The Green Economy Is Hungry for Copper—and People Are ...
Aug 22, 2024 · The wave of copper theft has sparked a backlash of vigilante violence in some impoverished townships. Suspected thieves have been assaulted, beaten and occasionally …
Metal Prices Are Soaring. So Is Metal Theft - WIRED
Feb 20, 2024 · As the world electrifies, and as we depend more and more on machinery packed with copper, steel, and precious metals, this form of theft is getting ever more serious.
Can Reengineered Aluminum Help Fill the Demand for Copper?
Jul 14, 2022 · Can Reengineered Aluminum Help Fill the Demand for Copper? As the world converts to electric vehicles and renewable energy, molecular tweaks to aluminum could …
The World’s E-Waste Has Reached a Crisis Point - WIRED
Mar 20, 2024 · That also represents about $62 billion worth of recoverable materials, like iron, copper, and gold, hitting e-waste landfills each year.
How Do Metal Detectors Work? - WIRED
Oct 31, 2025 · In nonmetals like plastic or glass, the electrons pretty much stick to their original atom. In a metal like copper, however, the outer electrons swim around freely and are shared …
The Feds Are Trying to Get Plants to Mine Metal Through Their ...
Mar 21, 2024 · At the moment, ARPA-E is focusing on phytomining nickel, but it says it could in theory also explore ways for plants to extract cobalt, copper, or lithium.
The devastating environmental impact of technological progress
Oct 27, 2019 · This picture is one of a series showing extraction work at the Centinela copper mine, one of the largest in Chile – the machines and vehicles visible in the pit give a sense of …