Copper

What is copper?

Copper (Cu) is a distinctive reddish-coloured and useful metal found in every family home. Copper delivers the electricity whenever you switch on a light, boil a jug, or charge your mobile phone or electric car.

The history of copper

Copper has been used for more than 10,000 years and is humankind’s oldest metal. In ancient civilisations it was used to make tools, weapons, and decorative items due to its malleability and durability. Being harder and more durable than other metals it allowed Bronze Age civilizations to gain technological advantages.

Over time copper’s use expanded to include currency, architectural elements, and artistic creations, to now powering our modern world.

How is copper used?

Copper is a versatile metal used in everyday applications.

• Electronics—its thermal and electrical conductivity makes it essential for wiring, circuitry, and electronic motors.
• Construction—its durability and resistance to corrosion makes it ideal for plumbing, roofing and heating systems.
• Healthcare—its antimicrobial properties make it valuable in healthcare as copper surfaces help reduce the spread of pathogens.
• Homes—it is used in anything from cookware and kitchen utensils to electronic appliances and home plumbing systems.

Did you know?

• > 90kg

  of copper is found in the average family home

Copper in Queensland

Queensland has a 150-year history of copper production, with the first mines and smelters being established in Central and South East Queensland in the 1860s.

Copper in the Cloncurry region led to the birth of mining towns like Mount Isa. Today the North West Minerals Province (NWMP) is the heart of Queensland's copper mining industry. Here, copper is mined and extracted across several mine sites, smelted in Mount Isa, and refined in Townsville.

Most produced copper in Queensland is refined to over 99.99% purity and exported to international markets, particularly in Asia.

Queensland’s copper industry helps drive our economy and has a profound impact on the local communities it supports — creating jobs and prosperity for those regions.

• 5000

  Queenslanders employed in our copper industry

• >20%

  of Australia's copper is produced in Queensland

• $3bn

  export value for Queensland copper

• 2050

  global demand of copper is expected to double by 2050

Copper and renewable energy

Copper will help power renewable energy technologies as the world heads towards net zero emission targets. It is one of the few metals that can be recycled and reused multiple times, making it indispensable for a sustainable future.

• Solar panels depend heavily on copper for their wiring and components, both the electrical circuit in the panels and the ribbon connecting solar cells.

• Wind turbines use copper in their motors and generators. Copper is also used to create the electromagnetic field needed to generate electricity as the blades turn.

• Electric Vehicles (EVs) heavily rely on copper for their batteries and electrical systems. Copper is used for the anode, cathode, and wiring throughout the vehicle, connecting the battery to the electric motors and other components.

• Large-scale battery storage systems rely heavily on copper for electrical wiring connections and energy-efficient transmission and operation.

Supporting our critical minerals sector

To capitalise on growing demand, we’re supporting our critical minerals sector through grants and other initiatives.

• Our latest Collaborative Exploration Initiative (CEI) supports explorers to find more essential critical minerals, like copper, to power our future. The latest round provided $4.6 million in funding to help fast-track 18 projects in North Queensland, with nearly three quarters of these projects involved in the potential discovery of new copper deposits.
• The $170 million Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund has already assisted several local companies through grants that help develop the workforce, technology, and infrastructure required to establish a globally competitive critical minerals, battery technologies, and advanced materials industry in Queensland.
• The CopperString 2032 project is a 1,100km high-voltage electricity transmission line from Townsville to Mount Isa that will connect Queensland’s North West Minerals Province (NWMP) to the national electricity grid. It’s the largest ever economic development project in North Queensland and will provide energy certainty to Queensland’s burgeoning critical minerals sector.
• The Collaborative Development Program offers $5 million in funding to companies to recover remaining mineralisation found in mine waste in an effort to accelerate the development of Queensland's critical minerals sector.

Last updated

26 June 2024

Last reviewed

26 June 2024