Post AbbRsNvCvFS1IgFaU4 by RuthODay@chaosfem.tw
(DIR) More posts by RuthODay@chaosfem.tw
(DIR) Post #AbafG8lG2psrTdIJc0 by gerrymcgovern@mastodon.green
2023-11-08T07:37:40Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
In 1900, if you mined one ton of copper, you caused about 25 tons of waste.In 2023, to mine the same one ton of copper, you cause almost 190 tons of waste.Copper, like all other metals, is not disappearing in a flash. It is fading away, dissipating, being available in smaller and smaller quantities. That will result in more and more toxic waste, more and more damage to the environment for less and less return.Finite mining on a finite planet
(DIR) Post #AbafG9kEO8emWjp0eO by troed@masto.sangberg.se
2023-11-08T08:02:24Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@gerrymcgovern Isn't this why we're replacing copper with aluminium for electrical purposes?
(DIR) Post #AbatTjvmYgivsbb15U by urlyman@mastodon.social
2023-11-08T08:40:25Z
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@gerrymcgovern I learned from Simon Michaux that communition (rock breakage and grinding) is the bulk of mining’s Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) and that“…lower grade ore is often also very disseminated with the target mineral grains being very small. This requires a correspondingly smaller process plant grind closing size. The smaller the grind size, an exponential increase in required energy for comminution results.”https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Simon-Michaux-2/publication/351712079_The_Mining_of_Minerals_and_the_Limits_to_Growth/links/60a62816a6fdcc3507dd1b4b/The-Mining-of-Minerals-and-the-Limits-to-Growth.pdf?origin=publication_detail
(DIR) Post #AbatTl04aDkZCCbxPk by urlyman@mastodon.social
2023-11-08T08:43:00Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@gerrymcgovern this when e.g. copper demand is going up massively to meet the “electrify everything” clarion call at the same time as we are wanting to switch from fossil fuels to *less* energy dense sources
(DIR) Post #AbatdUWWhJ0AzTQtDU by kravietz@agora.echelon.pl
2023-11-08T10:41:50.243102Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@gerrymcgovern Nobody cares because 1) it’s mined elsewhere (=not EU nor US), 2) we must more #renewables
(DIR) Post #AbbExmcVDu3HwckGUC by michael@westergaard.social
2023-11-08T10:49:52.096889Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
Sure, copper is bad. But just wait till you hear about the scarcity of minerals needed for "sustainable" energy sources.
(DIR) Post #AbbRsNvCvFS1IgFaU4 by RuthODay@chaosfem.tw
2023-11-08T17:00:19Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@kravietz @gerrymcgovern Copper went into the manufacture of the device that made the post, the devices that read the post, and the electricity that made it all happen.A growing global population with more and more connectivity will put even more of a squeeze on copper.
(DIR) Post #AbccUyUwZe1WRZxvJA by gerrymcgovern@mastodon.green
2023-11-09T06:40:52Z
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@troed Don't know about that. But I do know that aluminum causes massive environmental damage to mine and process.
(DIR) Post #AbcqVOH68SvFkNa7s0 by troed@masto.sangberg.se
2023-11-09T09:17:50Z
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@gerrymcgovern True - but recycling it is very easy and clean and it's "inifinitely" recyclable.
(DIR) Post #Abd1XfSgIzNf7sHvUW by gerrymcgovern@mastodon.green
2023-11-09T11:21:29Z
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@troed About 60% to 70% of aluminum is mined fresh every year."Can aluminum truly be considered infinitely recyclable? Theoretically, yes. But it’s not that simple. Melt loss tends to naturally occur (usually 2-10% for every melt). In all practicality, as per melt loss calculations, aluminum can be recycled about 10-15 times. Hence, using the word “infinite” is mathematically incorrect or exaggerated. Recycling nearly always involves adding primary aluminium."Subodh Das and Martin Hartlieb