Copper foundry. Flames venting from the top of a furnace being used to melt copper. Copper, which is a chemical element, is a metal that melts at 1084 degrees Celsius. An electric hoist will be used to raise the crucible of molten copper from the furnace and place it in the hole in the cradle at lower right. The cradle will then be used to pour the copper into moulds. The process of using a molten material in this way is known as casting. Copper is an easily worked metal that is used extensively in industry, in metal statues, and in alloys. Photographed in the UK. See images T810/256-259 for images showing the pouring of the molten copper into the moulds. T807/074 shows the mould and the finished product.