Producers of Copper and Fabricators of Brass and Copper.

(c) Vin Callcut 2002-2021.

Small extracts can be used with acknowledgements to 'Oldcopper.org' website.

Helpful comments are very welcome.

This will be just a small sample of producers and fabricators whose products or souvenirs have appeared in domestic markets.  Illustrations will be included in the main Makers Marks alphabetical sections.

 

Mining Engineers

 

American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers.  This mark was included in a splendid souvenir tray.

 

 

Ampco - American Metal Products Co  was founded in 1914 by August Littman who developed an extra-hard copper alloy. Since then they have specialised in meeting demands for high strength, low magnetic susceptibility, spark-resistance and electrical conductivity.

Anaconda Anaconda American Brass Co

Ansonia, Ansonia Copper and Brass Co

Birmingham Brass, USA, Birmingham Brass.

John Bibby Sons & Co., Blackburne Street, Garston, Liverpool until 1930s, the works being known as 'The Old Bone'. 

bibbyPreviously they were at Poulton-cum-Seacombe until 1865 when their land was needed for new docks at Birkenhead.  They supplied sheathing for HMS Victory amongst many ships.  HMS Victory Copper Sheathing. Latterly the firm concentrated on the shipping business after the rolling mill side was taken over by Broughton Copper Company and then absorbed into ICI Metals and transferred to Swansea in 1936. (Thanks to John Owens). See website of Garston Historical Society.

Bristol Battery Brass, original home of the British brass industry. Bristol Brass

British Copper Manufacturers  formed in 1924 by the amalgamation of the two major copper smelting firms in Swansea, Messrs. Vivian and Sons; and Messrs. Williams Foster and Company and Pascoe Grenfell and Sons Limited.  In 1927 it was taken over by Yorkshire Imperial Metals Ltd., a joint company of Yorkshire Metals and Imperial Chemical Industries Limited (ICI), see also IMI below. The Swansea works closed in 1980. (Grace's Guide) Records are in the University of Wales, Swansea.

butteButte Copper Co., Montana.   The story of the development of original mines at Butte, Montana involved fierce competition between at least three men who went on to be called 'Copper Kings' and moved in to Wall street finance.  The small adit mine tunnels became a pit over a mile long, nearly a mile wide and 1800 feet deep. Mining ceased there in 1982. Anaconda American Brass Co.

Bingham Canyon, Utah.  This is the world's largest man-made excavation, being more than 4km ( 2 1/2 miles) across at the top, 1km (3/4 mile) deep and covering 800 hectares (1,900 acres). Bingham Canyon ore has yielded more than 17 million tons of copper.  It is well worth a visit and is now also home to 'The World's Largest Copper Shop'. 

utahThe Utah Copper Company was formed in 1903 and bought out by Kennecott Utah Copper in 1936 although the operating name was retained for a time.  It is now part of Rio Tinto. This cast copper souvenir paper weight is 75mm (3") long.

BolidenMcKechnie Bros.

Cornish Copper Company see: 'The History of the Cornish Copper Company', by W.H. Pascoe Redruth: Truran, [1982]. Note that the copper brand 'CCC' was later used by Chile Copper Company. Cornish Copper

Crown Copper Co Crown Copper Works at Neath, South Wales and head office in Birmingham, then owned by Rose & Co.

Delta Metal Cooriginally at Greenwich, London, very near the site now occupied by the Millennium Dome and at Dartmouth Street, Birmingham, they were the innovators of Alexander Dick's extrusion process for brass. A 'new' factory in West Bromwich, near Birmingham is also now closed. 

delta bronzeDelta bronze No. IV was an early free-machining brass for hot stampings and extrusions.  This marking is under a specially hot stamped commemorative ashtray.   Other trade names included 'Deltoid', 'Dixtrudo' and 'Dixtampo'.

