With a squeeze on supplies of copper, manufacturers of everything from cable to cars are increasingly using recycled scrap to meet the demands of the future. Recycling copper is not new of course. Copper can be recycled indefinitely without losing its value or performance. Every ton of copper that is recycled means some 200 tons […]
Finding Copper In All The Old Places
Copper may be an ageing technology for delivering broadband, but for telcos now recycling all those kilometres of cables it could be worth billions. Some are already recognising that fact of course. British engineering company TXO says they’re talking to a dozen telcos about extracting copper wires from old networks to sell on the open […]
Are Copper Cables “Invisible Waste”?
The United Nations this week said the world is throwing out nearly $10B of electronic waste—or e-waste—a year, calling it “invisible” because most people don’t know it can be recycled. Most of it is lying around out of sight in our homes, including unused cables, electronic toys, power tools, vaping devices, and countless other small […]
Global Copper At A Glance
The latest global Copper Fact Book is now out and apart from being free has everything you need to know about the world’s hardest working and smartest metal. Produced by the International Copper Study Group—ICSG—in Portugal, the newest edition covers the red metal from every angle. From Copper basics like its history, benefits & properties […]
“Word First” E-Waste Re-Cycling
A UK based company is spending $340M on a new e-waste recycling plant in the USA capable of retrieving valuable metals like copper from discarded electronics. Exurban will create the “world’s first zero waste smelter refinery” to offer a domestic, low carbon, circular solution to the global challenge of e-waste. The e-waste problem is huge […]
Circular Copper Goes Round
A call by commodity research group Roskill last week for a lift in copper recycling globally was a worthy rallying cry, but will it make much difference? The company pointed to a report by the United Nations last year showing only 17% of end-of-life electronic scrap is recycled. At the same time a record […]
Copper And Urban Mining
Cities are potentially rich & sustainable sources of metals like copper, but a new study says there are still limits to “Urban Mining”. Everything made by people like gadgets or cars or plumbing is said to belong in the “anthroposphere”, something Urban Mining aims to manage as a source of raw materials. The Urban Mine continues […]
Copper Takes Aim At Future
A new infographic from the International Copper Association shows how copper is essential to life. From technology to energy, manufacturing, communication and mobility copper is the world’s hardest working metal. Click on link below to view infographic. ICA-Infographic-Essentiality-202004-R2
Data Centre Boom Spurs Copper
As technology continues to grow it relies on copper intensive Data Centres to get there. Growing demand for the seamless delivery of an increasing number of Internet of Things services is speeding a move towards large and hyperscale Data Centres. And that means a lot more copper. Demand from Data Centres and Edge Computing is […]
Responsible Copper?
The International Copper Association has created the Copper Mark™ to help deliver responsible copper production. Launched in April 2019 the Copper Mark provides a platform for the assurance of responsibly produced copper and is available for mines, smelters and refineries. The Copper Mark is a voluntary program. Any copper mine, smelter or refiner is welcome […]
Championing “Green Copper”
With copper crucial to a low carbon world the industry is moving to embrace “supply chain transparency”. Big and small brands have led the way to make clear where their products come from-so called supply chain transparency-under pressure from consumers prepared to buy more ethical and environmentally sustainable goods. Miners may have been a bit […]
Tokyo’s Recycled Olympic Medals
Tokyo 2020 promises to break Olympic & Paralympic records, but recycling old gadgets into medals may be its best idea. Organisers of next year’s Summer Olympics say they want to forge all winning athletes’ medals from recycled electronics waste, or eWaste. Consisting of discarded and obsolete electronic devices it includes smartphones, digital cameras, handheld games […]
