Copper is a metal that has been of high value and importance to humans for centuries. In fact, it was first used over 10,000 years ago by pre-historic man for things like drinking vessels and weapons. Pure copper was found and hammered into shape to create various items, and it was the first metal to be used by humans.
Although it was followed thousands of years since its first uses by the iron age, where new techniques and new metals were starting to gain popularity, it was still an important resource and has remained so to this day.
The Industrial revolution saw demand for copper surge once more, as new machinery and inventions were needed to keep up with the ongoing modernisation of Britain. Mines were dug all around the UK in an effort to keep up with this surge in demand and places such as Swansea became of high importance as they had large mines for extracting copper as well as coal that was needed to power the factories and machinery. Areas like this however sadly became highly polluted with the fumes given off by the processing of the copper and the Welsh valleys became a terrible place for those who lived there.
Nowadays copper is still a highly versatile and much used material – copper pipe like this https://watkinspowis.co.uk/products/copper-pipe-fittings-and-press-systems/ is used to help with all sorts of our daily needs, from air conditioning to plumbing in the home.