Where and how is copper ore mined? Copper ore and pure copper mining technology
Arathi Highlands, Thousand Needles;
From 1 to 65
This is a very, very tedious stage in leveling up Mining, because there are extremely few Tin veins.
Upon reaching skill level 75, smelt all ore into ingots, and then all [Tin Ingots] And [Copper Ingots] V [Bronze Ingots]. Your skill should increase to level 90-95.
At skill level 75 you will learn how to smelt [Silver Ore] into ingots - this will help you reach skill level 125: buy Silver Ore at the auction, smelt it and sell it in ingots. If the ore on your server is too expensive, then keep mining [Tin Ore] and create [Bronze Ingots] up to skill level 125. If you find Silver Ore, then it is advisable to smelt the mined ore immediately, since it is better to do this before the skill of smelting silver ore into an ingot turns green (at skill level 122).
[Tin], [Silver] And [Copper] You can mine ores in these locations:
From 125 to 175
At skill level 155 you will be able to smelt Gold Ore into bars. At the auction, buy 30 ore and smelt it - in the end, you should get about 175 skill level. [Gold bars] can be sold at auction. If the gold ore on the server is cheap, then there is a good chance to earn a little extra money.
Collect [Iron Ore], [Tin Ore] And [Gold Ore] in the following locations:
| Arathi Highlands | Thousand Needles |
From 175 to 245
Once you reach skill level 200, visit a trainer and learn to become a Craftsman.
At skill level 230 you will learn how to turn truesilver ore into ingots - a true ability that will help you reach skill level 245.
[Mithril Ore] And [True Silver Ore] convenient to collect in these areas:
From 245 to 300
This stage is the most difficult - thorium veins are quite rare, and there are quite a lot of miners on them.
Gain 5 skill levels by mining ore from Small Thorium Veins, then visit a trainer and learn how to smelt thorium ore into ingots. The fastest way to level up your skill level to 270 is by smelting - buy about 50 ore and smelt it into ingots (ingots can be sold at auction at a price that is often comparable to ore prices). If you haven't already [Enchant Gloves - Mining II], then now is the time to do this, because the ability to work with rich thorium veins is just 5 skill levels away.
For characters above level 65, it is recommended to pretend to be miners in Winter Springs, otherwise best place Eastern Plaguelands will be used for leveling. Silithus is, by and large, a backup option. If Winterspring and the Eastern Plaguelands are all dug up or ganked, then welcome to Silithus.
fight for [Thorium Ore] Here:
| Eastern Plaguelands |
The most common copper ore on our planet is bornite. But besides it, copper is also mined from other ores, which we will talk about in this article.
1
This ore refers to accumulations of minerals in which copper is present in such quantities that are considered suitable for processing for industrial purposes. A generally accepted indicator of the reasonableness of developing a deposit is considered to be a situation when copper accumulations in it are at least 0.5–1%.
Moreover, about 90% of the reserves of this metal on earth are found in ores containing not only copper, but also other metals (for example, nickel).
Large-scale copper mining in Russia is carried out in Eastern Siberia, in the Urals and the Kola Peninsula. The largest deposits of this metal are present in Chile (according to experts, about 190 million tons). Other countries engaged in the development of such ores include the USA, Zambia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Canada, Zaire, Armenia, Congo, Peru, and Uzbekistan. In total, the planet's total reserves of copper in explored deposits are approximately 680 million tons.
All copper deposits are usually divided into six genetic groups and nine industrial geological types:
- stratiform group (copper shales and sandstones);
- pyrite (native copper, vein and copper-pyrite type);
- hydrothermal (porphyry copper ores);
- igneous (copper-nickel ore);
- skarn;
- carbonate (iron-copper and carbonatite type).
In our country, the main extraction of copper is carried out on cuprous shales and sandstones, from copper pyrites, copper-nickel and porphyry copper ores.
