Failed eruptions are at the origin of copper deposits

The Chuquicamata open pit mine (Chile) exploits one of the largest porphyry copper deposits in the world: it is 4.3 km long, 3 km wide and up to 0.9 km depth. (c) Massimo Chiaradia - Scientists reveal a surprising mechanism in the formation of copper deposits, an essential metal for the energy transition. Copper is one of the most widely used metals on the planet today due to its electrical and thermal conduction properties. The greatest natural resources of this metal are the so-called "porphyry" deposits that come from magmas deep in the Earth. In a recent research, scientists from the University of Geneva demonstrate that these deposits are largely produced by mechanisms similar to those causing large volcanic eruptions. At a time when current copper resources are dwindling and this metal plays a key role in the energy transition, this discovery opens up new avenues for the development of tools to find new deposits. These results can be read in the journal Nature - Communications Earth & Environment .