The U.S. Geological Survey said researchers estimate the Andes may hold 826 million tons of copper in undiscovered porphyry copper deposits. The deposits also have the potential to contain 20 million tons of molybdenum, 13,000 tons of gold and 250,000 tons of silver, the agency said.

The research was conducted as part of the first global mineral resource assessment, led by the USGS. The Andes assessment was prepared with the assistance of the Geological Surveys of Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru.