Description
The rapid electrification of worldwide transportation systems is one of the most exciting developments of the 21st century. Like the fossil fuels that they are replacing, however, these cutting edge electrical systems and battery technologies depend on scarce and finite natural resources. Some of the most critical elements like copper and nickel are widely used today, but will require increased production. Other elements like lithium and cobalt, although they have been known and used for more than 200 years, will be used in new ways and need to be mined in unprecedented amounts to meet the expected demand. Producing metals at these levels will require finding new deposits and developing new extraction technologies. In this class, we will discuss the technical and economic basics of the mining process, specific extraction technologies, and some of the new frontiers that are being explored, including producing key metals from the deepest oceans to asteroid mining. We will also discuss some of the environmental impacts associated with mineral production, and explore some of the choices that will need to be made with regard to sustainability.
