1.1. State of the art
Today, characteristics such as mechanical strength, conductivity,
corrosion resistance, machinability and ductility make copper one
of the most versatile materials. Because of its variations in
composition as well as in manufacturing and machining methods,
copper is common in a large number of products and a wide range
of applications. In recent years, world production has grown, from
18.5 million tons in 2009 to 22 million tons per year in 2014, as
shown the International Copper Study Group predictive reports.