Why Big Miners are Getting into the Metal Recycling Game

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): Demand for metals such as aluminum, lithium and copper is expected to increase in the near future as the world gradually transitions away from energy that depends upon fossil fuels such as coal and oil. For example, aluminum is used to make solar energy devices, while lithium is a key material in the batteries that power electric vehicles.

Companies have moved to produce more of these metals in recent years, so their dependence on recycled minerals in the 2020s has so far been minimal, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). However, the Paris-based organization expects recycled metals to make larger contributions to the total supply from 2030 onward and to be “much more significant” by 2040.

Rio Tinto Ltd. expects the demand for recycled aluminum in the United States to increase by more than 70 per cent from 2022 to 2032, buoyed by the transportation, construction and packaging sectors. Aside from the business aspect, using recycled metal helps the company reduce its overall carbon footprint. Aluminum has many uses in the green shift, but it is still a significant source of carbon dioxide, and producing secondary aluminum is more energy efficient. But the material loses some of its quality when recycled. Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm believes the way forward is a combination of both.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantage.com