Copper case study

Question 1

Information of copper

Answer 1

• mainly extracted from copper ores
• Porphyry deposits are the most common source of copper ore, followed by sedimentary deposits
• large concentrations down the west coast of North and South America, and across Europe and Asia.
• 2014, Chile was the biggest producer of copper in the world, accounting for 31% of all copper mined.
• Chile and Peru are continuing to invest in mines in order to continue producing enough copper to meet the demands of the major industrial nations, especially China.

Question 2

Copper use in commerce and industry

Answer 2

Industry :
Copper-related industries (e.g. mining, processing and manufacturing products containing copper Can be major contributors to a country’s economy. For example, in 2013, the copper industry accounted for 20% of GDP in Chile.

Commerce:
Supply and demand of copper affects its price - for example, if demand falls then price decreases too. This happened between 2011 and 2016, when an over-supply of copper, combined with the global financial crisis, caused copper prices to halve. Because copper is so important to a range of industries, its price is often used to indicate how healthy the global economy is.

Question 3

The Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah

Answer 3

• 30 miles south-west of Salt Lake City, is the largest copper mine in the USA.
• 2000 workers employed
• 450000 tones of rock extracted daily
  – US$1.8 billion worth of metals produced annually
• more than 19 million tones of copper has been produced
• more than any other mine in history.
• Rio Tinto Group bought Kennecott in 1989 and has invested nearly US$2.5 billion in modernising the mine and addressing environmental problems. It has also opened a visitor centre to educate the public about mining practices, sustainable development and the importance of mining in modern life.

Question 4

The Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah environmental impacts

Answer 4

• disruption of the landscape
• removal of vegetation and topsoil
• contamination of air with dust and toxic substances
• groundwater contamination by toxic compounds in one tailings

Processing:the tailings are not covered and stabilised, dust
and water leaching through the waste can carry toxic materials into the environment.

Question 5

The Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah landslides

Answer 5

• 10th April 2013 Two landslides of both bedrock and mine waste followed that same evening caused the equivalent of magnitude 5.1 and 4.9 earthquakes followed by 16 smaller aftershocks.
• less serious injuries due to effective site monitoring and the resulting evacuation order. no fatalities or injuries occurred.

Question 6

The Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah sustainability

Answer 6

Social: Health, safety and welfare emphasis.
* Daybreak community set up in South Jordan, Utah to serve the Kennecott.
Bingham Canyon Mine.
* Liveability characteristics include walkable access, community, education and healthcare services.

Economic: Recycling uses 85% less energy than primary extraction and processing.
Environmental: Emphasis on environmental stewardship and energy conservation.
Refining at source.
Efficient bulk transport of copper concentrates, anodes,

Question 7

The Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah reduce environmental impacts

Answer 7

Extraction: Choosing not to mine environmentally sensitive areas, On-site processing reduces emissions of transportation as waste material is not transported

Transport: Driverless trains and trucks are being used by Rio Tinto mining operations in Australia, which are more efficient than human drivers, decreasing carbon emissions from transport and Increasing capacity of ships and using more efficient fuels

Processing: Rio Tinto have created a new process for making aluminium which produces only oxygen as a bi-product, so is carbon neutral to a certain extent , Powering processing plants by solar power is more sustainable