New $150 Million Initiative to Revolutionize Sustainable Copper Mining
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: A new $150 million research center in London aims to develop sustainable copper mining methods, helping meet the massive demand increase needed for clean energy without environmental damage.
📈 One key stat: Annual copper demand will reach around 50 million tonnes by 2050, more than double the 22 million tonnes mined in 2023, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable extraction methods.
💬 One key quote: “The world needs to electrify its energy systems, and success will absolutely depend on copper,” says materials scientist and Imperial vice-provost Prof Mary Ryan.
1️⃣ The big picture: A groundbreaking research initiative has launched at Imperial College London to tackle one of the biggest challenges in the transition to clean energy – sustainable copper mining. The new Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials, backed by $150 million in funding, brings together international university partners to develop innovative extraction methods. Current copper mining practices cause severe environmental damage through acid contamination and habitat destruction. With copper demand set to more than double by 2050 due to electric vehicles and renewable energy needs, finding sustainable mining solutions has become critical.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Scientists are developing multiple promising approaches to extract copper without environmental destruction. One method involves tapping into underground copper-rich brines using geothermal energy, creating self-powered mines. Another innovative technique uses genetically modified plants and bacteria to extract copper from contaminated soil. These new technologies can help meet rising copper demand while protecting ecosystems and communities near mining sites. The international collaboration and significant funding demonstrate serious commitment to solving this critical sustainability challenge.
3️⃣ What’s next: The research center will first focus on testing and scaling up their novel copper extraction methods at identified sites, starting with promising locations in New Zealand. They plan to explore using geothermal-powered mining in other regions like Japan. The center will also continue developing and improving their plant-based extraction technology. Beyond copper, researchers will eventually expand their work to develop sustainable mining solutions for other critical materials.
Read the full story here: The Guardian – Mine copper without destroying the planet? London-based project gives scientists hope
