Finding the metals necessary for the energy transition

To combat climate change, the world needs to pivot away from fossil fuels.

But building battery electric vehicles and infrastructure for renewable energy will require enormous amounts of minerals and resources, which can only be obtained in the quantities needed through mining. Low and low-to-middle income countries are also looking to boost their access to electricity, which will now likely take place through renewable energy systems. 

Adam Simon, a professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Michigan, studies how metals are deposited in the Earth's crust, with the ultimate goal of ensuring a sustainable supply of resources for our growing global population. He recently published a study for the International Energy Forum that showed we currently do not mine copper quickly enough to keep up with the global demand for the energy transition.

He joins the Michigan Minds podcast to discuss minerals needed for the energy transition, and how we will need to access those resources.

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