Canadian company pH7 Technologies just scored a major funding boost from Natural Resources Canada to revolutionize copper production.
The $5 million grant will help pH7 Technologies evaluate on-site copper cathode production from low-grade sulfide ore, a notoriously tricky process. This feat could potentially cut emissions and make the mining industry a bit more sustainable. The project will be a part of the Energy Innovation Program’s Mining Decarbonization Division.
What’s the Problem with Copper Mining?
Copper mining often involves extracting ore from open pits, blasting it to smithereens, and then hauling it off to a processing facility. This process can be super polluting, especially when it comes to energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Sulfide ore, in particular, is difficult to process because it needs to be crushed and treated with chemicals to extract the copper.
The pH7 Plan
pH7 Technologies wants to change this by developing an on-site process to extract copper from low-grade sulfide ore. They’ll use a proprietary technology that can recover copper from waste rock and tailings, reducing the need for open-pit mining and lower-grade ore processing. This could not only decrease emissions but also reduce energy consumption and waste generation.
This funding support will enable pH7 Technologies to conduct a feasibility study and test their proprietary technology. If successful, this could lead to a more efficient and environmentally friendly way of producing copper cathodes – a critical component in many industries, including renewable energy infrastructure.
What This Means
This project is a step towards making copper mining a bit more sustainable. If pH7 Technologies can successfully scale up their technology, it could lead to lower emissions and reduced waste generation in the mining industry. As the world ramps up renewable energy production, the demand for copper is only going to increase – making more efficient and environmentally friendly production methods essential for meeting that demand.
