Press pack:
The European Copper Institute
Table of Contents:
Its roles:
For its members and professionals: strategic monitoring of European regulations; market
intelligence and advice relating to end uses and products; information campaigns for
stakeholders; implementation of European programmes aimed at enhancing innovation in
key fields such as electrical power quality, improvement of energy efficiency, health...
For the general public: information campaigns on the different properties and applications
of copper in communicating innovation to important fields such as construction,
automobiles and energy, as well as to copper’s recyclability and sustainability.
A quarterly newsletter, aimed at opinion leaders, policy and decision-makers, is also available. To
subscribe, click here.
www.eurocopper.org
a key resource for the media, the general public and decision-makers
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European Copper Institute
What are the main European dossiers in which ECI is currently involved?
Our top three priorities are, firstly, to ensure that the benefits of electrical energy efficiency are highlighted
within EU policies on climate change and energy supply security. Secondly, that the competitiveness of the EU
copper recycling and refining sector is not hurt by CO2 emissions taxes. And, thirdly, that the science generated
by the EU Copper Risk Assessment is properly taken into account in setting new quality standards for water, soils
and sediments
How would you explain the demand met by the red metal?
Out of the metals used in everyday life, copper is the best electrical and thermal conductor. This property
makes it essential to electricity production, distribution and use, from both conventional and renewable energy
sources. Equipment manufacturers, architects and designers also value copper for its malleability, resistance to
corrosion, durability and aesthetic qualities.
Construction
Promoting the sustainability and durability benefits of using copper in
architecture (roofs, façades), in solar thermal systems and in water, gas and
heating pipework.
Transportation
Promoting copper’s technical advantages across a broad spectrum of
transportation mechanisms. Copper is widely used in aeroplanes, cars, trucks
and high-speed trains (e.g. electric motors, radiators, hybrid technologies).
Sustainable development
Gathering and reporting peer reviewed data on recycling rates and life cycle
inventory data, increasingly demanded by design engineers and specifiers.
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European Copper Institute
John Schonenberger
Chief Executive
Christian de Barrin
Communications Manager
Catherine Mantell
Finance & Accounting Supervisor
Nigel Cotton
Automotive, Building Construction Programme Manager
Hans De Keulenaer
Electricity & Energy Programme Manager
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European Copper Institute
Katrien Delbeke
Environment Manager
Valérie Vandroost
Assistant to the Programme Managers
Sergio Ferreira
Electricity & Energy Project Manager
Katia Lacasse
Project Manager Environmental Programme
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European Copper Institute
Worldwide copper usage, including the direct reuse of scrap, currently stands at 22.853 million
metric tonnes. Drawing on the physical and mechanical properties of copper (the best electrical
and thermal conductor of the metals used in everyday life, malleable, durable and antimicrobial),
the growing number of examples of innovation span sectors such as renewable energies and
improvement of energy efficiency, sustainable construction, transport, hospital equipment…
This constant and growing demand underlines the need to make the mining and use of the red metal
part of a sustainable initiative. To cater for this demand, world mine capacity rose from 9.6 million
in 1980 to 17.9 million tonnes in 2007. However, in parallel, recycling has also gone from strength to
strength.
Copper production
The total production of refined copper is obtained by adding together primary (metal from
extraction) and secondary (recovery and reuse of end of life products) production data. In 2007,
primary copper production worldwide reached 15.3 million tonnes. By adding to this 2.8 million
tonnes of secondary copper, total refined production stood at 18.1 million metric tonnes (+4 % on
2006).
Milliers de
tonnes
1000
2000
900
2006
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Russie Allemagne Pologne Belgique Espagne
3
Source: ICSG
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European Copper Institute
Asia is currently the largest producer of refined copper, with its leading role illustrated by the fact
that China alone accounted for 17.5% of the world’s production in 2006.
As its refining capacity (2.3 million metric tonnes) exceeds its mining output (700,000 tonnes), most
European copper-producing countries, with the exceptions of Russia and Poland, are required to
import copper in the form of concentrates from countries such as Chile, Mexico and Indonesia.
Copper usage
Global copper usage currently stands at 22.853 million tons (ICSG 2006 figure)4, of which 63% is
refined primary copper, 11% refined secondary copper (scrap and end of life products requiring a
refining stage) and 26% directly re-melted scrap (scrap from throughout the copper value chain).
This gives an overall recycling rate of 37%. The main copper using countries and regions are the
EU27, with 5.1 million tonnes, China (4.8) the USA (3.1), followed by Japan (1.9) and South Korea
(1.3).
