Why Are We Sending Critical Metals to the Dump? | Jeff More | TED

TL;DR

Mining faces a significant copper shortage, but innovative technologies can help mitigate waste and increase production.

Transcript

So this is the truth about mining. It's an absolutely essential industry. In fact, we've even named historical ages after the metals that are produced by mining. So, for example, take the Bronze Age. Now bronze is actually 90 percent copper, so I think maybe some unfair branding. It should have been the Copper Age. But the only thing that happened ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤕 Mining has historically played a vital role in human development, marking technological progress through various ages tied to the discovery of metals.
• 🤩 Copper is key in developing clean technologies such as electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, increasing demand in modern times.
• 🍰 The copper supply is projected to be critically short, emphasizing the urgency to innovate mining practices to meet future needs.
• 🗑️ Much of the material that could contain valuable copper is wasted in traditional mining, indicating a systemic issue in resource management.
• ☠️ Cutting-edge technology like ShovelSense improves real-time decision-making in mining, significantly enhancing resource recovery rates.
• 👶 The rapid deployment and success of technologies can yield remarkable production increases, equivalent to the value of new mine outputs.
• 🪡 The mining industry needs substantial investments in technology and processes to reduce wastage and increase efficiency to meet future demands.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is mining historically significant, and how does it relate to technological advancement?

Mining is historically significant as it has defined entire ages, such as the Bronze Age named after bronze, which is primarily copper-based. As technology advanced, copper emerged as a fundamental industrial metal due to its utility in creating electrical systems and modern technologies, marking the transition from the Stone Age's primitive tools to complex machinery and devices.

Q: What are the projected copper shortages, and what do they imply for the industry?

Forecasters predict a significant copper supply shortage, estimating a gap of 19 million tons by 2050 and 4 million tons by 2030. This raises critical concerns for the industry, as existing mines alone will not suffice to meet growing demand, necessitating the development of new mines, which is a lengthy and challenging process.

Q: How does traditional mining create waste, and what impact does this have?

Traditional mining practices are wasteful, with over half of the extracted material ending up in waste dumps, as copper and other valuable resources are often discarded. This inefficiency not only squanders potential resources but also creates environmental challenges, highlighting the need for better methods that maximize what is extracted.

Q: What innovative technologies are being introduced to improve mining efficiency?

Technologies like ShovelSense have been introduced, which utilize advanced sensors and AI to analyze mined rock in real-time. This allows miners to make informed decisions about what rock to process, significantly enhancing copper recovery and reducing waste, leading to increased efficiency and production at existing mines.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The mining industry is essential, historically significant, and currently facing a looming shortage of copper due to increasing demand for sustainable technologies.

• Traditional mining practices are wasteful, resulting in over half of mined materials ending up as waste, which could be averted with better data and technology.

• Innovative solutions like the ShovelSense technology are improving mining efficiency by enhancing decision-making and increasing copper production at existing mines, potentially addressing future shortages.