The caste system has evidently been more flexible, in terms of appropriate work for Brahmins, than one might expect. Records from the classical and medieval periods in India mention men of the Brahmin class performing work other than carrying out priestly duties or teaching about religion.
Spanish conquerors discovered that South America was home to rich veins of silver and silver ore, and they mined that wealth enthusiastically; according to the Silver Institute, an industry trade group, 85 percent of the silver produced worldwide came from Bolivia, Peru and Mexico between 1500 and 1800.
Copper is mined mostly in open pit mines, such as those found in Utah, New Mexico, and Chile. Chile produces the largest percentage of the world's copper with nearly 33% of the world's export. Copper is also found in the U.S., Indonesia, and Peru. Although copper has been used for thousands of years about 95% of all extracted copper was mined within the last hundred. In addition to the many mines found all over the world much of the copper we use has been recycled.