銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)是人類最早使用的金(jin)(jin)屬。早在(zai)(zai)史(shi)前時代，人們就開始采掘露天(tian)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)，并用獲取的銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)制造(zao)武器、式(shi)具和(he)(he)其(qi)(qi)(qi)他(ta)器皿(min)，銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)的使用對早期人類文(wen)明的進步(bu)影響深遠。銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)是一(yi)種(zhong)存在(zai)(zai)于(yu)地殼和(he)(he)海洋(yang)中(zhong)的金(jin)(jin)屬。銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)在(zai)(zai)地殼中(zhong)的含(han)(han)量約為0.01%，在(zai)(zai)個別銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)床中(zhong)，銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)的含(han)(han)量可以達到3%～5%。自然界中(zhong)的銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)，多數以化合物即(ji)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)物存在(zai)(zai)。銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)物與(yu)其(qi)(qi)(qi)他(ta)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)物聚(ju)合成(cheng)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)石(shi)，開采出來(lai)的銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)石(shi)，經(jing)過選礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)而成(cheng)為含(han)(han)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)品位較高的銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)精(jing)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)。是唯一(yi)的能(neng)大量天(tian)然產出的金(jin)(jin)屬，也存在(zai)(zai)于(yu)各(ge)種(zhong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)石(shi)（例(li)如黃(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)、輝(hui)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)、斑(ban)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)、赤銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)礦(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)(kuang)和(he)(he)孔雀石(shi)）中(zhong)，能(neng)以單質金(jin)(jin)屬狀(zhuang)態及黃(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)、青銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)和(he)(he)其(qi)(qi)(qi)他(ta)合金(jin)(jin)的形態用于(yu)工(gong)業、工(gong)程技術和(he)(he)工(gong)藝(yi)上。

銅是(shi)(shi)與人類(lei)關(guan)系非常密(mi)切的有色金(jin)(jin)屬(shu)(shu)(shu)，被(bei)廣(guang)泛地應用于(yu)電(dian)氣、輕工、機械(xie)制(zhi)造(zao)、建(jian)筑工業、國防工業等(deng)領域，在中國有色金(jin)(jin)屬(shu)(shu)(shu)材料的消費(fei)中僅次于(yu)鋁。銅是(shi)(shi)一種紅色金(jin)(jin)屬(shu)(shu)(shu)，同(tong)時也是(shi)(shi)一種綠(lv)色金(jin)(jin)屬(shu)(shu)(shu)。說它(ta)是(shi)(shi)綠(lv)色金(jin)(jin)屬(shu)(shu)(shu)，主要(yao)是(shi)(shi)因為它(ta)熔點較低，容易再熔化、再冶煉，因而回收(shou)利用相當地便宜。古代主要(yao)用于(yu)器(qi)皿、藝術(shu)品及武器(qi)鑄造(zao)，比較有名的器(qi)皿及藝術(shu)品如司母(mu)戊鼎、四(si)羊方尊。