Quantification and spatial characterization of in-use copper stocks in Shanghai

•Copper in-use stocks of Shanghai in 2012 are quantified and spatial characterized.•The results are a total stock of 914.6 Gg Cu, and 38.4 –64.1 kg Cu per capita.•Infrastructure category contains the largest proportion of copper stocks in use.•Population density and GDP per capita are related with spatial density.

Shanghai is the largest industrial and commercial city of China, where in-use stocks of metals are likely to be significant. The in-use stocks of copper in this city are thus established by an extensive “bottom-up” study. Spatial distribution of copper stocks within Shanghai has further been characterized for better understanding of copper utilization pattern of this city. For the year 2012, the results are a total stock of 914.6 Gg Cu, and 38.4–64.1 kg Cu per capita. Nearly 94% of copper stocks distribute in subcategories of electric power transmission and distribution, water transmission and distribution, buildings, and household durable. Features of spatial distribution show that three central districts of Jing An, Hong Kou and Huang Pu have the spatial density of more than 1 Gg/km2. And Chong Ming county and Jin Shan District have the lowest spatial density of about 0.01 Gg/km2. It has been found that the copper stock density within Shanghai is largely determined by population density and economic development level.