In order to achieve our 'Green' Transition, we will need to mine more copper in the next 25 years than in all of previous history.
We will cause over 500 billion tons of toxic waste in the process. That's roughly three Mt Everests' of waste.
Not to mention the massive quantities of toxic wastewater and huge amounts of fossil fuel energy required to process.
Copper mining is among the most environmentally destructive forms of mining.
We label this ecocide green and clean and renewable
@gerrymcgovern So, some progress has been made toward less-polluting methods of separating recycled copper (an iron-based leaching solution). It's definitely a big problem!
E-waste recycling in an optimized way for copper recovery by leaching and a case study on E-waste generation and management in Dhaka city
"[D]espite government initiatives to regulate e-waste management, unsafe handling practices remain widespread. These practices not only endanger workers and the environment but also hinder regulatory efforts. The study emphasizes the urgent need for stricter regulations, greater public awareness, and the adoption of eco-friendly methods, like the proposed iron-based solution, to ensure safer and more effective copper recovery."
Gerry McGovern
DoomsdaysCW