Material extraction
The mining and extraction of copper has several impacts on the environment. The extraction of copper is done in several steps and process using different technologies and mechanisms. The copper element is extracted from its ore through heating the ore using carbon. This process releases carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere. It is a well known fact that carbon dioxide gas is a greenhouse gas which result into global warming. The result of the extraction is copper full of impurities. The impure copper is then placed under further treatment to eliminate the presence of the impurities. In most cases, impurities in the impure copper extracted from the copper ore are eliminated through electrolysis. In this process, the electrodes are made of impure and pure copper. The anode of the process is made of impure copper while the cathode is made of pure copper. A copper sulphate solution is used as the electrolyte (Northey, Haque & Mudd, 2013). This process releases toxic sulphur chemicals into the ground which are harmful to the living organisms in the ground. Copper mineral exists in ores which exist in both sedimentary and igneous rocks. Cooper extraction is first done through mining via two methods. The first method used in copper mining is the underground mining. The other method used in copper mining is the open pit mining (Zhu et al., 2012). It is usually used in rich ore since it is expensive as compared to open pit mining. These processes lead to the destruction of animal habitant as well as air pollution.
Manufacturing
After the copper has been mined and extracted using different methods, pure copper is passed through several processes so as to produce a copper product or wire that can be used for different electrical purposes. The manufacture of copper wire involves numerous processes; drawing, annealing, stranding, tinning and braiding (Lee, 2011). The processes and machines used in manufacturing copper wire present negative impact on the environment since they involve the use of toxic chemicals and gasses which are disposed as waste in to the natural habitat such as rivers. The wire draw converts the huge copper coils from the copper mines to copper wire. During the drawing process, the copper rod is pulled through a collection of synthetic diamond dies which are used to decrease slowly in size (Lin et al., 2011). The dies and the rod are constantly flooded with synthetic lubricant and a coolant so as to prevent the copper from overheating (Lee, 2011).Annealing of the brittle copper coil is done so as to make the copper wire flexible. The annealing process is attained by passing massive electrical current through the copper wire so as to raise its temperature (Lin et al., 2011). The insulation process is attained by passing the copper wire through an extruder. The extruder applies single and a double coating of plastic on the copper wire depending on the earlier performed measurement (Lin et al., 2011). After the copper wire has been insulated, it is passed through a cooling process and rolled into reels.
Usage and application
Copper wires are extensively used not only in electrical wiring but also a myriad of other applications across different disciplines. Copper is considered as one of the fundamental chemical elements. It exhibits a reddish orange colour in its nearly pure state. The metal is widely known for its high electrical and thermal conductivity (Ayres, Ayres & Råde, 2013).
Most of its application are based on the two major properties; high electrical and thermal conductivity. Due to its high thermal and electrical conductivity, copper is used in a myriad of applications such as cooking pans, electrical wires, automobile radiators, tubes and pipes. Then advancements in technology have resulted in the expansion in the applications of copper (Radetzki, 2009). Copper wires and capable are used for different purposes in building wires, communication wires, appliance wire, automotive and cable, power distribution and winding or magnet wire. Copper cables are used in building wire to transport and distribute electricity within a commercial, residential or industrial building. Additionally, copper wires are empoloyed in communication wires such as coaxial cables, twisted pair cable and structured wiring to transmit communication signals. Copper is currently applied and used in electrical wiring, cooling and refrigeration, electronics, automotive applications, heating and power generation and transmission. Cooper wires have numerous properties that make them suitable for their use. Apart from being high conductors of both heat and electricity, copper wires are resistant to corrosion, antibacterial, and tough, ductile, non-magnetic, recyclable, easy to alloy, catalytic and easily joined (Ayres, Ayres & Råde, 2013).
Recycling and Disposal
Cooper wires, as well as copper product, are recycled in most cases after use. The economic benefits associated with recycling copper products and wires are extremely high. Cooper wires have the ability to retain their usefulness and value even after a long use past its usefulness. Recycling of copper wire is very crucial given the scarcity of copper ore and the increase in global electrification which utilizes copper wires. Recycling of copper wires presents positive impact on the environment since it reduces the amount of copper waste (Reck & Graedel, 2012). There are numerous benefits associated with the reuse and recycling of copper wires. Recycling of copper wires aid in reducing the negative impacts caused during mining and purification of the copper. The process of mining and purification releases harmful chemicals into the environment such as sulphur dioxide. As opposed to mining and purification of copper ore, recycling of used copper produces a minimal effect on the environment. Additionally, copper recycling saves the environmental space such as landfill which would have been used to dispose of used copper (Yang, Wu & Li, 2012). Recycling converses energy since it requires less energy as compared to mining and manufacture. Also, it is economically cheaper to recycle used copper wires and materials than to mine, extract and manufacture new copper wires. The cost of mining, extraction and manufacture of new copper materials and wires are extremely high as compared to the cost of recycling used or old copper wires.
References
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Lee, H. W. (2011). U.S. Patent No. 8,008,111. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark
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Reck, B. K., & Graedel, T. E. (2012). Challenges in metal recycling.Science, 337(6095), 690-
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