Prelude
Arizona is known as the copper state for a reason: we are fortunate to have geology that includes many copper-bearing ore deposits. Arizona's mining legacy is an important part of its past, present, and future. And because Arizona produces more copper than any other state in the country, copper is represented on the Arizona state flag. According to the Arizona Geological Survey, Arizona produces about 65% of the America's copper (as of 2014) from 27 mines, including 10 major copper mines which produce millions of pounds of copper per year. Indeed, Arizona's Morenci Mine is one of the largest copper mines in the world.
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Figure 13-1. Copper has played a significant role in Arizona's history and continues to this day. The Lavender Pit, an open-pit copper mine in Bisbee, Arizona (left) also produced some of the world's finest turquoise. Remember to click on the highlighted images to see larger versions. |
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What Will You Do Today?
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Learn all about copper mining in Arizona |
A. Copper Mining Basics - Review the basics about ore deposits and how they are mined and processed mining in Arizona
B. Copper Ores & Their Metal Abundances - Calculate the weight percent of metal in either an oxide or a sulfide ore mineral
C. Malpais Mining, Inc.: Profit or Loss? - Find out whether Malpais Mining, Inc. will turn a profit or not
D. Hot Rock Mining Company: Profit or Loss? - Find out whether the Hot Rock Mining Company will turn a profit or not