Abstract Copper production from magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE deposits represents a relatively small (∼ 4.5%) but important contribution to worldwide Cu production. Noril'sk (Russia), Sudbury (Ontario), Voisey's Bay (Labrador), and Jinchuan (China) are all significant producers with annual production > 50,000 metric tons (t) of copper. The larger Cu-Ni-PGE magmatic deposits occur throughout geologic time, formed in a range of tectonic settings but predominantly at craton margins or marginal basins and in a range of volcanic-subvolcanic-intrusive settings, and are associated with most mafic-ultramafic magma types. A few examples (Aguablanca, Karatungk) are located in arc settings, but it is possible that mafic magmas are generated through asthenosphere upwelling and partial melting in nonsubduction processes. In general, Cu-rich mineralization is favored by Cu-rich (metasomatized) mantle sources, lower degrees of partial melting of mantle (but high enough to consume all of the sulfides in the source), higher degrees of fractional crystallization-assimilation (but not high enough to reach sulfide saturation), upgrading of metal contents through reaction with relatively large amounts of magma (R factors), and/or, in particular, higher degrees of subsequent fractional crystallization of monosulfide solid solution (MSS). In broad terms, Cu-rich varieties tend to be younger (fewer Archean examples) and associated with gabbroic to ferropicritic intrusions, perhaps reflecting an increased component of melting of metasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) with time.