Today was Melissa Jackson's birthday. She couldn't wait to buy her birthday present, her first ever cell phone!

Melissa and her parents drove to the nearby Apple store to purchase a phone. The cheerful salesperson who worked there smiled as she handed Melissa the brand new cell phone.

"What is a cell phone made of anyway?" Melissa asked the salesperson.

The salesperson smiled and said, "Well, a phone is made up of several intricate parts. This includes a circuit board, battery, antenna, keypad, microphone, speaker, and a LCD screen (short for liquid crystal display)."

"Ok, but what are each of those parts made of?" Melissa inquired.

"The truth is, a cell phone is made up of a variety of non-renewable Earth resources. For example, phones are made up of gold, silver, platinum, tungsten, graphite, nickel, cadmium, aluminum, and silicon." the salesperson explained.

The salesperson paused before adding, "However, two of the most important resources used are copper and lithium."

"Could you tell me more about copper and lithium? I love learning about science!" Melissa pleaded.

"Of course! I'd be happy to tell you all I know about these valuable elements. Let's start with copper." the salesperson replied.

Copper is found in the circuit board of a cell phone. It is a reddish-brown transition metal with a shiny, metallic lustre. It is soft and ductile, which allows it to be stretched into wires that can used in the circuit board.

Copper also has very high electrical conductivity. This is a vital property of copper, as it permits electricity to pass through copper wiring in the circuit board.

"Cool!" Melissa exclaimed. "But I thought that copper was green, like the Statue of Liberty."

You're partially right. Although copper isn't green when found in its pure form, when it reacts with the oxygen in the air it turns green and starts to corrode. Copper also reacts with sulphuric acid and the halogens chlorine, fluorine, and bromine.

Copper has been discovered all over the world! The countries that are the largest producers of copper are Chile, China, Peru, and the U.S. Here in Canada, copper is mined in the provinces British Columbia, Ontario, and Manitoba.

"Why is copper so important in the first place? I know that it's used in a cell phone, but what else is it used for?" Melissa asked.

"Believe it or not, copper is a precious resource that has had a monumental impact on civilization and society since ancient times." the salesperson explained.

Copper is used in architecture, electronics, machinery, cars, jewellery, and coins. We simply could not live without it! That's why it's so important that we use our copper resources wisely.

Unfortunately, a world without copper may soon become a reality as our supply of copper is quickly running out. This makes it even more crucial that we conserve this non-renewable resource for future generations.

"Wow, copper really is an essential resource! Our world would be lost without it!" Melissa concluded.

"Don't worry Melissa, there are lots of ways to conserve our copper resources for the future." the salesperson added.

"Like what?" Melissa asked.

The most effective way to conserve these resources is to reduce, reuse, and recycle. One way we can do this is by buying products that contain mostly recycled copper rather than new copper.

Another way is by donating old copper items (e.g. copper cookware) to those in need. Furthermore, by making sure that our old electronics are properly recycled, we help to ensure that the copper they contain can be extracted and reused in other products. 

The salesperson noticed that the young girl was starting to look tired.

"Am I boring you with all my scientific facts Melissa?" the salesperson said with a laugh.

"No, of course not! I want to learn as much as I can. Now tell me about lithium." Melissa replied enthusiastically.

Lithium is found in the battery of a phone. It is a silvery-white alkali metal with a metallic lustre. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity. Lithium is also very soft and malleable. This makes it easy for lithium to be shaped when constructing a battery.

Lithium is one of the most reactive elements. When lithium reacts with water it forms lithium hydroxide and highly flammable hydrogen gas. In addition, it can react with nitrogen to form lithium nitride.