International Copper Association’s Post

Very interesting read. Due to the electrification of everything we can’t meet our copper needs with recycling alone. From what I understand (and I’m no expert!) there are also challenges with the purity needed for electric motors. The mining industry can decarbonise by focusing on 4 key areas: clean electricity, electrification of equipment, alternative fuels, and efficiency gains in processes.

A very interesting interview in the newspaper La Nueva España with Javier Targhetta, CEO of Atlantic Copper and President of Fundación Minería y Vida. The headline is "The zero emissions goal cannot come at the cost of millions of jobs in Europe". In this article, we would like to highlight two sentences: “...those [raw] materials that are critical, such as copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium, graphite, manganese, zinc... Their scarcity could prevent the transition to a green economy and deprive the European manufacturing industry – for example, the automobile industry – of the elements necessary to sustain itself and grow.” Indeed, it is all about ensuring that we maintain real jobs here in Europe and that we do not become a de-industrialized part of the world that depends entirely on raw materials and products that come from outside Europe. The green and digital transition depends on minerals and without mining there are no minerals. Spain has a great opportunity to accelerate this transition and create jobs through mining. The article in Spanish can be read here: https://lnkd.in/d4t4TMB9 #EurobatteryMinerals #ResponsibleMining 

JPMorgan Projects Chile as Sole Leader in Lithium Production Growth by 2030, Stalling Argentina’s Advance. JPMorgan forecasts Chile to outpace global lithium production growth by 2030, attributing it to the SQM-Codelco agreement and reduced estimates for Australia and Argentina. This projection highlights Chile’s pivotal role in the lithium market amid rising demand for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage. Economically, Chile’s lithium dominance promises increased export revenues and GDP growth, offering diversification opportunities away from traditional sectors like copper mining. However, environmental concerns and technological advancements pose challenges to sustained growth. As Chile navigates these complexities, policymakers and industry stakeholders must prioritize sustainable practices to ensure long-term prosperity. Chile’s trajectory in the lithium sector not only shapes its economic landscape but also influences global energy transition efforts.

Industry stakeholders MUST PRIORITIZE sustainable practices

Chile: Corfo announces «R&D Challenges» for the development of lithium metal, battery reuse and green copper» The first of this year’s calls for proposals from the Chilean Economic Development Agency (Corfo) for «R&D Challenges for Sustainable Productive Development» related to the development of the lithium industry, sustainable mining, energy transition and digital transformation will be open until mid-April 2024. This first call for 2024 includes three challenges, «Development of new technological solutions for the production of metallic lithium in Chile», «Advanced reuse of EV (electric vehicle) batteries for stationary storage» and «Development of new technological solutions for the reduction of emissions in the processing of copper concentrates». According to the development agency, this call is expected to finance projects for a total of up to US$30 million with resources from the R&D contributions committed by SQM Salar S.A. and Albemarle in the contracts for the exploitation of lithium in the Corporation’s mining properties in the Salar de Atacama. https://lnkd.in/dVwt7P22

Sonami study contemplates the management of hydric and power resources in mining.   Below you will find details of the report:   Mining National Policy 2050: Ambitious goals.   The Mining National Policy 2050 sets ambitious goals for the industry, including the reduction in the use of continental water and the seek of carbo neutrality.  Mining companies have shown notorious advances in the recovery and efficiency of water, reaching an impressive 64% of use of recovered water. However, the hydric scarcity has led to the adoption of desalination as the main solution.   Challenges of desalination and carbon footprint: Desalination, although effective to address water scarcity, involves a considerable amount of power, which represents a significative challenge in a context where power efficiency is crucial. By other part, the industry has led the adoption of renewable energies and process decarbonization. However, the dependence on sources of intermittently energy rises additional challenges for the sustainable management of power and hydric resources.   Synergy between water and power: Opportunities and challenges. The close relation between water and power in Chilean mining industry rises opportunities and challenges, the authors say. For example, the adoption of technologies, such as green hydrogen to reduce carbon emissions  implies a significant use of water in electrolysis. To conciliate the sustainable use of both resources is essential to promote a green mining and to meet the goals of PNM2050 (Mining National Policy). https://lnkd.in/d7Z2huTC

DIMETHYL ETHER COULD PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE GREEN TRANSFORMATION OF THE MINING INDUSTRY IN CHILE [H2News Plataforma Multimedia] A group of German scientists visited Antofagasta, Chile, with the aim of promoting sustainability in the mining industry through the production of green fuels. This international collaboration marks a milestone in the search for environmentally friendly solutions, with the construction of a pilot plant on Cerro Dominador, it is about Power To MEDME. This project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, seeks to produce methanol and dimethyl ether (DME), alternatives to replace fossil fuels in mining, heavy industry and export. The initiative includes research on green hydrogen production, CO2 capture and the development of efficient process chains. H2News Plataforma Multimedia spoke with Malte Semmel, Head of Group Synthesis Products: Separation and Production Technologies, Hydrogen Technologies at Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE in Germany, about dimethyl ether and why it has recently come into the fray as an alternative green hydrogen derivative, that can be very competitive by having better combustion characteristics than diesel and fewer emissions, among others. You can read the full interview in the link below. Grace Keller #Chile #greenhydrogen Source: H2News Plataforma Multimedia https://lnkd.in/g_nrNeat

Chile is set to increase its production of lithium by opening up 26 lithium-bearing salt flats to private investors. This move comes a year after the launch of the National Lithium Strategy. The model aims to form public-private alliances to boost local production. State firms will control partnerships in the most critical regions, while privately owned organisations will take on projects in less strategic areas. This is a significant step towards increasing the country's lithium production and meeting the growing global demand. #lithium #chile #batterymaterials

Chilean lawmakers have introduced a bill to make lithium concessions feasible, countering President Boric’s stance on keeping lithium non-concessible. The aim is to leverage the global surge in lithium demand, labeled the ‘white gold’ boom, by opening up access to the mineral. This move contradicts Boric’s National Lithium Strategy, advocating state control over lithium reserves. The bill, supported by various political groups, proposes placing lithium under common mining laws to allow exploitation by third parties. Experts argue that the current policy hampers Chile’s competitiveness, while Argentina emerges as a strong contender in the lithium industry with numerous projects underway.

As the world increasingly looks to go green, are we truly aware of where the materials for this 'green tech' is coming from? The atrocities of Chinese mining companies are highlighted in this article by the BBC. As a clean, sustainable electronics waste recycling company, we believe the solution to this lies in Urban Mining. Recycling technologies are truly innovative and resourceful at present, ensuring extraction of gold, silver, platinum and rare earth minerals from old phones, laptops and televisions. Recycling responsibly, with KSPCB Karnataka licensed recyclers or Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) licensed recyclers is the first step to responsible disposal, and every bit of it is an important contribution to the creation of a secondary market for circular economy. Green technology revolution needs the involvement of every stakeholder. #recycleresponsibly #circulareconomy #lithiummining #urbanmining