Eric Stevens wrote:

On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 12:34:37 -0500, Tom McDonald
wrote:


Eric Stevens wrote:

On Sat, 03 Jul 2004 04:54:31 -0400, Gary Coffman
wrote:

snip

Actually, I can make the claim, because heavily alloyed copper is no longer
native copper.


You are assuming that ALL native copper is of high purity. In fact
much Michigan copper ore is smelted to remove impurities. See
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/Pre_96/J...95/58.txt.html

Eric,

My understanding is that 'native copper' is a term meaning
'pure copper' (well over 99% pure as found), and not a reference
either to copper 'native' to, say, the Keewenaw Peninsula of the
Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or to copper used by 'native'
peoples. By that definition, copper that needs smelting is not
'native' copper.


The point is we are discussing the possibility that some native copper
may have been s/melted. Putting a fence around the definition of
'native copper' means that we have to find another word for copper
s/melted by the natives. That all native copper is pure is merely an
assumption.

Eric,

No, it is not merely an assumption; it is a definition. There
was copper ore that was not pure. It would be called 'copper
ore', or other names (halfbreed, etc.) specific to the type of
ore body present. I think it useful to use the terms by which
the metal and its compounds are known in the area we are discussing.

I don't think it is useful to use the construct s/melted.
Melting can occur without smelting, in native or drift copper
that is already pure. Smelting is necessary early step in a
process to extract copper from ore. Melting may or may not
happen later in the process.

Perhaps I'm over-sensitive about s/melt just now. Seppo has
been playing silly buggers with that term, and it raises my
hackles a bit. Still, I think it useful to use the terms
separately.

Tom McDonald