The case of China is worth highlighting since, in 2002, the country emerged as the largest user of
refined copper (up from 10% in 1996 to 21% in 2006). However, refined copper use per inhabitant
remains much higher in the more advanced countries, such as the former EU15, the USA and Japan,
where usage is around 9 kg/capita/year, compared with many of the developing countries, where
the usage is 1-2 kg/capita/year.
4
The International Copper Study Group (ICSG) is the inter-governmental reference body for statistics on copper mining,
recycling and refining. It is located in Lisbon, Portugal.
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Source: International Wrought Copper Council (IWCC).
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European Copper Institute
Transport Other
Engineering
5% 1%
10%
Electricity
Building & Energy
26% 58%
Recyclability
Copper is 100%
recyclable, with no loss
of its performance. It is
Conductivity estimated that 80% of
the copper produced by
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mankind is still in use. Durability
Copper is the best INCLUDEPICTURE "http://www.eurocopper
electrical and thermal
conductor of all the non- Copper is extremely
precious metals. Its durable.
electrical conductivity is Some copper roofs are
58% greater than that of still serviceable after 700
aluminium. years.
Malleability and
Resistance to corrosion formability
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Antimicrobial properties
Symbol: Cu
Density: 8,930 kg/m³
Melting point: 1,083 °C
Can be alloyed with other elements, e.g. zinc, tin, lead, nickel and aluminium, to deliver a
broad range of technical performance properties
Available in many forms, including wire, tube, sheet or strip, and rod
Durability: over 700 years (Roof of the Hildersheim Cathedral remains intact from 1280).
100% recyclable without any loss in performance
Copper has been playing a crucial role in civilisation - art, coinage, musical instruments,
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European Copper Institute
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European Copper Institute
Copper Development
Centre d’Information du Association Russia
Cuivre Vadim Ionov, Director
Olivier Tissot, Director Millennium House
17, rue Hamelin Trubnaya 12 Street
75016 Paris, France Moscow 103045, Russia
Tel. + 33 1 42 25 90 41 Tel. + 7 095 787 2792
Fax + 33 1 49 53 03 82 vsi@cu-ru.ru
tissot@cuivre.org www.eurocopper.ru
www.cuivre.org
Polish Copper Promotion
Centro Español de Centre
Información del Cobre Michal Ramczykowski, Director
José Ramón Morales, Pl. 1 Maja 1-2
Director 50-136 Wroclaw, Poland
Princesa, 79 Tel. + 48 71 78 12 502
28008 Madrid, Spain Fax + 48 71 78 12 504
Tel. + 34 91 544 84 51 ramczykowski@miedz.org.pl
Fax + 34 91 544 88 84 www.miedz.org.pl
infocobre@infocobre.org.es
www.infocobre.org.es
Istituto Italiano del Rame Hellenic Copper Development Hungarian Copper Promotion
Vincenzo Loconsolo, Director Institute Centre
Via Corrradino D’Ascanio 4 Nick Vergopoulos, Director Robert Pinter, Director
20142 Milano, Italy 74 L Riankour Street Képiro u.9.
Tel. + 39 02 89301330 GR – 11523 Athens, Greece H – 1053 Budapest, Hungary
Fax + 39 02 89301513 Tel. 30 010 6904 406 Tel. + 36 1 266 4810
vloconsolo@iir.it Fax 30 010 6904 463 Fax + 36 1 266 4804
www.iir.it nbergop@eiax.vionet.gr robert.pinter@hcpcinfo.org
www.copper.org.gr www.hcpcinfo.org
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European Copper Institute
ECI Members
• A-E
Anglo American Chile Ltd.
Antofagasta Minerals S.A.
Asarco Incorporated
Atlantic Copper
BHP Billiton Plc
Boliden
Brazetec
Compania Miñera Doña Ines de Collahuasi SCM
Compania Miñera Zaldivar
CODELCO
Corporacion Metalurgica Catalana S.L.
Cumerio
• F-J
Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold Inc.
Hüttenwerke Kayser AG
Halcor S.A.
IBP
• K-O
Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation
Luvata
KGHM
KM Europa Metal AG
Metallo-Chimique
Méxicana de Cobre, S.A. de C.V.
Miñera Escondida Limitada
Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
Montanwerke Brixlegg
Mueller Europe Ltd.
Nexans
Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd.
Norddeutsche Affinerie AG
Ok Tedi Mining
OMG
Outokumpu
• P-T
PT Freeport Indonesia Inc.
Revere Copper Products Inc.
Rio Tinto
Sanha Kaimer
Sociedad Contractual Miñera el Abra
Sofiamed S.A.
Southern Peru Copper Corporation
Sumitomo Metal Mining
• U-Z
Viega GmbH & Co. KG
Wieland Werke AG
Xstrata
Yorkshire Fittings
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