Products

Copper

Copper is:

• a multi-purpose metal used in electrical products, construction, transportation equipment
• classified as a transition metal
• ductile, malleable, and able to conduct electricity and heat
• used in computers, refrigerators, microwaves and automobiles
• the most versatile and durable of all metals and has been called “man’s eternal metal”
• a marvellous mineral and its alloys are at the heart of many technologies
• is recyclable
• the standard benchmark for electrical conductivity

The uses of copper are well documented and include:

• Wires
• Coinage metal-currency
• 2 Radioactive isotopes of copper (copper-64 to study brain function and to detect Wilson’s diseases. Copper 67 treats cancer)
• Electrical industry
• Copper is used as an agricultural poison, and water purifier
• Copper sulfate
• Tubing pipes-Plumbing
• Statues
• Watt’s steam engine
• Vacuum tubes
• Cookware
• Cutlery
• Musical instrument
• Jewellery-Clocks & Watches
• Boat bottom
• Weapons
• Navigational instrument
• Computers

Cobalt

Cobalt is an important strategic metal, with diverse industrial and military applications. Its primary uses are as a constituent of superalloys and specialty steels for the aerospace industry and as a component of rechargeable batteries for use in portable electronic equipment such as mobile telephones and laptop computers. The cobalt market is small in comparison to other base metal markets, with 2005 production of refined cobalt at just under 54,000 tonnes.

As with many other metals, there has recently been a geographical shift in demand for cobalt from the traditional markets of Europe and North America to Asia, with Japan and China being responsible for most of the increase in global consumption over the last few years. Total Chinese cobalt demand for 2005 was estimated to be around 12,000 tonnes, making China a bigger market than both Europe and the US.

Most of the recent demand growth has been in chemical applications of cobalt, in particular for rechargeable batteries. Cobalt is an additive in nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NiMH ) and lithium ion (LI) batteries. In this rapidly growing segment, there has also been a shift from the nickel metal hydride type (containing c. 10 % cobalt) to lithium ion (c. 30-60 % cobalt) types. Rapidly growing consumer demand for portable electronic devices is giving new prominence to the rechargeable battery sector and lessening the cobalt market’s particular sensitivity to the health of the aircraft and machine tool industries.

Sources of Cobalt

World reserves of cobalt are located in only a few countries. The cobalt deposits in the DRC and Zambia together amount to over half of the known reserves. The DRC has the single largest reserves of minable cobalt, with 49% of the world’s cobalt reserves. The country with the second largest reserves of cobalt is Australia, with 20% of global reserves.

While the Democratic Republic of Congo has almost 49% of the world’s reserves of cobalt, it is only responsible for an estimated 30% of the world’s mined cobalt production. In contrast, Zambia, with its much lower share of reserves, is responsible for around 17% of the world’s mined cobalt.