Modelling global copper flows

Copper is key resource for the energy and digital transitions and is also widely used in the construction, machinery, and vehicle sectors. WU Vienna and BOKU have started their work on setting up a model to trace the global flows of copper products. The material flow model will link countries of copper extraction, manufacturing and final use.

Later in the project, the model will be extended with spatially explicit information on copper mining to assess environmental impacts of increasing copper demand, and to data on copper stocks in buildings, machinery and vehicles.