Copper is vital for electric vehicles, renewable power, and energy systems, but its extraction poses ecological risks. The new Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials at Imperial College London, funded with $150 million, will focus on developing responsible methods for copper sourcing. Key questions include whether copper can be extracted without disturbing ecosystems or using biotechnological approaches. Given that copper was mined in significant quantities in 2023, this initiative seeks to balance industrial demand with environmental responsibility for the planet's net-zero future.
The world needs to electrify its energy systems, and success will absolutely depend on copper, materials scientist Prof Mary Ryan stated. It's the biggest bottleneck in this process.
Our first aim is to find new, responsible ways to source metals—in particular copper. Can we extract it without disturbing rocks? Or could we use viruses?
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