State of Arizona is known for many valuable commodities such as copper, silver, gold, molybdenum, crushed stone, construction sand, gravel etc. This paper will discuss only three of them – copper, silver and gold. We will also explore through Arizona’s mining history and economics associated with it. Copper Arizona has always been known for its rich copper reserves, which helped build the state. As we know, copper has been an essential material to man and was one of the first metals ever extracted and used by humans. In fact, one of the stages of human history “Bronze Age” is named after Bronze, which consists of mainly copper. Ancient cultures valued copper and used in making decorative objects such as earrings, rings, bracelets, combs, …show more content…
It is also important for the US economy. According to the Arizona Mining Association, the combined direct and indirect impact of copper mining was worth up to $34.2 billion in the U.S. economy and 12.1 billion in Arizona (Arizonaexperience.org). What makes copper so valuable is its corrosion resistance property. In other words, it cannot be damaged by water and that’s why it is widely used in construction, as well as in power generation and transmission. It can also transmit electricity and heat very effectively. Indeed, copper wiring and plumbing are integral part of heating, cooling systems, and telecommunications. Copper is also widely used in hospitals because of its antimicrobial …show more content…
Initially, silver ore was first discovered in west-central Arizona in 1583 by Spanish explorer Antonio de Espejo but no mining resulted and all silver deposits remained unexploited until mid-1800s, when southern Arizona became a United States possession and American prospectors and investors started mining them (Miningartifacts.org, 2016). Production of silver is important for the economy of Arizona. It ranks fifth in silver production in the country, most of which is mined as a byproduct of copper. Indeed, Arizona mines accounted for 20% of the nation’s 1981 silver production. Similarly, Arizona ranks eighth among the gold-producing