Copper in ordinary chondrites: Proxies for resource potential of asteroids and constraints for minimum-invasive and economically efficient exploitation
Open accessAbstract
Ordinary chondrites originate from S-type asteroids. These meteorites can be used for laboratory studies that further our understanding of the geological conditions on asteroids, including assessment of their resource potential. Asteroids have since long been considered to host significant resources of siderophilic elements such as Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, that could be exploited in situ. However bulk rock mining would be largely impractical. In this paper, we report on abundance and mineral occurrences of copper in H chondrites, identify Cu carrier minerals and interpret their distribution in the context of processes that must have affected parent bodies. This leads us to suggestion that some parts of S-type asteroids contain Cu in a form and amount that would satisfy requirements of potentially economically and environmentally more efficient exploitation. Parent bodies of chondrites contain 70–100 ppm of Cu in bulk and this is mainly contained in Fe,Ni-alloy. However, parts of asteroids that were affected by shock processes and post-shock thermal annealing may host Cu that exsolved from primary alloy and forms native, pure-Cu grains. Up to 50 ppm of Cu may be present in such phase in these parts of asteroids. Grains of native copper can be extracted from the host rock via mechanical mineral processing methods, releasing need of extensive chemical leaching. This makes potential exploitation more targeted and less destructive for the local environment. A characteristic feature associated with enrichment in native Cu in chondrites is presence of shock-darkened zones. Therefore, we suggest that shock-darkened asteroids are potentially best sites for Cu exploitation.
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The abundance of copper grains has been identified in H chondrites as a potential space resource for asteroid ISRU.
“(3) The abundance of copper grains have been identified in H chondrites as a potential space resource for asteroid ISRU (Figure 9D); 239”
From Energy system and resource utilization in space: A state-of-the-art review (2024) · cites this paper as [239]
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- Authors
- Łuszczek, K., & Krzesińska, A. M.
- Affiliations
- Wrocław University of Science and Technology (PL)
- University of Oslo (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Krzesińska, Agata M.
- Venue
- Planetary and Space Science
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-12
- Volume
- 194
- Pages
- 105092
- ISSN
- 0032-0633 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3087783928
- Cited by
- 18
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2
- FWCI
- 0.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Planetary and Space Science (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Polish National Science Centre (NN307 474838, DEC-2011/03/N/ST10/05821)
- Research Council of Norway (223272)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geophysics › Geological and Geochemical Analysis
- Keywords
- copper, ordinary chondrites, H chondrites, S-type asteroids, native copper, siderophile elements, Fe-Ni alloys, shock metamorphism, annealing, mineral processing, asteroid mining, parent body
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