How important is mining for civilization? Thousands of years ago copper ore was work hardened to form crude tools. Much later copper was alloyed with tin ore to produce bronze, a semi-hard metal that could be cast into agricultural tools, gears, bells, works of art, bearings, bushings, etc. Thus the Bronze Age revolutionized civilization. About 1,500 years later crude iron was produced from iron ore and later steel was produced from crude iron. With the…