Content

• Tips
• Warnings

1 Take copper for smelting.

• Pennies made between 1909 and 1982 are 95% copper, however it is illegal to smelt US coins to make the metal.
• Copper is used in the manufacture of automobiles, large household appliances, electrical wiring, electronics, etc. Copper can be obtained from these items for smelting.
• In the home, you will find copper in wires, plumbing, dishes and furniture.
• Techniques that use copper include air conditioners, dishwashers, heat pumps, freezers, refrigerators, washing machines, clothes dryers, food waste disposers, dehumidifiers, and ovens.
• Decorative and household items can also contain copper: fire screens, large clocks, bells, jewelry, etc.

2 Heat the copper. (Until at least 1981.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 1083.0 degrees Celsius).

• Use a furnace and crucible designed for temperatures above the melting point of copper.

3 Maintain the temperature until all the copper has melted.

4 Remove any scale from the surface of the molten metal.

5 Use tongs to lift and pour the copper into the desired shapes while still liquid. This must be done quickly so that it does not solidify in the crucible.

Tips

• Break or cut large pieces of copper into smaller pieces to melt them faster.

Warnings

• Do not attempt to melt copper without proper safety equipment, as this can be very dangerous.
• Removing copper from ore is much more difficult than smelting copper objects because the ore contains other substances that need to be removed. It is difficult to independently obtain copper ore from rocks.