MATERIALS AND GEOPOLITICS

Copper and the energy transition: the potential physical bottleneck

To meet the Net Zero 2050 scenario, more copper must be produced over the next 25 years than humanity extracted between 1900 and 2021. However, ore grades in Chile have declined by 49% since 2000, lead times for new mine development exceed 17 years, and China controls 4...

MATERIALS AND GEOPOLITICS

Copper: do we have substitutes?

Is the substitution of copper a viable pathway for sustaining global electrification? In the face of a projected supply deficit, the discourse surrounding technological alternatives frequently conflates tangible advancements with laboratory-stage hype. This article diss...