Category: News

Hyper-accumulating plants thrive in metallic soil that kills other vegetation, and botanists are testing the potential of phytomining.

Researchers at the US Geological Survey (USGS) and its partners have developed a new methodology to identify which mineral commodities important to US manufacturing are at greatest risk to supply disruption. The risk tool identified 23 mineral commodities posing the greatest risk. The methodology evaluated the global supply of and…

How a Trillion Trees Triumphed Over Trump’s Climate Denialism  The New York Times

Renowned German car manufacturers Volkswagen and Daimler have jointly commissioned a study on lithium mining in advance of a projected EV rush. 
The submitted filings for the report stated, “This project is driven by the Volkswagen and Daimler companies. The growing importance of batteries has made the sustainability of lithium a key priority for these companies.”

BP Boss Looney Sets Out to ‘Reinvent’ Oil Giant With Zero Carbon Goal  The New York Times

The Man Who Conquered Yale Is Now Taking on Climate Change  Financial Post

An interdisciplinary team of bio-engineers and economists has mapped out how wood could replace petroleum in the chemical industry. They not only looked at the technological requirements, but also whether that scenario would be financially viable. A shift from petroleum to wood would lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions, the researchers state.

Tesla has developed a new aluminium alloy for die casting of parts for electrical cars. Besides delivering high yield strength, it can also maintain a high conductivity.  This is backed up by a new patent application filed by the car manufacturer.

The materials team of Tesla led by alloy expertise Charles Kuehmann has created aluminium alloys for die casting. An extract from the patent of the car manufacturer reads like:

“It may be desirable to produce cast aluminium alloys with high yield strength such that the alloys do not fail easily while also containing sufficient conductivity for various applications. The aluminium alloys may be used in different automotive parts, including rotors, stators, busbars, inverters, and other parts. Current cast alloys do not well serve these parts the application of the parts. There remains a need to develop cast aluminium alloys with high strength, improved conductivity, and sufficient castability.”

A summary of the disclosure also reveals the following:

“The disclosed aluminium alloys are aluminium alloys with high yield strength, high extrusion speed, and/or high thermal conductivity. In certain variations, the alloys are pres-quenchable, allowing processing without additional subsequent solution heat treatment while not compromising the ability to form an aluminium alloy having high yield strength as described herein. The aluminium alloys are designed for use with casting techniques. Die casting is preferentially used, although sand casting (green sand and dry sand), permanent mould casting, plaster casting, investment casting, continuous, or another casting type may be used.”

The cities will share knowledge and best practice from case studies developed in the Circular London and Circular Glasgow projects which began in 2017

Steel-Built Carbon Capture Machines are removing CO2 from the air  SteelGuru

Rusal, one of the colossal aluminium producers in the world publishes the decision to suspend its bauxite mining operations in Guyana, as the unrest continues.

The company has delivered written notices of termination to 326 employees. Following the illegitimate and serious actions, that has gone beyond the control of the government and enforcement agencies, including arson of the electricity pylon basement and other corporate property and blocking of the river, RUSAL considers it’s advisable to suspend and freeze operations of Bauxite Company of Guyana (BCGI)

The continuous growth of the unrest is impacting the company’s operations. As of now, RUSAL believes the scope for doing further business in Guyana is now critically limited.

All expatriate employees have been relocated on the ground of safety and security.

RUSAL has addressed that the suspension of operations of its Guyana bauxite business will not affect the company’s overall performance. The Guyana bauxite mining de-growth will be substituted with raw materials from other mines.

An EU research group is creating a certification method for raw materials, to be completed by 2021. The project is part of a push to sustainably mine the metals needed for Europe’s clean energy transition. But critics say certification is not the answer.