Delta chief., 1883-06-06
Copper.

dGcts fashioned into tools and utensils, but
were far more extensively used for the manu-
fucture of ornaments for the persons and the
homes of the carly inhabitants Of our world.
Tubal Cain, Of tne seventh generation from
Adam, was an adept artiticer in copper and
brass. Chcops worked successfully copper
mine on the peninsula of Sinai. The ancient
Egyptians, who possessed the art OF harden
ing coppcr-combining with it an alloy Of
tin-madc their tools Of this metal. and EN-
pluycd them in the working of stone and
aud other metals. The first coins used by
by man were made Of pure copper. !, was
consumed in large quantities by the Syrians,
PhUnicians Greeks and Romans in the CON
structions Of monuments and statues.
That the ore was worked extensively by the
ancicnts is evident from the various imple-
ments, utensils, ornaments, etc, which have
been discovered beneath the ruins of buried
cities in Egypt, in the tumuli in Denmark, in
the quarries of the Aztecs at Militia, Mexico,
aud in the copper mines Of the United States,
some OF which were unquestionablc worked
10y race Of people who preceded the Indian
in the occupancy of North America.
some idea may be gathered as 10 the extent
Ia which the industry was prosecuted, and
the facilities enjoyed for working and fash
ioninc the products Of the earlier copper
mines Of the world, FROM the following ex.
tract: "rhc Colossu, Of Rhodes, after hav-
ing lain in fragments for centuries, it said TO
have required 900 cnmcls to convey it. pieces
away"
In the middle ages, however, the production
aud use Of copper would seem to have been in
a great measure abandoned, probably because
Of the discovery 81 the more precious metals
with which it was associated. At least the
records Of that period in the worlds history
contain little concerning the working or use
Of the metal.
la the tenth century a copper mine was
worked near Goslar. in Lower SFSony. In Shc
twcldh century the Fahlun mine, in Sweden.
was worked, and In the thirteenth century the
mines of Thuringa were extensively dcvcl.
"prl. From that time until the latter part Of
the eighteenth century, the copper mines Of
England yielded this metal more extensively
than those Of all the rest Of Europe combined.
so late rs 1854 a noted writer said "Grcal
Britain exceeds all other countries in the
number Of copper mines and the value Of
thcir products
In the year Isii the Lake Superior copper.
mines were discovered. and these have since
proved to bc the richest aud most productive
mines Of this metal in the world. Abundant
evidences Of the previous workings Of these
mines were found in the rude stone tools and
the primitive appliances for reducing the ore
which had been len by an unknown people,
who had in ages past, inhabited this country,
and whose history is uuwrttrn.
Since the discovery of the Lake Superior
deposits the copper mines Of the United States
have, until recently, yielded sufficient sup
ply to meet the demands for home consump-
ton, leaving, also, large surplus FOR export.
Next To iron, copper is the most useful
metal. In its general distrbutson it comes
next to that most important Of all metals.
The qualities Of durability, mallcability, due
tbility, etc, IL possesses, render itwell adapt
ed for n great variety of purposes. Its dispo-
sition, moreover, to form alloys with other
mctals-for which it Is particularly remark
able-causcs II to be largely used for the pro.
ducton of numcrous compounds, and thus is
made to perform the service of n great num-
ber of different metals possessing variety of
qualities.
In this connection We should not omit to
mention the fact that the immense consump-
iion of copper for electrical purposcs-which
with n single company in the east (Edison'sl
reaches twenty tons per day-will afford n
vast stimulus to this industry during the
rent year No fears need be entertained that
ii.r steadily increasing supply from mines on
the Pacific slope will cause the supply to be
in excess Of the demand for home consump-
ton.
Probably no field Of mining venture affords
such inducements for Investments Ms copper
mining. The Calumet and llccla mine, II is
we'll known, has paid some 500, ,Oo0,0oo in div
idcnds TO its Shareholders while most of the
other Michigan companies have paid from
thirty to fifty per cent. per annum ON their
investment. During the past two years most
Of the copper mines operated in Arizona and
New Mexico, notably the Copper Queen, Old
Globe. Longiellow, Detroit, Omega, etc, have
made large returns to their owners. 1t is ev-
idcnt that the business Is sufficiently snfc and
profitable to offer great encouragement US to
the future of this industry in our country.
In the reduction of copper ores, various sys.
TENS have from time to time been adopted.
the method being subjected in part 10 the