Scientists have identified a mechanism through which important metals, crucial to the manufacturing of renewable energy technologies, are passed from the Earth’s mantle to the crust. The team, including researchers from Cardiff University, has discovered a ‘Goldilocks zone’ at the base of the Earth’s crust where the temperate is just right at around 1000°C for metals to be transported to shallower levels near the surface, where they can be mined. The metals in question – most notably copper, cobalt, tellurium, and platinum – are highly-sought after due to their use in electrical wiring and technologies such as battery storage devices,...