Copper is a chemical elementwith symbolCu(from Latin:cuprum) and atomic number29. It is a ductilemetal with very high thermaland electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; a freshly exposed surface has a reddish-orange color. It is used as a conductor of heat and electricity, a building material, and a constituent of various metal alloys. The metal and its alloyshave been used for thousands of years. In the Roman era, copper was principally mined on Cyprus, hence the origin of the name of the metal asaes сyprium(metal of Cyprus), later corrupted toсuprum, from which the wordscopper(English),cuivre(French), andKupfer(German) are all derived. [ 3 ]Its compounds are commonly encountered as copper(II) salts, which often impart blue or green colors to minerals such as azuriteand turquoiseand have been widely used historically as pigments. Architectural structures built with copper corrode to give green verdigris(or patina). Decorative artprominently features copper, both by itself and as part of pigment.