Copper Talk: U.S. Geological Survey reports on the yet-untapped global resources

Need to know which regions of the world have the largest identified copper resources and have the biggest potential in undiscovered resources? Then check out this interesting study recently published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) department. USGS says the first-ever, geologically-based global assessment of undiscovered copper resources estimates that 3.5 billion metric tons of copper may exist worldwide. The U.S. Geological Survey outlined 225 areas for undiscovered copper in 11 regions of the world.  The amount of undiscovered global copper estimated by the USGS would be enough to satisfy current world demand for more than 150 years.

According to the assessment, South America is the dominant source for both identified and undiscovered copper resources, and several regions of Asia including China, Mongolia and Indonesia, have lots of potential for undiscovered copper resources. “This ground-breaking USGS assessment of future copper resources identifies a huge potential supply that is roughly six times greater than all the copper mined throughout human history,” said Interior Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, Anne Castle. "If enough of this copper can be developed in an environmentally responsible and economical way, it will be a boon to new manufacturing and other initiatives that rely on the availability of copper such as the Administration's energy efficiency initiative."

Read the USGS Fact Sheet