Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
blister copper

blister copper

8.6
A form of impure copper with a black, bumpy surface caused by trapped gas when it is melted
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : cobre blister
  • A crash program took place to convert the lead smelter to producing copper, and the first blister copper was poured at Mount Isa in 1942.

Examples

  • In the smelting process, the formation of blister copper indicates sulfur dioxide has been released.

  • Refining of blister copper started in Townsville in 1959.

    Blog text (15)

  • The factory produces blister copper, which is known for its distinctive black, blistered surface.

  • After smelting, the blister copper was inspected for impurities caused by trapped gas.

Surface Forms

blister copper singular
blister coppers plural

Morphology

blister + copper

The compound 'blister copper' straightforwardly combines 'blister' (a raised, bubbled surface) with 'copper' (the metal), so it denotes copper that has a blistered surface. A B1 learner who knows both words can infer this compositional meaning (i.e., a damaged or impure form of copper from smelting), making the expression predictable rather than idiomatic.

Etymology

Blister copper is named for the bubble-like blisters that form on hot, melted copper when gas tries to escape during processing. Because the metal looks blistered and rough, blister copper came to mean the 'impure' form of copper.