The Big Grab for Metals Hiding in Our E-Waste

In the shift to renewable energy, recycled copper is gold—and mining companies are therefore interested in our old electronics. "In the next 25 years we will consume more copper than humanity has consumed until now," Kunal Sinha, the global head of recycling at Glencore, the world's biggest commodities trading company, tells the Wall Street Journal. "That's the scale of the challenge." And to meet this demand, Glencore is one of the top players investing big in extracting copper, which the story describes as "infinitely recyclable," from our old junk. Details:

• Why copper? As countries set climate goals that shift away from fossil fuels, copper plays a big role in the transition to electric. Among many uses, it will be vital to conduct energy in the power-hungry data centers being built to both store our digital world and innovate AI.
• Demand: To meet the moment, the global supply needs to grow—by a lot—and fast: about a million metric tons yearly through 2050. Per Axios, an estimated $600 billion in new geological mining investments must be put in place by 2040 to meet international climate pledges, and that number stretches higher if recycled copper isn't included. Factoring in recycled copper reduces the need for new mines by 40%.
• Supply: The Journal notes that it will take some time for copper mines to ramp up and meet new demand, which makes reusing copper sitting in junk drawers all the more appealing. In one analysis, Glencore found that the amount of copper in landfilled auto fluff (the shredded residue left after cars are scrapped) may contain more than twice what's found in mines.
• Recycling copper: Fast Company reports that for every ton of copper recycled, 200 tons of rock will be left unmined, which comes with environmental benefits. While the US has traditionally sent scrap to countries in Asia, the capacity to extract it closer to home is building. Sinha says Glencore is in conversation with electronics manufacturers to make it easier to recycle products. "Most people don't produce things with their end of life in mind," he says.

(More e-waste stories.)