Copper enrichment in arc magmas controlled by overriding plate thickness
In an article featured in Nature Geosciences Massimo Chiaradia presents a statistical assessment of more than 40,000 published geochemical analyses of magmatic rocks from 23 Quaternary-aged volcanic arcs worldwide. His results suggest that the thickness of the overriding plate provides a more important control on magma differentiation than the composition of the mantle source, and can explain the preferential association of porphyry copper systems with calc-alkaline magmas and thicker arcs. December 12, 2013Highlights