Copper Mining and Vehicle Electrification
Wednesday 15 May 2024, Virtual Event
Copper is the mineral most fundamental to the human future because it is essential to electricity generation, distribution, and storage. Copper availability and demand determine the rate of electrification, which is the foundation of current climate policy. Many studies have raised concerns that copper supply cannot meet the copper demands of both the green energy transition and equitable global development, but the seemingly universal presumption persists that the copper needed for the green transition will somehow be available. This need not be the case for even the first step of vehicle electrification. This report addresses this issue by projecting copper supply and demand from 2018 to 2050 and placing both in the historical context of copper mine output. Discussion is focused on a single diagram that illustrates the unprecedented nature of the copper mining challenge and ways to reduce copper demand.
Guest Speakers
Introductory Remarks
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Joseph McMonigle
Secretary General, IEF
Report Summary
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Lawrence Cathles
Professor Emeritus, Cornell University
Panel Discussion
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Adam C. Simon
Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, University of Michigan -
Saskia Duyvesteyn
Chief Advisor, R&D, Rio Tinto -
Frank Hoffman
Consulting Principal, Economics & Country Risk, S&P Global Market Intelligence -
Tommy Horton
Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Development, Ivanhoe Mines -
Dan Kravets
Vice President, Corporate Development & Exploration, Freeport-McMoRan -
Nicole Januszczak
Practice Lead Predictive Capability, Metals Exploration, BHP
Closing Remarks
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Joseph McMonigle
Secretary General, IEF
