chatgpt generated panoramic illustration of deep-sea mining in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, showing a crawler harvesting polymetallic nodules from the ocean floor with a riser pipe carrying slurry to a ship 4 km above
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with a global expert on minerals processing and battery minerals, Lyle Trytten. We were closing out an engagement to do a technoeconomic assessment of seabed mining and it was a great opportunity to discuss the space and some of the things we … [continued]
Swedish truck and bus manufacturer Scania has quietly but steadily grown its presence and influence across Australia, especially through its focus on sustainable transport, advanced vehicle technology, and a commitment to road safety. In a press statement, the company announced developments that showcase a multi-faceted approach to the Australian market, … [continued]
ChatGPT generated this image of a strategic stockpile warehouse, illustrating the scale and preparedness required to manage by-product metal shortages in national reserves
In the discourse around global electrification, much of the attention is mistakenly drawn to the purported shortages of primary metals such as lithium and cobalt. As I’ve argued extensively elsewhere, including in critiques of the flawed models by Michaux and Cathles, these scenarios vastly overstate scarcity due to extreme and … [continued]
Andrew Forrest has scoffed at “net zero” and challenged the mining industry and maritime shipping to go for “real zero.” To this end, he has purchased battery electric mining equipment — we wrote about it here. Now, the big news is that he is expanding his renewable energy resources to … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of a big mine with critical mineral symbols floating in the air overhead
Late in 2024 I had the privilege of sitting down with one of the world’s leading experts on critical minerals, Gavin Mudd, director of the centre for critical minerals intelligence at the British Geological Survey. The second half of the conversation included a great deal on why we’re both optimistic … [continued]
ChatGPT generated panoramic image of a huge, rusting, filthy, mining truck labeled "H2" abandoned beside an open pit mine
In the past few weeks, three hydrogen transportation firms have declared bankruptcy. First in the set of dominos was German firm Quantron, which left IKEA Austria holding a fleet of its hydrogen delivery vans as well as a fleet of its inferior-to-competitors’ vans without warranty, parts, or maintenance. The other … [continued]
Hot on the heels of his record-breaking purchase of electric mining equipment from Liebherr, Twiggy Forrest has now ordered AUD$400 million of emissions-free heavy mining equipment from China’s Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd (XCMG) to decarbonise Fortescue’s mining. These extra 100 “pieces of zero emissions Heavy Mobile Equipment” will … [continued]
The Eramet Grande Côte Mine 20 MWp solar and 11 MWh battery project will provide clean energy to meet 20% of the mine’s energy needs and reduce carbon emissions by 25,000 tonnes annually. The mining sector is one of the most energy intensive sectors. Big mines can be located close … [continued]
The massive Chevron Questa molybdenum mine in New Mexico was an environmental disaster of epic proportions until it closed in 2014, and now an intricate, decades-long remediation effort is under way. In the latest development, plans are in the works to produce green hydrogen at the site, with the ultimate … [continued]
It isn’t easy being green. Last year, a study published in the journal Science Advances claimed that there was enough lithium — as much as 40 million metric tons — in the McDermitt Caldera, a volcanic area on the border between Nevada and Oregon, to make enough lithium-ion batteries to … [continued]
