It was first called cuprium, then cuprum, and finally, in English, copper. Copper has played an important role over the millennia in world economic and industrial development. In addition to its high electrical and thermal conductivity, the metal is useful for its durability, strength, and resistance to fatigue. These attributes make copper a key material in the electric utility industry, transportation, and heating systems. Its corrosion-resistant properties have secured a place for this metal in a variety of industrial and chemical applications.
Copper also is used in plumbing, and is an alloy in brass and bronze products.
Other applications for copper include use in agricultural fertilizers, medicines, kitchen utensils, and decorative items. Chile remains the foremost copper mining country in the world, followed by the United States, Canada, and Indonesia. All told, some fifty countries mine copper, not just as a primary metal but often in association with gold, silver, lead, zinc, or nickel.