Framework for evaluating renewables integration in the copper value chain

Copper demand is increasing with electrification, but primary production remains energy intensive and exposed to rising carbon constraints. We present OpenCu, an open-source Python implementation of a modular techno-economic and emissions accounting framework for mine-to-export copper value chains. The framework links process-resolved mass and energy balances with levelized costs, Scope 1–2 operational emissions, logistics, policy settings, and corridor-level multi-criteria assessment. Applied to representative copper pathways, fossil-intensive production costs about US$4,900 t −1 Cu and emits about 5,900 kg CO 2 e t −1 Cu. Green portfolios combining renewable electricity, in-pit crushing and conveying, electrified refining and low-carbon transport can reduce emissions by about 70–75% while lowering costs by up to about 20%. Corridor analysis shows that cathode exports from Chile and Australia to the EU offer strong value capture and lower carbon-price exposure, supporting climate-aligned copper supply-chain design.