Evidence for extreme partitioning of copper into a magmatic vapor phase.

The discovery of copper sulfides in carbon dioxide- and chlorine-bearing bubbles in phenocryst-hosted melt inclusions shows that copper resides in a vapor phase in some shallow magma chambers. Copper is several hundred times more concentrated in magmatic vapor than in coexisting pantellerite melt. The volatile behavior of copper should be considered when modeling the volcanogenic contribution of metals to the atmosphere and may be important in the formation of copper porphyry ore deposits.