Copper (Cu) is the first metal to be manipulated by man . In previous years, Cu has been used in domestic tools such as axes, military weaponry, and alloy of other metals such as brass, bronze, and others . In recent times and a more pronounced sense, Cu is used in building materials, jewelry, electrical contacts and conductors, industrial machinery, nutritional supplements, fungicides in agriculture, and making alloys . Although Cu is sourced mainly from primary mining of ore deposits, secondary mining from sources like printed circuit boards (PCBs) is gaining attention as it is a more environmentally friendly option than primary mining . Popular methods employed for secondary Cu recovery include pyrometallurgy , hydrometallurgy , biohydrometallurgy , and electrochemical recovery .