Leading research institutions suggest that the 4th Industrial Revolution will arise from advancements in material, energy or space technology. This revolution will fundamentally reshape the production of everyday items, making them both lighter and more robust, ushering civilization into a new era. Alternatively, it might stem from energy transformation, wherein a technological breakthrough will democratize energy access and reshape the social fabric.
Moreover, a groundbreaking leap in space technology could lead to new systems, exploration of new galaxies and travel to meteors, ushering in an entirely new era in the course of civilization. However, due to the socio-economic and socio-psychological turbulence caused by global economic-political challenges such as food security, energy stability, regional conflicts and climate change, these topics might not find significant traction on the global agenda. Yet, understanding that these transformative possibilities primarily hinge on next-generation mining processes and progressive mines allows us to see the path forward.
From civilization's dawn to the present, humanity has extracted and utilized 780 billion tons of copper. By 2050, a projected 3.5 trillion tons of copper will be indispensable for energy and digital revolutions that counter climate change. The question is straightforward: Will we harness these resources to transition to a net-zero carbon economy, powering electric vehicles and devices, thereby averting a global climate disaster?
Alternatively, will we succumb to the disinformation spread about the mining industry and allow a group of environmental activists who fail to deeply analyze topics from a broad perspective to dictate our course, leading us to a disaster by not producing the minerals and rare metals essential for generating wind turbines, solar power plants, geothermal power plants and all other technologies operating with 100% electricity on land, sea and air, effectively generating zero carbon?
Now, let us delve into the realm of energy supply security. A critical point still eludes our complete understanding: Countries like the United States, China, India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada, Türkiye, South Africa and Brazil – encompassing significant landmass and population – and indeed, countries of all sizes across the globe, cannot exclusively meet their energy demands using renewable sources today. This is due to the intermittent nature of renewable energy, and even more significantly, the current energy storage technologies and capacities fall far short of global requirements. Consequently, bidding farewell to coal before 2030, parting ways with oil before 2050, and embracing a future without natural gas before 2075 cannot be immediate processes.
Furthermore, this transition period will extend for a decade. In a world context characterized by global technology battles and economic power clashes that trigger mineral conflicts and even disrupt certain African nations, it is essential to pause and reconsider once more.
