrite

Cu2S 79.8

Chalcocite

CuS 66.5

Covellite

2Cu2S·CuS·FeS 63.3

Bornite

Cu3SbS3 + x(Fe,Zn)6Sb2S9 32–45

Tetrahedrite
 % Copper
Name Formula
when pure

Cu9S5 78.1

Digenite

CuCO3•Cu(OH)2 57.7

Malachite

2CuCO3·Cu(OH)2 55.1

Azurite

Cu2O 88.8

Cuprite

(Cu,Al)2H2Si2O5(OH)4·n(H2O) 37.9

Chrysocolla

Cu12As4S13 51.6

Tennantite
 % Copper
Name Formula
when pure

CuSiO2(OH)2 45.3

Dioptase

% Copper
Name Formula
when pure

Copper-bearing minerals[1]

References[edit]
1. ^ Samans, Carl H. Engineering Metals and their Alloys MacMillan 1949
Categories:
 Copper ores
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 List of copper ores

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Following is a list of minerals that serve as copper ores in the copper
mining process:
Name Formula % Copperwhen pure

CuFeS 34.5

Chalcopyrite

CuS 79.8

Chalcocite

CuS 66.5

Covellite

2CuS·CuS·FeS 63.3

Bornite

CuSbS + x(Fe,Zn)SbS 32–45

Tetrahedrite

CuS 78.1

Digenite

CuCO•Cu(OH) 57.7
 Malachite

2CuCO·Cu(OH) 55.1

Azurite

CuO 88.8

Cuprite

(Cu,Al)HSiO(OH)·n(HO) 37.9

Chrysocolla

CuAsS 51.6

Tennantite

CuSiO(OH) 45.3

Dioptase
Name Formula % Copperwhen pure
Copper-bearing minerals[1]
References

1. Samans, Carl H. Engineering Metals and their Alloys MacMillan 1949

Types of Copper Deposits in the World
Olivia Da Silva - May 23rd, 2019

Different types of copper deposits can be found around the world, and being aware of their
characteristics can be beneficial for investors.

Copper mineralization occurs in many forms and in a variety of geological settings. As such,
there are various factors to consider when determining the value of different types of
copper deposits.

Historically, the world’s most profitable copper mines have been large-scale porphyry deposits
with chalcopyrite mineralization extracted via open-pit mining. While they do not have the
highest grades of ore and generally have more expensive refining costs, they tend to have large
mineral resources.
The biggest copper-producing mine in the world is currently the Escondida mine in Chile, which
is jointly owned by BHP (NYSE:BHP,ASX:BHP,LSE:BHP) and Rio Tinto
(NYSE:RIO,ASX:RIO,LSE:RIO). Escondida means “hidden” in Spanish, and the deposit was
given the name because it has no outcrops; the main orebody is hidden below hundreds of meters
of overburden.

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Copper production figures can change rapidly, but in the 2018 financial year, Escondida’s total
production reached 1,213 kilotonnes. The mine has processed more than 2 billion tonnes of ore
through leaching and flotation since opening more than 25 years ago. Today it accounts for
almost 5 percent of worldwide copper output.

Types of copper deposits: Determining value

As mentioned, there are many factors to look at when determining the value of a copper deposit.
Among other things, companies must consider grade, refining costs, the estimated copper
resource and the ease at which the copper can be mined. Here’s a brief overview of five things
that are important to think about when finding the value of a copper deposit.
 1. Types of copper deposits

Porphyry copper deposits are low grade, but are important sources of copper because they can be
worked at a large scale for low costs. They typically contain between 0.4 and 1 percent copper in
concert with smaller amounts of other metals, such as molybdenum, silver and gold. Porphyry
copper mineral deposits are usually massive, with extraction taking place by open-pit mining.

Copper-bearing sedimentary rocks are the second most important type of copper deposit,
accounting for approximately one-quarter of the world’s identified copper deposits. Other types
of copper deposits found throughout the world include:

 Volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) ore deposits, a source of copper sulfide formed
through hydrothermal events in submarine environments.
 Iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) ore deposits are highly valuable concentrations of copper,
gold and uranium ores.
 Copper skarn deposits, which in a broad sense are formed through chemical and physical
mineral alterations created when two separate lithologies make contact.

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 2. Average grade

Grade is a significant factor in how much a deposit is worth. Most copper ores contain only a
small percentage of copper metal bound up within valuable ore minerals. The remainder of the
ore is simply unwanted rock. Exploration companies conduct drill programs to extract samples of
rock called cores. The cores are then subjected to chemical assays to determine the “grade” of a
deposit. Grade effectively is a measure of the concentration of metal.

Copper deposit grades are usually expressed as a weight percentage of the total rock. For
example, 1,000 kilograms of copper ore containing 300 kilograms of copper metal has a grade of
30 percent. When metal is at a much lower concentration, it may be described in terms of parts
per million. However, with copper, grade is the common convention.

Exploration companies estimate grade through drilling and assaying. The average grade of copper
ores in the 21st century is below 0.6 percent copper, with the proportion of ore minerals being
less than 2 percent of the total volume of the ore rock.

Investors should approach grade estimates with a critical eye. When an exploration company
issues grade statements, investors should be sure to compare them to the total depth of the drill
core used to determine the grade. A high grade at a low depth can have far less value than a
mediocre grade consistent through a deep core. Corebox is a great tool for keeping informed.

3. Mining costs

The largest, most profitable copper mines have been open-pit mines, although underground
copper mines are not uncommon. Of particular importance in an open-pit mine is a resource that
is relatively close to the surface. Mining companies are particularly interested in the amount of
overburden, which is the amount of worthless rock and soil on top of the copper resource. This
material must be removed to access the resource. Escondida, mentioned above, has a resource
that is covered by a large amount of overburden, but the deposit is still economic due to the large
size of the resource beneath.

4. Types of ore

There are two distinct types of copper deposits: sulfide ore and oxide ore. Currently, the most
common source of copper ore is the sulfide ore mineral chalcopyrite, which accounts for about 50
percent of copper production. Sulfide ores are processed via froth floatation to obtain copper
concentrate. Copper ores containing chalcopyrite can produce a concentrate with 20 to 30 percent
copper in concentrate.
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The more valuable chalcocite concentrates typically grade between 37 and 40 percent copper in
concentrate due to the fact that chalcocite contains no iron. Chalcocite has been mined for
centuries, and is one of the most profitable copper ores. The reason for that is its high copper
content and the ease at which the copper it contains can be separated from sulfur.

It is not, however, the primary copper ore today. Copper oxide ores are leached with sulfuric acid
to liberate the copper minerals into a solution of sulfuric acid laden with copper sulfate solution.
The copper sulfate solution (called the pregnant leach solution) is then stripped of copper via a
solvent extraction and electrowinning process, which is more economical compared to froth
flotation.

5. Primary and secondary ores

All copper mines have different mineral assemblages. The primary assemblage is the
mineralization type that is most prevalent. Most types of copper deposits also have secondary
ores, however, and they can add a great deal of value to a deposit. The Escondida mine is
primarily a chalcopyrite porphyry depositoverlain by secondary oxides. It is important for
companies not to discount secondary mineralization.
Types of copper deposits: Conclusion
While there are other factors to consider when valuing a copper deposit, the upshot is that a
world-class copper deposit holds a copper resource whose value far exceeds the cost of mining
and refining. To date, some of the biggest copper finds have been the Kennecott copper mine, a
large-scale porphyry deposit, the Chuquicamata copper porphyry complex and, of course,
Escondida.

This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in
2016.

Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Olivia Da Silva, hold no direct investment interest in any company
mentioned in this article.