2
In nature, copper is quite rare in its native form. Most often, it “hides” in various connections. The most famous of them are the following:
3
Other copper minerals are much less common, among which are the following:
4
This metal, whose characteristics (for example, high ) have led to its wide demand) is obtained from the minerals and ores described by us in three ways - hydrometallurgical, pyrometallurgical and electrolysis. The most common is pyrometallurgical technology, which uses the mineral chalcopyrite as a feedstock. The general scheme of the pyrometallurgical process includes several operations. The first of them is the enrichment of copper ore by oxidative roasting or flotation.
The flotation method is based on the difference in wettable gangue and copper-containing particles. Due to this, some mineral elements adhere (selectively) to the air bubbles and are transported to the surface by them. This simple technology makes it possible to obtain a powdered concentrate, in which the copper content varies from 10 to 35 percent.
Oxidative roasting (not to be confused with) is more often used when the initial raw material contains sulfur in large quantities. In this case, the ore is heated to a temperature of 700–800 degrees, which leads to the oxidation of sulfides and a halving of the sulfur content. After this, smelting is performed for matte (an alloy with iron and copper sulfides, produced in reverberatory or shaft furnaces) at a temperature of 1450 degrees.
The copper matte, which is obtained after all these operations, is blown in horizontal converters without supplying additional fuel ( chemical reactions provide the heat necessary for the process) with side blast for the oxidation of iron and sulfides. The resulting sulfur is converted into SO2, and the oxides into slag.
As a result, what comes out of the converter is so-called black copper, in which the metal content is approximately 91%. Subsequently, it is purified using fire refining (removing unnecessary impurities) and an acidified solution of copper sulfate (copper). This cleaning is called electrolytic, after which the copper content reaches 99.9%.
In the hydrometallurgical method of copper production, it is obtained by leaching the metal with sulfuric acid (a very weak solution) and separating copper, as well as other precious metals, from the resulting solution. This technique is recommended for working with low-grade ores.
The first profession I started earning gold from in WoW was mining. When I asked older comrades about what kind of craft to do, I, as a beginner, was advised to take mining professions, since others did not bring such income (which was a controversial statement), and for a beginner who is leveling up his first character, they are an excellent help for strengthening his material provisions (which was true).
Important : This guide has been updated for patch 8.0.1 (current version of World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth). But for those who download mining on the official classic WoW servers, it will also be useful. The locations and places where you can find this or that ore have not changed, so you can use the maps without problems.
Yes, indeed, if you are on a quest and spend most of your time in locations, then one way or another you will come across flowers and ore veins, and even more so animals from which you can skin. Now there is another reason why it makes sense for a new character to engage in mining - they give you experience for it, that is, by hammering with a pickaxe you level up.
Miners provide raw materials for many productive professions. The metals that miners smelt are used by engineers and blacksmiths, and the ore is sifted by jewelers. If you choose mining, you will definitely not be left without income; the demand for ore of all levels is constant. The disadvantages of this profession are that it is a farming profession by definition and you will have to spend quite a lot of time to earn money. Therefore, many players, after reaching the level cap, reset mining and change their profession.
Mining is carried out using two methods, which can be used both together and separately - ore mining and metal smelting. Both add points, so, unlike herbalism or skinning, you can upgrade your mining without leaving the city, simply by buying ore and smelting it into metal ingots. True, only up to level 525.
Mining is not one of the professions that developers have changed frequently, but a few things are worth noting:
- in the Cataclysm add-on, they began to give experience for digging ore;
- In the Mists of Pandaria expansion, the ability to mine any ore was introduced, regardless of skill level. In this case, the amount of ore mined depends on what its level is. Therefore, it is still recommended to upgrade the skill the old fashioned way, so as not to lose in the amount of raw materials produced.
