From electric cars and smartphones to the power grid, copper is essential to modern life. As society’s demand for copper continues to grow, it is becoming increasingly important to meet this demand through mining and, in some cases, recycling. However, recycling alone will not be enough to meet future copper requirements.
A new study published in Nature Communications looks at magma in subduction zones, where one plate slides beneath another, such as along the Andes Mountains in South America. These environments generate large amounts of lava (magma) deep in the Earth’s crust, leading to both explosive volcanic activity and the formation of copper, one of the most economically valuable mineral resources.
It is generally believed that the water content in these magmas is between 4 and 6%. However, research carried out by scientists from ETH Zurich, the University of Oxford, the Natural History Museum and Imperial College London has shown that some of these magmas are “hyper-wet”, meaning that as much as 6-8% of the magma It has become clear that it may contain. water.
The study’s key scientific finding is that these extremely wet magmas help form porphyry copper deposits, which account for nearly 75% of the world’s copper. These deposits form when magma rich in copper-bearing fluids drains these fluids into the Earth’s upper crust. The study found that zircon crystals in copper-rich rocks in central Chile and other copper deposits around the world record this high water content, making it possible for super-wet magmas to be more dense than previously thought. suggests that it is also much more common.
Additionally, this research provides a practical tool for finding new copper deposits, which is a priority for many mining companies. By identifying areas where ancient magmatic systems had high water content, geologists can better predict where hidden copper resources may be located. This discovery is particularly important because copper is a key material in renewable energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. Demand for copper is predicted to outstrip supply by 2035, and finding new resources is essential to society’s transition to net-zero emissions.
