Distribution and recycling of chalcophile elements and consequences for terrestrial resources and environment

Chalcophile elements are a group of elements with strong affinities for sulfides and metals. Their distribution among the core, mantle, and crust of terrestrial planets provides valuable insights into planetary formation and evolution, such as terrestrial accretion, core-mantle differentiation, and crust-mantle interaction. Understanding the migration and cycling of chalcophile elements among Earth’s different layers, and the mechanisms for their anomalous enrichment and mineralization, is crucial for unraveling the formation of strategic mineral resources. Many chalcophile elements are volatile heavy metals and can be released during volcanic eruption and accumulated in the Earth’s surface, posing serious ecological risks and even leading to environmental collapse and mass extinction. Despite their importance and prior study, the distribution, transport, enrichment, and release of chalcophile elements within Earth’s different reservoirs remain poorly understood, limiting their broader applications. In this review, we summarize the fundamental geochemical behavior of chalcophile elements, with a focus on their distribution and recycling throughout Earth’s core, mantle, and crust. We highlight several representative applications of chalcophile element systematics, including early terrestrial accretion, mantle-crust differentiation, subduction recycling, and associated impacts for mineral resources and environments. We suggest that further study of the geochemical behavior of chalcophile elements within Earth’s complex systems will be of great importance for the terrestrial evolution and its consequences for mineral resources and environment.