- The Warlords of Draenor expansion dealt a critical blow to mining (and herbalism too). Each garrison had its own mine, in which a character without mining skills could mine ore for his needs. Additional ore could be obtained by placing orders with followers. In addition, there was no need to melt ingots. Blacksmiths and engineers began to make objects directly from ore. Finally, jewelers stopped sifting ore to obtain rough gemstones. In short, the value of the skill has dropped significantly.
- in the Legion expansion everything was returned to normal. There were no mines in the strongholds, and jewelers would again need the ore to obtain precious stones.
One of the innovations in the Battle for Azeroth add-on, which seriously affects leveling, is that the skill is now divided into shooting ranges. Each tier corresponds to an add-on. The most important thing is that the shooting ranges are independent of each other. If you want to improve your mining skill in Northrend, then you don’t need to run around the locations of the Old World and Outland, digging for ore. You simply find a teacher in Northrend, learn from him and upgrade your skill. The distribution by range is outlined below. In general, we can say that this did not particularly affect the pumping routes. The total number of skill points is now 950.
- 1-300 - mining
- 1-75 - Outland Mining
- 1-75 - Northrend Mining
- 1-75 - mining during the Cataclysm
- 1-75 - Pandarian Mining
- 1-100 - Draenor Mining
- 1-100 - Mining Legion
- 1-150 - Kul Tiran/Zuldazar Mining
For other innovations regarding professions in Battle for Azeroth, watch this video
Thus, now (patch 8.0.1) there are several ways to improve your mining skill:
- If you are not interested in the amount of ore mined, then you do not need to follow the recommended sequence of locations. In this case, we must remember the following important point. If you have not learned the mining skill for a certain tier, then in some cases it will not be upgraded. Let's say the Legion mining skill unlocks after you hit ore for the first time in the Broken Isles. Whereas for Outland ores such a mechanism does not work. Yes, you will be able to mine ore, but you will not receive any points for it. Perhaps this is a bug that will be fixed, but for now it’s better to first fly to a mining teacher and learn the skill, and then dig ore.
- if the amount of ore is important to you, then the order of passing the locations must be observed. In other words, pumping is underway the old fashioned way.
- The skill can still be upgraded by smelting ore, although not for all tiers either. Let's say there is no metal smelting in Draenor and Legion mining. You can only smelt into ingots up to Pandarian ores. That is, you can level up your skills for the classic game shooting ranges, Outland, Northrend, Cataclysm and Pandaria without leaving the city. For the Draenor mining ranges and beyond, you need to go out into the field and hit the ore veins.
Yes, now the skill can be upgraded without being tied to specific zones, but you will receive significantly less ore, so in principle it is recommended to adhere to a certain order of zones.
Before moving on to specific routes and the pumping algorithm, information regarding what ore veins and metals are in Azeroth.
Ores of Azeroth, Draenor and Outland
Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms
Copper core
Tin vein
Bronze (smelting, copper and tin only)
Silver vein
Iron vein
Goldmine
Steel (smelting, iron and coal only)
Mithril deposit
True silver deposit
Dark iron deposit
Small thorium vein
Rich thorium vein
Outland (The Burning Crusade)
Fel Iron Deposit
Adamantite deposit
Fel Iron (Smelting only)
Rich adamantite deposit
Corium vein
Northrend (Wrath of the Lich King)
Cobalt deposit
Rich cobalt deposit
Saronite deposit
Rich Saronite Deposit
Titanium deposit
Ore veins available after Cataclysm
Obsidium deposit
Deposit of pure saronite
Rich obsidium deposit
Elementium Vein
Rich elementium vein
Pyrite deposit
Rich pyrite deposit
Mists of Pandaria
Ghost Iron Ore
Rich Ghost Iron Ore
Black and white trillium ore
Draenor (Warlords of Draenor)
Blackrock Ore
True Iron Ore
Broken Isles (Legion)
Leystone Ore
Felslate
Leveling up mining in Battle for Azeroth
In the Battle for Azeroth expansion, three, rather than two, as usual, types of ore were introduced:
- Monelite Ore;
- Storm Silver Ore;
- Platinum Ore;
The first two types are the lowest tier of ores, and platinum, accordingly, is rarer and therefore valuable.
