Today I want to take a look at what some would consider the most important metal in the world: copper. Humans have been making stuff out of copper for probably more than 8,000 years. The oldest man-made object in the world was also made of copper about 7,000 years ago – a tiny awl found in a grave in what today is Israel. Copper would become, of course, a key component of the bronze age. This has continued throughout history. Today, after iron and aluminium, copper is, according to the US Geological Survey, the most-consumed metal in the world. Around three quarters of consumption is taken up in electrical wiring, ... (full story)