Copper Power

History of Copper
The history of Copper use by humans is a long and varied one, dating back nearly 10,000 years with multiple applications. Copper is, in fact, humanity’s first metal and shows up in Sumerian and Egyptian metallurgy circa 3900 BC.
As mentioned already, the Egyptians were among the first human cultures to use Copper, but they were also one of the first to develop Bronze, a mixture of Tin and Copper, and usher in the Bronze Age of human history. As early as 3900 BC, they were developing Copper products that became more and more common and eventually showed up in common household items such as cooking pots. By 2500 BC, Egyptian jewelry makers had developed Copper working to such a level that they were creating crowns and headdresses made of the metal.
Copper use had spread to Asia quite quickly after its development in the middle East, but most examples remaining are from the last few centuries. Indian use of Copper excelled and their techniques soon spread to other parts of Asia. Beyond common uses, Asian cultures and religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, used Copper in the creation of fantastic inlays, embossed facades on palaces and temples, and ceremonial vessels.
Copper use in Pre-Columbian America seems to have developed independently around and possibly before the time that it began in the Middle East. Metal working by some cultures was so advanced by the time Europeans arrived, that the techniques the native workers had developed rivaled those of the invaders. Pre-Columbian Americans used Copper for bells, ornaments, weapons, beads, earrings and armor of very good technical quality.

Location
Copper is the oldest mined metal and is named after the Romans' supply source, which was located on the Island of Cyprus. Once plentiful, Native Copper (naturally occurring Copper) resources have all but run out on Earth and mining for it is no longer an economically viable enterprise. Commercial Copper mining operations now focus on removing the element from multi-elemental compounds or nations rely on Copper recycling efforts as a source of the metal. Because Native Copper finds are so rare, they are used more for study or Jewelry than for mining.
Chile has the world’s largest deposits of Copper, followed by the United States, whose largest deposits are located in Arizona. Sources of Copper are also in Canada, Zambia, Russia, Poland, China, Mexico, Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

Copper Myths
Because Copper is one of the oldest metals used by humans, it has played an important role in mythology. Its primary use has been as a specified metal in rituals, but it has also represented the Greek God Venus and to the Greeks, it could protect against evil and attract love.
In these ancient rituals, humans placed specific metaphoric importance upon the materials used. Often, every item and action involved in the rituals had meaning, from the material of the participants’ clothing to the lighting instruments.
Rituals associated with preparing the dead were especially important in many cultures where the afterlife was as, or more, important than life on Earth. As a consequence of the importance placed upon these rites, as mentioned above, every aspect took on exceptional mystical meaning. Egyptian rites called for the use of Copper mirrors, which those preparing the bodies placed under the head of the body.
Prayer Diagrams carved on Copper stones or engraved on plates provided a method of connecting to the spirit world in many Eastern cultures.
As a highly symbolic element in many rituals, Light and Lighting Instruments, could represent many things, from heaven to hell. Christian beliefs specify the use of bronze or copper metals when preparing candle holders for their rituals.
Relics are generally combinations of body parts that believers would hold in deep regard or even worship. Copper and other metals were often used in these objects, which can be found throughout the ancient world.
Purification Rites involve the preparation of a person or object for uses that could include anything from service of a deity to preparation for the afterlife. Copper basins in the rites of followers of Confucius, purified the feet and hands and in Egypt, they sprinkled water for purification.
In Ablution and Libation rituals, clerics or priests pour water or wine to honor a deity. In Egypt and India, tradition prescribed the use of Copper vessels as symbolic and important in these rituals. In Christianity’s Libation rites, chalices containing consecrated wine had to be made of either, Copper, Silver or Bronze.
Sacrifice played an important role in ancient times. The instrument used in the sacrifice could represent many things based upon its construction and material. Copper knives were present in the Indian horse sacrificial rite.

Healing Properties
Healers base their belief in Copper’s power to heal the mind and body based on the metal’s energy conducting properties. They believe that it can even facilitate this process and use it for creating crystal wands and other means of transferring the energy of crystals. They also attribute many of the same healing qualities to crystals and minerals that contain Copper traces.
Mental HealingAccording to New Age healers, Copper can stimulate the flow of energy and hence move Psychic or Mental energies thereby helping the wearer overcome lethargic tendencies, resulting in a more vitalized person with amplified thoughts. They also attribute powers of communication, channeling, cleansing, purification, increasing self-esteem and freeing the wearer of mental burdens.
Beginning in the 1970s in the United States, Copper use as a healing agent began to see an increase. People who believe in its power esteem it as a very powerful assistant with Arthritic and Rheumatic diseases, but also look to it for its healing properties in improving the circulation of blood, increasing energy, detoxification, reducing inflammation, stabilizing metabolism and improving Oxygen use.

Physical Properties
Copper’s physical properties of conductivity, strength, ductility, malleability and resistance to corrosion and wear, make it a very versatile and highly useful metal. Its earliest applications date from 4000 BC and included ornaments and vessels. Modern cultures use it for wiring and industrial applications but it remains highly used for ornamental use. In the 1970’s it saw a surge in use for medicinal purposes.
Copper’s color is a unique softly reflective brown red to deep brick red. Exposure to Oxygen causes Copper to tarnish and turn a Teal Green as is the case with one of America’s most famous monuments the Statue of Liberty.
Copper is an element (Cu) and appears often in nature in compounds that form minerals such as Malachite-CuCO(3) or Cu(OH)2, a green semi-precious stone and Azurite-2CuCO(3) or Cu(OH)2, a blue crystal and the basic Carbonate of Copper.
AlloysThe most famous Copper alloy is Bronze, a Copper/Tin alloy, that played a large role in the advancement of ancient cultures. Copper is also often mixed with Zinc to form Brass. Other alloys include Sterling Silver, which is 92.5% Silver (minimum) and 7.5% Copper and lower Karat Gold. Jewelry manufacturers add Copper to Silver and Gold to increase the strength of the items. They also use Copper for the process of Electroplating Gold. In Electroplating, jewelers apply Gold to Copper using electricity and can achieve a very thin product.
Ores of Copper include Sulfides, which require enriching the ore, and oxidized ores, which require no enrichment. Copper mines are either open pit mines or underground. Open pit mines are generally easier to make profitable but are environmentally destructive.
Chemical Composition: Cu
Hardness 2½ - 3
Specific Gravity 8.9
Luster Metallic
Crystal System is isometric
Streak is reddish copper color.
Boiling point: 2,567 degrees C
Atomic number: 29
Tensile strength: approx. 19,000 psi
Atomic weight: 63.546
Melting point: 1,083 degrees C
Reference: http://www.jewelrysupplier.com