Four Minerals Key to an Advanced Energy Future - Minerals Make Life (2024)

Table of Contents
Copper Lithium Antimony Tellurium

The global demand for minerals is growing exponentially as governments commit to advancing energy technologies capable of addressing the climate challenge. Electric vehicles (EVs), solar arrays, wind turbines and transmission lines are all driving demand higher and faster than ever before.

The International Energy Agency recently issued a stark warning about the future energy transition: Fail to develop the mineral supply chains that are the building blocks for advanced energy technologies and risk undercutting deployment at the speed and scale needed to meet emission reduction goals.

To date, the U.S. has mostly ignored our rich domestic reserves and the need for a national strategy to shore up our domestic supply chains, looking instead to imported minerals from foreign producers. Instead, we should be ramping up domestic minerals production under world-class environmental standards to win the energy transition, utilizing our more than $6.2 trillion in mineral reserves that exist here in the U.S. Minerals such as copper, lithium, antimony and tellurium are available on American soil and are essential to our energy transition.

Copper

Copper is an irreplaceable element for advanced energy technology, including EVs, wind turbines and solar panels. According to the IEA, copper, which provides the arteries and veins of an electrified world, will see its demand double in the coming years. EVs require four times more copper in the manufacturing process than gas-powered vehicles. A single wind turbine requires 4.7 tons of copper and the growth of offshore wind is expected to account for nearly 40 percent of future copper demand. As solar technology advances, the IEA expects solar will require 68 times the amount of copper it currently uses by 2040. To deliver the future of advanced energy, the U.S. needs a strong and stable supply of copper.

Freeport-McMoRan is a company ready to support this need and continues to produce copper across seven domestic mines, with its newest project on track to exceed 200 million pounds of copper a year in 2021. Taseko’s Florence Copper has developed a copper recovery process that is expected to produce an average of 85 million pounds of copper per year over 20 years, all with minimal environmental impact. Rio Tinto’s Resolution Copper Mine and Hudbay’s Rosemont Copper Mine are two proposed copper mines that have been tied up in permitting delays but stand ready to supply future copper needs.

Lithium

Lithium is essential for producing the lithium-ion batteries used in EVs. So essential, that by 2040, lithium demand could grow to more than 40 times what it is today. Despite an estimated 7.9 million tons of lithium on U.S. soil, approximately 87 percent of all lithium is sourced from Australia, Chile and China. The U.S. is currently home to only one large-scale lithium mine, Silver Peak, in Nevada. To produce EV batteries at scale, we need to stand up more lithium projects here at home. In Nevada, Lithium Americas’ Thacker Pass project could produce an estimated 60,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium per year. And in Arkansas, Standard Lithium’s Lanxess project could produce 29,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year. These are just two of a number of exciting projects advancing across the country.

Antimony

While the importance of its role in various technologies is not as well-known as copper and lithium, antimony is among the most important inputs to our economic progress and future energy applications. This critical mineral has applications in everything from EV batteries, wind turbines and solar panels to semi-conductor chips, iPhone screens and energy-efficient windows. As of 2020, the U.S. had zero domestic producers of antimony, while China and Russia dominated the global market. Currently, only one proposed mining project, Perpetua Resources’ Stibnite Gold Project, in central Idaho, offers hope for decreasing America’s foreign reliance on antimony. Once approved, Perpetua Resources’ mine could rank in the top 10 antimony producing mines globally, and supply 35 percent of U.S. demand within six years.

Tellurium

Another unsung hero of advanced energy technologies is tellurium, which is essential to solar panels. The rare mineral feeds into semiconductor chips and is a key element of solar photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into electricity. The U.S. currently imports more than 95 percent of its tellurium supply from countries including China and Canada, but Rio Tinto plans to extract the metal from its copper processing at its Kennecott mine in Utah. Rio Tinto says the mine will produce 20 tonnes of tellurium a year, creating a new North American supply chain.

Across the U.S., mining companies are harnessing innovation to deliver minerals more efficiently and sustainably, but their ability to meet our soaring mineral demands is being undercut by a legislative environment defined by cumbersome permitting timelines and the threat of excessive fees. To address the climate challenge and secure our mineral supply chains, policymakers must enact the right policies to encourage investment in America’s minerals and resources.

Four Minerals Key to an Advanced Energy Future - Minerals Make Life (2024)
Top Articles
Trip interruption and travel health insurance - Travel.gc.ca
ETFs vs. Stocks: Which is Best for Investors?
Netronline Taxes
Boggle Brain Busters Bonus Answers
Richard Sambade Obituary
30% OFF Jellycat Promo Code - September 2024 (*NEW*)
2022 Apple Trade P36
Khatrimaza Movies
Category: Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes | EA Forums
What Was D-Day Weegy
1TamilMV.prof: Exploring the latest in Tamil entertainment - Ninewall
414-290-5379
Detroit Lions 50 50
Oc Craiglsit
The most iconic acting lineages in cinema history
Shreveport Active 911
Craiglist Galveston
Hilo Hi Craigslist
Bj Alex Mangabuddy
Zalog Forum
eHerkenning (eID) | KPN Zakelijk
Toyota Camry Hybrid Long Term Review: A Big Luxury Sedan With Hatchback Efficiency
Wics News Springfield Il
All Obituaries | Verkuilen-Van Deurzen Family Funeral Home | Little Chute WI funeral home and cremation
Valic Eremit
Breckiehill Shower Cucumber
Impact-Messung für bessere Ergebnisse « impact investing magazin
Culver's.comsummerofsmiles
Aes Salt Lake City Showdown
Skepticalpickle Leak
lol Did he score on me ?
Craigs List Jax Fl
Calvin Coolidge: Life in Brief | Miller Center
Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis of Investment Projects Economic appraisal tool for Cohesion Policy 2014-2020
United E Gift Card
Capital Hall 6 Base Layout
Deleted app while troubleshooting recent outage, can I get my devices back?
Chattanooga Booking Report
67-72 Chevy Truck Parts Craigslist
Kvoa Tv Schedule
Blasphemous Painting Puzzle
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Nexus
Tryst Houston Tx
Easy Pigs in a Blanket Recipe - Emmandi's Kitchen
Seven Rotten Tomatoes
Nina Flowers
Peace Sign Drawing Reference
Ups Authorized Shipping Provider Price Photos
antelope valley for sale "lancaster ca" - craigslist
Twizzlers Strawberry - 6 x 70 gram | bol
Round Yellow Adderall
Primary Care in Nashville & Southern KY | Tristar Medical Group
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Lilliana Bartoletti

Last Updated:

Views: 5999

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lilliana Bartoletti

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 58866 Tricia Spurs, North Melvinberg, HI 91346-3774

Phone: +50616620367928

Job: Real-Estate Liaison

Hobby: Graffiti, Astronomy, Handball, Magic, Origami, Fashion, Foreign language learning

Introduction: My name is Lilliana Bartoletti, I am a adventurous, pleasant, shiny, beautiful, handsome, zealous, tasty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.