El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-23
COPPER AND
ITS USES
Historical Sketch And De-
scriptive Essay On the
RED METAL ANDlTS NAME
The Price OF Copper Advanced
Greatly Last Year-It Is Found
the World Over, But the United
States Has the Richest Mines.

Greatly Last Yedr-It is fOuiIo
the World Over, But the United
States Has the Richest Mines.
Copper forms so important part of
the mineral wealth of New Mexico that
the following prehensive paper Cd
its nature, treatment and uses will be
read by Nj. E. Wade, of Los Angeles.
before the Southern California Acade-
my of Sciences:
The writer, Mr.. Wade, who is pro-
mi mt mining engineer of California.
is a con of E. G. Wade, Sr.. of Las
Cruces.
"In approaching my subject, | am
reminded of farmer-no doubt In
Kentucky-whow was blowing under
snake. He was asked why he WAS de-
ing that. He said: This is rotation
of crops-snskes make corn, corn
makes whisky, and whisky makes
snakes
'Dld you ever think of what
becomes of all the old brass pins?
Well, they rotate just like snakes, corn
and whisky. Pins are usually made of
brass, an alloy of copper and zinc.
These metals are reduced from their
ores, alloyed into brass, and the brass
made into pins, The pins, when lost,
COPPER PRICES.
SAT the present time no metal is at
tracing in so great degree the atteu-
ton of capitalists with the exception
of gold, as copper. Within the past
year it has risen in price from about
III cents per pound to 49, cents. Its
market quotation is now about
10! cents.
I'VE have all read of the stone age,
the bronze age, and the iron age. In
ancient times it is probable that man
was acquainted with copper before he
knew anything of iron. Tubal Cain Is
recorded to have wrought In brass and
iron, and the Chinese have traditions
of the use of copper at much earlier
time than is recorded in history. The
Greciaus used to import it from the is
land of Cyprus, whence its name In
Latin-cuprum.
FORM OF COPPER ORE.
Cooper is found 10 great variety
of rocks, from the archean up 30 the
recent formations of the earth's crust.
Its orr g nal com bination is proba bly that
of the sui phide, with sulphur. The sui
phide OF copper, by means of natural
agencies-water, oxygen and other ele-
frequently altered into sec
ondary ompound-sulphates, oxides,
etc. The most common
forms of occurrence of copper are the
oxide and carbonate. Various
forms are usually found in the same
vein of formation: and generally the
deeper a mine is developed-the fur
Their from atmospheric and oxidizing in
fuences generally-them Orecommon is
the occurrence of the sulphide.
Cooper is frequently found native or
free state-most notably in the south OF
the basin OF the Superior lake, Michi
gan.
IT'S PROPERTIES.
''Of all the metals. with the excep-
lion of titanium, copper Ia the only
one having a red color. 1t Is very
and ductile, capable of being
rolled into sheets and drawn into wire.
1t can be cut with a knife. but is
Its density is greater than that of iron,
but less than that of lead. It melts at
|, 996 degrees Fahrenheit, a lower heat
than is required for iron or gold, but
greater than for silver.
Cooper Is readily acted upon by
many acids, mineral and vegetable.
It's salts are quite poisonous, and hence
1t is unsafe to use copper or brass
utensils for culinary purposes. Fatty
readily corrodes in damp atmos-
phere, forming verdigris.
USES OF COPPER.
"A very common salt of copper, used
much in the arts. is that of the sui
phate, very beautiful blue crystal !
line 81 Instance, known commonly as
blue stone.
"An important use of copper Is in
making jewelry, being chief con-
stituent of brass. 1t enters into the !
com position of many alloys. Alloyed
with zinc, it forms brass: with tin and 4!
other metals, the various bronzes, bell |
metal, gun metal, etc. Its most i'm
portant use at the present time is for
electrical purposes.
Another of its important uses Is as
,heathing for marine vessels, to pre- |
vent the destructive effects of the terre- !
10. Ailoyed with aluminium. it's tensile |!
strength is much enhanced for struct- !
lral purposes. Another very important !
Use is in the milling Of gold ores, owing |
20 it's property of amalgsmating' with |,
gold and silver. For this copper aprons, |
with the upper surface frightened with |
) coating of quicksilver, are placed in |
front of the stamp mill. and the finely |
ore passed over them. The |
quicksilver catches the liberated gold |