As in the Legion expansion, mining this ore can be done with varying degrees of efficiency depending on your mining skill level for the specific ore. Yes, these same notorious stars. Moreover, you can increase your skill level, just like in Legion, by completing quests. By the way, the developers left quests in Battle for Azeroth only for mining and herbalism.
See the maps below for the best routes to take to find more ore.
Monelite Ore
Tiragarde Sound
Storm Valley
Drustvar
Nazmir
Vol'dun
Zuldazar
Storm Silver Ore
Tiragarde Sound
Storm Valley
Drustvar
Nazmir
Vol'dun
Zuldazar
Platinum Ore
Tiragarde Sound
Storm Valley
Drustvar
Nazmir
Vol'dun
Zuldazar
Leveling up mining in early tiers
So, let's begin. The cards have been brazenly stolen from this resource.
Mining (1-300)
1-60. Copper ore
The first ore we can mine is copper and the metal we can smelt is copper. Found mainly in noob locations of levels 10-20. Below are the optimal routes for various factions and races. Leveling up copper ore mining lasts until about skill level 66.
Horde
Durotar
Azshara
Mulgore
Forest of Eversong
Tirisfal Glades
Alliance
Azuremyst Island
Dark Shores
Dun Morogh
Elwynn Forest
60-100. Tin and silver ore
Hillsbrad Foothills
Ashenvale
100-150. Iron and gold ore
Feralas
Cape of Stranglethorn
Western Plaguelands
150-200. Truesilver Ore and Mithril Ore
Badlands
Felwood
200-300. Thorium Ore
Un'Goro Crater— there is a lot of thorium ore at the edges of the crater, we just run in circles.
Blasted Lands
Winter Springs
Copper, actively used in almost all industries, is mined from various ores, the most common of which is bornite. The popularity of this copper ore is explained not only by the high copper content in its composition, but also by significant reserves of bornite in the bowels of our planet.
Copper ore deposits
Copper ores are a collection of minerals that, in addition to copper, contain other elements that shape their properties, in particular nickel. The copper ore category includes those types of ores that contain such an amount of this metal that it is economically feasible to extract it by industrial methods. These conditions are satisfied by ores whose copper content is in the range of 0.5–1%. Our planet has a reserve of copper-containing resources, the bulk of which (90%) are copper-nickel ores.
Most of the copper ore reserves in Russia are located in Eastern Siberia, on the Kola Peninsula, in the Ural region. Chile is on the list of leaders in total reserves of such ores; deposits are also being developed in the following countries: the USA (porphyry ores), Kazakhstan, Zambia, Poland, Canada, Armenia, Zaire, Peru (porphyry ores), Congo, Uzbekistan. Experts have calculated that large copper deposits in all countries contain a total of about 680 million tons. Naturally, the question of how copper is mined in various countries, must be considered separately.
All copper ore deposits are divided into several categories, differing in genetic and industrial-geological characteristics:
- stratiform group represented by copper shales and sandstones;
- pyrite ores, which include native and vein copper;
- hydrothermal, including ores called porphyry copper;
- igneous, which are represented by the most common ores of the copper-nickel type;
- skarn type ores;
- carbonate, represented by ores of the iron-copper and carbonatite type.
In Russia, it is carried out mainly in shale and sand deposits, in which the ore is contained in copper pyrite, copper-nickel and porphyry copper forms.
Natural compounds containing copper
Pure copper, which is what its nuggets represent, is found in nature in very small quantities. Copper is mainly found in nature in the form of various compounds, the most common of which are the following.
