Copper nuggets from Michigan in medium size.

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a red/yellow transition metal that is also known as red copper in its unalloyed form. Researchers have discovered copper use as early as 8700 BC in the north of what is now known as Iraq. Other excavations indicate that copper was used in the region as early as 5000 BC. Copper was already melted and isolated from copper-bearing minerals such as malachite and azurite. The Sumerians and Egyptians are known to have melted copper around 3000 BC and used it to make bronze. The use of copper was also known in China, and very high-quality bronze objects from 1200 BC have been found. The mummy Ötzi, who was found in the Austrian/Italian Alps in 1991 and is believed to have died around 3300 BC, wore tools made of 99.7% pure copper. In mythology and alchemy, copper was often associated with the goddess Aphrodite because of its beautiful shine. For this reason, copper was used in the past for mirrors, among other things. The name copper comes from the Latin word cuprum. This word is derived from "aes cyprium", which means "ore of Cyprus". In ancient times, copper was mined on Cyprus. The main sources of copper are the minerals chalcopyrite, chalcocite, covellite, azurite, malachite and bornite. These are found in large quantities in the earth's crust. Major deposits of copper ore are in Chile, Peru and the United States. About one third of all copper is mined in Chile. Indonesia has shown the strongest growth in copper production over the past decade and was the fourth-largest producer in 2009. The main users of copper are China, Germany and the United States. Worldwide consumption of copper was 18.4 million tonnes in 2009. Mine production was 15.8 million tonnes, and due to recycling, the total supply was 18.6 million tonnes. Demand is growing faster than supply, causing stocks to fall. On February 4th, 2011, the price of copper reached a record high of $10,000 per tonne. The same Financial Times article reported that demand will far exceed supply in 2011, leading to further price increases. Copper is traded on several international exchanges, including London, New York and Shanghai.