kuparit

Kuparit is the Finnish word for copper, the chemical element with symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is also used in Finnish to refer to copper-based coins in historical numismatics. Copper is a soft, highly ductile metal with a distinctive reddish-brown hue. It has very high electrical and thermal conductivity and can be easily drawn into wires or hammered into sheets. It forms a green patina, copper carbonate, when exposed to air and moisture.

Copper occurs in nature mainly in sulfide minerals such as chalcopyrite and bornite. It is extracted from ore concentrates by smelting and refined by electrolysis. Copper readily forms alloys with other elements, notably brass (copper–zinc) and bronze (copper–tin), to tailor properties for different uses.

Historically, kuparit referred to small copper-based coins used in Finland and elsewhere. After the transition to the euro, such coins are less common in circulation. Today copper remains essential in electrical wiring, plumbing, heat exchangers, and a wide range of industrial applications.

Copper has been mined and used since ancient times, with major early developments in the Bronze Age. Its widespread use in modern technology underpins its continued economic and industrial importance.