- Bornite is a mineral that got its name in honor of the Czech scientist I. Born. This is sulfide ore chemical composition which is characterized by its formula – Cu5FeS4. Bornite has other names: variegated pyrite, copper purple. In nature, this ore is presented in two polymorphic forms: low-temperature tetragonal-scalenohedral (temperature less than 228 degrees) and high-temperature cubic-hexaoctahedral (more than 228 degrees). This mineral may have different kinds and depending on your origin. Thus, exogenous bornite is a secondary early sulfide, which is very unstable and is easily destroyed by weathering. The second type, endogenous bornite, is characterized by variable chemical composition, which may contain chalcocite, galena, sphalerite, pyrite and chalcopyrite. Theoretically, minerals of these types can contain from 25.5% sulfur, more than 11.2% iron and over 63.3% copper, but in practice this content of these elements is never maintained.
- Chalcopyrite is a mineral whose chemical composition is characterized by the formula CuFeS2. Chalcopyrite, which is of hydrothermal origin, was previously called copper pyrite. Along with sphalerite and galena, it is included in the category of polymetallic ores. This mineral, which, in addition to copper, contains iron and sulfur, is formed as a result of metamorphic processes and can be present in two types of copper ores: contact-metasomatic type (skarns) and mountain metasomatic (greisens).
- Chalcocite is a sulfide ore, the chemical composition of which is characterized by the formula Cu2S. This ore contains a significant amount of copper (79.8%) and sulfur (20.2%). This ore is often referred to as “copper lustre”, due to the fact that its surface appears as a shiny metal, ranging in shades from lead-gray to completely black. In copper-bearing ores, chalcocite appears as dense or fine-grained inclusions.
In nature, there are also rarer minerals that contain copper.
- Cuprite (Cu2O), a member of the oxide group of minerals, can often be found in places where there is malachite and native copper.
- Covelline is a sulfide rock formed metasomatically. This mineral, whose copper content is 66.5%, was first discovered at the beginning of the last century in the vicinity of Vesuvius. Now covellite is actively mined in deposits in countries such as the USA, Serbia, Italy, and Chile.
- Malachite is a mineral well known to everyone as an ornamental stone. Surely everyone has seen products made from this beautiful mineral in the photo or even owns them. Malachite, which is very popular in Russia, is copper carbonate or copper dihydrocoxcarbonate, which belongs to the category of polymetallic copper-containing ores. The malachite found indicates that there are deposits of other minerals containing copper nearby. In our country large deposit This mineral is located in the Nizhny Tagil region; it was previously mined in the Urals, but now its reserves there are significantly depleted and are not being developed.
- Azurite is a mineral that is also called “copper blue” due to its blue color. It is characterized by a hardness of 3.5–4 units; its main deposits are developed in Morocco, Namibia, Congo, England, Australia, France and Greece. Azurite is often intergrown with malachite and occurs in places where deposits of sulfide-type copper-bearing ores are located nearby.
Copper production technologies
To extract copper from the minerals and ores that we discussed above, modern industry uses three technologies: hydrometallurgical, pyrometallurgical and electrolysis. The pyrometallurgical method of copper enrichment, which is the most common, uses chalcopyrite as a raw material. This technology involves performing several sequential operations. At the first stage, copper ore is enriched, for which oxidative roasting or flotation is used.
The flotation method is based on the fact that the gangue and its parts containing copper are wetted differently. When the entire mass of rock is placed in a bath with a liquid composition in which air bubbles are formed, the part that contains mineral elements is transported by these bubbles to the surface, adhering to them. As a result, a concentrate is collected on the surface of the bath - blister copper, which contains from 10 to 35% of this metal. It is from such a powdery concentrate that what follows occurs.
Oxidative roasting, which is used to enrich copper ores containing a significant amount of sulfur, looks somewhat different. This technology involves heating the ore to a temperature of 700–8000, as a result of which sulfides are oxidized and the sulfur content in copper ore decreases almost twofold. After such roasting, the enriched ore is melted in reverberatory or shaft furnaces at a temperature of 14500, resulting in matte - an alloy consisting of copper and iron sulfides.
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