Blog: The Underrated Metal

In today’s technologically focused age, many people see one penny and two pence coins as surplus to requirement – often just throwing their “coppers” away, believing them to have no value. Here at www.qualitetch.co.uk, we think otherwise, and understand the true value that lies within the seemingly insignificant metal. While the old adage states that if you “look after the pennies, and the pounds will look after themselves”, many people in today’s society believe they have very little use and are coins that have small inherent value. This is wildly inaccurate. Misunderstood Penny and two penny coins were originally made from copper, but are today made from a copper alloy; bronze. However, copper to this day remains one of the most easily accessible metals on Earth, with enough supply to maintain our current usage levels for at least another 5 million years. Copper is easily recyclable and will still retain much of its value when reused. In fact, a massive 80% of all copper used throughout history is still in use today. This is especially beneficial in the electronics industry, where parts are often required to be broken down and reused elsewhere. True Colours Copper is, in fact, one of the most versatile and common metals in the Periodic Table. Not only is it soft and malleable, but it is also high in conductivity; making it one of the most used metals in electronics. It is also one of two metals in the Periodic Table that aren’t grey or silver. Extracted from ores through the smelting process, copper is initially a red-orange colour. Copper turns brown when exposed to air, although when exposed to both air and water, it will turn green – as demonstrated by the Statue of Liberty. Being one of the most common metals in the world, known as “Man’s Eternal Metal”; it is relatively low cost and easy to manipulate. 60% of all copper resource is used in electrical wiring, 20% in plumbing and roofing, and 15% is used in industrial machinery and products. Plating One of the biggest uses for the metal is copper plating. Even pennies are copper plated, however, plating is primarily used for TVs, radios, washing machines, dryers and many circuit boards. It has antibacterial qualities, so copper plating has also been utilised on ships; to protect them from mussels and barnacles, as well as handrails and door knobs. There are many, many more uses for copper and copper plating; the list is endless. For more information on how you can make the most of copper plating, or any of our other services; please do not hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.

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