As a leading provider of custom copper processing equipment, FEECO continues to play an active role in helping companies to meet their copper processing and handling goals.
Between electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies, demand for copper has never been higher, but a growing trend looks like it will also be infringing on copper supplies with its own demands.
New research coming out of the International Copper Association shows that the demand for copper used in smart city technologies will rise significantly in the coming years, and some industry experts are wondering where all that copper will come from.
The Rise of Smart Cities
Smart cities employ digital technology and intelligence to create a responsive infrastructure that can manage everything from traffic and public transportation, to crime prevention and emergency response services. The trend seems a natural progression, given the constantly advancing internet of things (IoT) paired with rising urbanization and increasingly higher standards of living.
Smart cities have the potential to bring sweeping changes to nearly every aspect of daily life, reducing costs, improving quality of life, and making better use of resources. A report by McKinsey Global Institute estimates that smart cities could improve some quality of life indicators by as much as 10-30 percent, with potential to contribute to 70% of the Sustainable Development Goals, among other benefits.
Smart cities come to fruition through a host of different applications – remote patient monitoring, predictive policing, real-time public transit information, real-time air quality data, smart traffic lights, and so much more.
These digitally supported communities are already in development around the world, with Barcelona a leading example; by implementing systems in water, lighting, and parking management, the city has saved more than €75 million and created 47,000 jobs in the process.
Smart Cities and Copper
The potential improvements a smart city could make on daily life are nearly limitless, but all that digital technology relies on copper – and lots of it.
High-speed network infrastructure, sensors, smart phones, smart buildings, switches, wiring, batteries, routers, and more – all of these technologies that facilitate the advancing digital world we live in – depend on copper.
Research released by the International Copper Association shows that the demand for copper used in smart city technologies will nearly double between 2019 and 2025, hitting 4.8 million tons, with the greatest growth potential in building and mobility applications.
Add that to the already-explosive demand from renewable energy and electric vehicles, and it’s easy to see why some industry experts are wondering where we’ll get all that copper.
Meeting Copper Demand
The industry is already predicting a potentially major deficit of the red metal in the coming years if new mining projects aren’t put into play. In fact, skirting the estimated potential 10 million-ton gap would require another eight projects equivalent to the world’s largest copper mine (BHP’s Escondida).
Such a deficit is likely to have several ramifications. To minimize the potential shortfall, the world will need a multi-faceted approach to maximize all of the copper resources available, including:
Copper Recovery Projects
Projects aimed at recovering copper from waste will become increasingly important. In addition to copper scrap, secondary sources of copper will likely continue to expand, evolving to widespread recovery from materials such as spent batteries, circuit boards, and even previously deemed uneconomic mine tailings.
Efficient Copper Processing
Already-essential measures to maximize the efficiency of copper processing will become increasingly critical. This might include the use of agglomeration drums to improve copper recovery during heap leaching, and pugmill mixers (paddle mixers) for maximizing recovery during the smelting process.
R&D Around Copper and Alternatives
In addition to improving existing processing methods, as copper supplies tighten and prices rise, the industry will exceedingly look toward alternatives to fill the gap where possible. Aluminum is the most common substitute for copper.
All of this activity will also lead to an increase in the need for feasibility testing and process development services aimed at these objectives, such as those offered by the FEECO Innovation Center.
Conclusion
Demand for copper is continuously on the rise, and not just for use in electric vehicles and renewable energies; smart cities will also require a substantial quantity of the metal. This will push the industry to increase focus around copper recovery and beneficiation technologies, as well as potential substitutes, spurring a flurry of development work.
FEECO has been providing the copper industry with custom processing equipment, testing services, and parts and service support since 1951. For more information on our copper equipment and services, contact us today!