A clean economy will emerge with electric vehicles, wind and solar power, and enhanced battery storage.An indispensable ingredient in energy storage is copper because of its unique ability to conduct heat and conduct electricity.A cleaner, decarbonized economy is impossible without more copper.
For example, an electric vehicle uses an average of 200 pounds.A single solar panel contains 5.5 tons of copper per megawatt.Wind farms need it, and so does energy transmission.
But current and projected global copper supplies are insufficient to drive the transition to clean energy.The US now has a large copper deficit and is a net importer.The future of clean energy has a mineral barrier.
The shortage has already caused copper prices to double over the past two years, and demand is set to grow by 50% over the next two decades.Rising prices have pushed up the cost of the clean energy transition—making it less competitive with coal and natural gas.
Goldman called the situation a “molecular crisis” and concluded that the clean energy economy “would not have happened” without more copper.
In 1910, a quarter of Arizona workers were employed in the mining industry, but by the 1980s that number had dwindled and the industry struggled.Now Tongzhou is back.
While established players continue to produce copper at traditional locations such as Clifton-Morenci and Hayden, new copper exploration is taking place in developments large and small.
The proposed large Resolution mine on the former Magma mine site outside Superior would meet 25% of US demand.
At the same time, producers are developing small deposits that have hitherto been economically unviable.These include Bell, Carlotta, Florence, Arizona Sonoran and Excelsior.
The copper-rich “copper triangle” between Superior, Clifton and Cochise counties has been mined for decades and has the labor and physical infrastructure to mine and ship the copper to smelters and markets.
Copper deposits are Arizona’s locational economic advantage, similar to agriculture to the Midwest and international shipping ports to the coast.
The new copper will create thousands of good family support jobs in struggling rural Arizona, will increase Arizona’s tax revenue by billions, and provide a strong export to fuel our economic growth.
However, there are a number of threshold issues that must be addressed as we proceed.Copper companies must demonstrate secure water supply, responsible management of tailings and should expect to “go green” with electric vehicles and new carbon capture technologies.
In addition, they must demonstrate the highest standards of consultation with nearby communities and those with long-standing heritage on the land.
As an environmental and human rights advocate, I oppose many copper developments.Regardless of economic temptations, not every copper mine should be mined.It has to be done by responsible companies in the right places and to the right standards.
But I also fervently believe in transitioning to a decarbonized economy to save the planet.The clean energy demand for copper will happen whether or not Arizona produces it.
China, the largest producer of mined and refined copper, is racing to fill the vacuum.The same goes for other countries that do not adhere to U.S. labor, human rights, or environmental standards.
Furthermore, when will we learn the lessons of history?America’s dependence on Middle East oil leads us to war.Today Europe’s reliance on Russian gas reduces their influence over Ukraine.Next is the dependence on strategic minerals?
Those who generally oppose copper mine development everywhere while advocating for a clean energy future are enabling bad actors — environmental outlaws and human rights abusers — to fill a void in the market.And create American weakness.
Can we morally cast one eye on clean energy while turning a blind eye to this ugly fact?Or are we ready to give up cell phones, computers, wind and solar?
The Arizona economy of the 20th century had the original 5 “Cs,” but the Arizona economy of the 21st century includes computer chips and clean energy.Enabling them requires new copper.
Fred DuVal is the chairman of Excelsior Mining, Arizona board member, former gubernatorial candidate and former senior White House official.He is a member of the Arizona Republic Contribution Committee.