A large group was formed by takeovers of companies such as Enfield Rolling Mills, Earle Bourne & Co.,  Barker and Allen Ltd., Aston Chain & Hook Co. and others.  The Delta Group have now largely closed or sold off their metal making interests.  Delta plc has now been bought out by Valmont Group Pty Ltd.

Dornach, Switzerland.  This mark on a souvenir cymbal celebrates 90 years of manufacturing from 1895-1985 and is made from a sonorous alloy made within the Swissmetal Group. In 1855, a rolling mill and foundry, Bueche, Boillat & Cie., was founded in Reconvilier in the Bernese Jura.

dornachThis company changed its name several times before the formation of Swissmetal: from 1960 it was called Boillat S.A. The first plant in Dornach was also a rolling mill and foundry operated under the name Schweizerische Metallwerke AG Dornach. The Selve rolling mills in Thun were in the group until closed in 1991. Busch-Jaeger Metallwerk GmbH, Lüdenscheid. Germany is another group member. Initially set up to meet the exacting needs of the Swiss watch industry, it now produces precision copper-alloy forms and profiles for the semiconductor electronics industry.

wirebarsEnfield Rolling Mills  (ERM) Three souvenir small copper wirebars made by Enfield Copper Refiners during the 1960s while they were still casting 100kg wirebars for rolling to copper rod and drawing to wire. The top of the casting is fully convex which is typical of a good tough pitch copper. Length 140mm (5 1/2") Weight 200g (7oz) each. Enfield Rolling Mills

 

 

erm

 

 

This is the ERM logo as used on staff security badges.

 

 

 

 

 

hutmen

Hutmen, Brass manufacturer of Wrocław, Poland.

 

 

 

 

 

IMI Metals, ICI Metals, Kynoch Works, Witton, Birmingham and elsewhere.   Constituent companies included Kynoch Ltd., The King's Norton Metal Co., Muntz's Metal Co., The Hughes Stubbs Metal Co., Wm Cooper & Goode, British Copper Manufacturers Ltd., Allen Everitt & Sons Ltd., The Broughton Copper Co. Ltd. and John Bibby, Sons & Co. (Garston) Ltd. and Yorkshire Imperial Metals amongst others.  They later became part of ICI Metals Division, Imperial Metal Industries,  then IMI plc. 

imi ashtray

 

This 1985 souvenir ashtray was machined from a slice off a continuously cast billet 92mm diameter that retains the original cast surface.

 

 

Lambero Supplied sheathing for HMS Victory.

Muntz's Metal Co., Elliot Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, started c1829 as G F Muntz of Water Street, Birmingham, then French Walls Works, Alma Street, Smethwick, Staffordshire.  Muntz's Metal Co.

flawlessNational Copper & Smelting Co. Cleveland Copper Ashtray. National Copper & Smelting Company is a leader in the market for precision seamless drawn copper tubing. The Company was founded in 1916 in Cleveland, Ohio and moved its operations to Huntsville, Alabama in 1982. It still makes precision copper tubing for refrigeration, air conditioning, heat exchangers, etc. [http://www.nationaltube.com/ncs/theco.htm]

Pascoe Grenfell and Sons was founded in the 1820s.  They owned the middle and Upper Bank Copper Works in the Lower Swansea Valley and at their height employed 800 men.  The works merged with the neighbouring firm of Williams, Foster and Co to form Williams and Grenfell in 1892 and in 1924 the group amalgamated with Vivian and Sons to form the British Copper Company, in turn taken over by Yorkshire Imperial Metals Ltd. which later became Imperial Metal Industries (IMI Metals Division). (source - Archives Network Wales).

Parys Mountain Copper mine in Anglesey, North Wales, worked since the Bronze Age, 3,500 years ago and most significantly in the late 18th century. For a time it was the World’s largest, now a heritage site. Parys Mountain. Anglesey Mining. With the kind permission of The Marquis of Anglesey and Anglesey Mining PLC some areas of the mine have been reopened for exploration.

