1. The Romans gave copper its name. They called it “aes cyprium” (ore from Cyprus) because, in ancient times, most copper came from Cyprus. The word was later modified to “cuprum”, from which we have our modern day “copper”.
2. The Egyptians used the ankh symbol to denote copper in their system of hieroglyphs. It also represented eternal life.
3. According to archaeologists, copper tubes for conveying water were first used in Ancient Egypt around 2750 BC. There is an example in the Berlin State Museum taken from a temple near the pyramid of Sahure in Abusir. The fact that the copper piping is still present and fairly intact—in spite of the poor condition of the temple—speaks to the durability of copper as a piping material.
4. Pure gold is so soft that you can shape it with your hands, which is why most gold jewellery actually contains a mixture of gold, silver and copper. In Europe, it was actually forbidden to alloy gold with metals other than silver and copper up until the 19th century. Even twenty-four carat gold contains some copper!
5. New York’s Statue of Liberty is made of more than 80 tonnes of copper mined in Norway and fabricated by French artisans. Copper was an obvious choice: it withstood the long journey to America from France and resisted the salty sea air and spray to which it was exposed. The Lady’s natural, green patina has protected her from corrosion since 1886.
6. From classic jam pans to the casseroles of the Michelin-starred chefs at the greatest restaurants, copper cookware is unrivalled. Why? Because copper is the best of any material used in cookware at conducting heat, guaranteeing a consistent, constant temperature and limiting thermal inertia.
7. Copper’s exceptional resistance to corrosion is invaluable in many inhospitable environments. That’s the reason why Sweden—leading the way on long-term nuclear waste handling—decided to keep used nuclear fuel out of harm’s way in oxygen-free copper canisters, with a wall thickness of five centimetres. These canisters are required to remain effective for a hundred thousand years, but are expected to last five times longer.
