Copper is an essential aspect of clean energy solutions, yet the traditional means of acquiring it produces pollution and other ecological issues. However, a new startup called Still Bright is now offering a far greener alternative that may revolutionize copper production.
Whether it's through electric vehicles, wind turbines, or solar panels, creating renewable energy is almost always tied to producing electricity. Producing electricity requires copper wiring and a ton of it. That means any path to a fully green future is going to be paved with copper wiring.
This unavoidable fact presents two significant issues. One is that it's becoming difficult for current mining practices to keep up with copper demand. In fact, some studies show that copper can't be mined fast enough to facilitate a transition to electric power.
🗣️ Should the U.S. invest more in battery innovations?
🔘 Absolutely 💯
🔘 Depends on the project 🤔
🔘 We're investing enough 👍
🔘 We should invest less 📉
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
The second issue is that copper production is not exactly an ecologically friendly practice. It produces toxic pollutants like lead and arsenic which eventually find their way into the earth. On top of that, powering the process requires a significant amount of dirty energy.
While these two problems present significant hurdles on the path to a green future, Still Bright may be able to clear them. This new startup has developed a method of copper production that's faster, cleaner, and more efficient than any other currently available.
The process, known as electrochemical reductive leaching, involves the use of vanadium, the 23rd element. According to Still Bright, sulfide ore is first soaked in liquid vanadium, separating the copper from its other elements. Then, the solution is sent through an electrolyzer to collect the pure copper.
Vanadium has a strong reaction with copper, which means it doesn't take a ton of heat or pressure (and therefore energy) to extract the metal with this process. The equipment used by Still Bright is also fully electric, reducing the carbon impact of the production process. It also produces far less pollution than traditional processes.
Still Bright states that their vanadium process is capable of extracting 99% of copper from sulfide ore. Traditional leaching extracts something like 15-30%, and even the most comparably cutting-edge processes don't extract more than 80%.
While this development is an exciting one, it's still in the testing phase. Still Bright has tested and validated it at lab scale and plans on completing an in-house pilot project by 2026. If successful, it can open the door for a greener future that will require less pollution and dirty energy to achieve.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