Roe & Co, Cheadle Works near Mines Royal Works at Neath Abbey, South Wales, c1790, succeeded by Cheadle Copper Co until 1821. Photo of token to come.

rose copper

 

Rose Copper Co., Based in Birmingham, with a large copper refinery in Neath, South Wales, c1800.  The company was one of many that issued copper tokens at this time.

 

 

 

 

southwire

Southwire Copper Rod  Souvenir coil made for guests at the commissioning of the new continuous copper wire rod plant on the 17th October 1974 at Enfield Rolling Mills.

The coil of finished rod is mounted on a section of the original continuous casting from which it was hot rolled. Marked 'First SCR Coil'.

Vivian and Son A leading producer in South Wales with refineries at Hafod Copper Works, Swansea and Margam Copper Works, Port Talbot, Glamorgan.  Vivian & Sonvivian ingot  Ingot mark of the copper works in Swansea set up by the early copper entrepreneur, John Vivian who came from a Cornish mining family.   This is one of a number of ingots recently recovered from a shipwreck. Below the initials 'V&S' is an 'A' which may indicate that it is grade 'A' copper or possibly that it is made from Anglesey ore.

One of his sons, Henry Hussey Vivian, founded H H Vivian & Co., 46 George Street, St. Pauls, Birmingham, made semi-fabricated copper and brass in the early 19th century at Icknield Port Road Works. see 'Vivian and Sons, 1809-1924': a study of the firm in the copper and related industries', Robert R. Toomey. Garland, 1985.

vivian 32ozThey supplied copper sheathing for HMS Victory.  This is a Vivian inspection stamp mark found on rolled copper from the late 19th century re-sheathing of HMS Victory.  The 32oz/sq. ft. grade was the thickest used and was applied to the bow section.

 

 

vivian brass

Oval stamp for Vivian and Sons, Yellow Metal Braziers.  This is on the back of a brass tray that was dip tinned before being sent to India for decoration by relief of the tin.

 

walthamstow copper

Walthamstow Copper Rolling mill in North East London, (later birthplace of William Morris of Arts and Crafts fame), Refinery at Landore, South Wales. Several designs of tokens were issued for use in lieu of copper coinage.

 

 

Some Brand Identities for refined copper

This table is based on the current LME (London Metal Exchange) listings with additions of a few of the many brands now obsolete.  Historical additions welcome.

Country

Brand

Producer

 Australia

ISA

Mount Isa Mines Ltd, Queensland.

BHP

Broken Hill Pty

BLT

BHP Billiton plc

OLYDA

BHP Billiton Olympic Dam Corporation Pty Ltd. S.A.

 

 

Kembla brand, Port Kembla Copper Pty. NSW.

 Austria

BRX

Montanwerke Brixlegg Aktiengesellschaft

 Belgium

OLEN

Aurubis Belgium n.v./s.a.

 Brazil

CbM

Paranapanema S.A.

CbM-P

Paranapanema S.A.

 Bulgaria

PIRDOP

Aurubis Bulgaria AD

 Canada

NORANDA (produced after October 1999)

Glencore Canada Corporation

 

NRD.LV

Noranda

 

HBM

Hudson Bay Minerals

 

Chile

ABRA

Sociedad Contractual Minera El Abra

AE

Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile

AE SX EW

Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile

CCCP

Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile

CCC-SBL

Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile

cCc-SX-EW

Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile

CHUQUI-P

Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile

CMCC

Compañia Minera Cerro Colorado Ltda

COLLAHUASI (produced after December 1998)

Compania Minera Dona Ines De Collahuasi SCM

ENM

Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile

ESOX (produced after April 1999)

Minera Escondida Limitada

GABY

Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile - Codelco

LBF

Compañía Minera Lomas Bayas

MET

Minera Centinela

MIC-P

Minera Michilla S.A

MIC-T

Minera Michilla S.A

MB

Anglo American Norte S.A.

