Thumbprints - Natural Copper Ore
   


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  Copper can be one of the so-called native elements. This means that it can
be found in its elemental state naturally, uncombined chemically with other elements. (Although there may be impurities.)

The name copper comes from Kupros or Cyprus where the ancient world's copper
mines were. Copper is a reddish orange element although it can appear brown when
found in nature. It can contain silver, arsenic, iron, bismuth, antimony, mercury, or
germanium. Copper is an extremely ductile metal and can be formed into many
shapes including wire and sheet. Copper is used in electrical wiring, copper tubing,
and alloys such as brass and bronze.

In the United States native copper is found in Massachusetts, Connecticut,
New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, New Mexico Oregon and
Alaska. It is also found in Russia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Australia, Chile,
Bolivia, Mexico and Nova Scotia.