The history of copper – from antiquity to modern smartphones

Initial Discoveries

Copper was one of the first metals known to humankind. Over 10,000 years ago, it was used for crafting simple tools and ornaments. Due to its ease of processing and natural availability, it quickly became a foundation of daily life in ancient communities.

Bronze Age

The combination of copper with tin gave rise to bronze – an alloy that revolutionised human history. The Bronze Age emerged, characterised by the production of durable tools, weapons, and construction elements. This was a pivotal moment when copper played a strategic role in the development of civilisation.

Middle Ages and Industrial Era

In subsequent centuries, copper was utilised in construction (roofing, sculptures) and in the development of the first water systems. With the industrial revolution, it became indispensable in steam engines, electrical engineering, and telegraphy.

Copper in the Modern World

Today, copper surrounds us at every step. We find it in:

• electrical cables and wires,

• consumer electronics, including smartphones and computers,

• electric vehicles and charging infrastructure,

• energy systems and renewable energy sources.

Metal of the Future

Although it has accompanied us for thousands of years, copper's significance does not diminish. On the contrary – in the era of digitalisation, electromobility, and green transformation, its role becomes even greater. Therefore, it can be said that copper is the metal of the past, present, and future.