MV

Anglo American Norte S.A.

QB

Compania Minera Teck Quebrada Blanca S.A.

RT

Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile

SPENCE

Minera Spence S.A.

ZALDIVAR

Compania Minera Zaldivar

 China

DJ-A

Daye Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd

DJ-B

Daye Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd

GUIYE

Jiangxi Copper Company Ltd.

JCC

Jiangxi Copper Company Ltd.

JINTUN (produced after 31/8/97)

Jinlong Copper Co., Ltd

JINXI

Dongying Jinxi Copper Co., Ltd

JNMC

Jinchuan Group Co., Ltd.

TIE FENG

Yunnan Copper Industry Co., Ltd

TG 

Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group Co., Ltd.

TG-JG

Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group Co., Ltd.

TG-JL

Jinlong Copper Co., Ltd

XGC

YangGu Xiangguang Copper Co Ltd

XGC II

YangGu Xiangguang Copper Co Ltd

ZIJIN

Zijin Copper Co., Ltd

 Finland

BCH

Boliden Harjavalta Oy

 Germany

HK

Aurubis AG

NA-ESN

Aurubis AG

 India

BIRLA COPPER

Hindalco Industries Limited

BIRLA COPPER II

Hindalco Industries Limited

STERLITE

Vedanta Limited

STERLITE T

Vedanta Limited

 Indonesia

GRESIK

PT Smelting

 Japan

HR

Pan Pacific Copper Co., Ltd.

MITSUBISHI

Mitsubishi Materials Corporation

OSR

Onahama Smelting & Refining Co Ltd

SR-P

Pan Pacific Copper Co., Ltd.

SUMIKO N

Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd

SUMIKO-S

Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd

SUMIKO T

Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd

TAMANO-P

Pan Pacific Copper Co., Ltd.

 Korea (South)

ONSAN I

LS-Nikko Copper Inc.

ONSAN II

LS-Nikko Copper Inc.

 Laos

SEPON

Minerals and Metals Group (MMG)

 Mexico

CER

Mexicana de Cobre S.A. de C.V.

 Myanmar

MONYWA S&K

Myanmar Yang Tse Copper Limited

 Norway

FHG

Glencore Nikkelverk AS

 Oman

OMCO

Oman Mining Co LLC

 Peru

SMCV

Sociedad Contractual Minera Cerro Verde

SPCC-ILO

Southern Peru Copper Corporation

SPCC-SXEW

Southern Peru Copper Corporation

 Philippines

PSR ISABEL

Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corporation

 Poland

HMG-B

KGHM Polska Miedz SA

HMG-S

KGHM Polska Miedz SA

HML

KGHM Polska Miedz SA

 Russia

NORILSK

PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel

UMMC

JSC Uralelektromed

UMMC II

JSC Uralelektromed

 South Africa

RIO TINTO

Rio Tinto Palabora Mining Company Limited

 Spain

FMS

Atlantic Copper S.L.U.

FQM-CLC

Cobre Las Cruces S.A.

 Sweden

BK

Boliden Mineral AB

 USA

ATR

ASARCO LLC

RAY

ASARCO Incorporated Kearny, Arizona. RAY GRADE 1

CBCC

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

CTB

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

KUC

Kennecott Utah Copper LLC

OFHC

American Metal Climax (AMAX) Oxygen Free High Conductivity Copper

P*D

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (Previously Phelps Dodge Corp.)

PD*GO

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

PDMI

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

PDSS

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

 

WP

White Pine Copper, Michigan (silver bearing)

UK

E*R

Enfield Copper Refiners

 

BCR

British Copper Refiners, Prescot, Liverpool.

 

JB

IMI Refiners James Bridge Copper Works, Walsall.

 

CCC

Cornish Copper (also used by Cape Copper Company)

 Zambia

MCM

Mopani Copper Mines Plc

REC

Konkola Copper Mines plc

 

World Copper Smelters