A new technology is being developed to address the increasing problem of extracting metals and minerals for the tech industry without causing significant environmental harm and financial burdens. This technology, called "The Oyster," utilizes electro-extraction to recover metals in their elemental state, which can lead to decreased energy use and carbon emissions in mining.
The process is applicable to raw materials, waste products, and post-consumer waste. By eliminating the need for smelting, this technology can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 92% compared to traditional mining.
Watch the interview with Alexander Allen, Director of Business Development and Head of Mining at Nth Cycle, to know more details!
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Thomas Koch Blank -
Alexander Allen -
Bruno Rafael Santos
- To obtain 20 million tonnes of copper, approximately 15 billion tonnes of rock is extracted from the ground and requires 5,300 billion tonnes of water to do so.
- 40% of US consumers say the batteries in electric vehicles are more dangerous than the gasoline in internal combustion engine vehicles
- All nickel-cadmium batteries have a “memory” – if they are recharged before being fully discharged, they forget they have a larger discharge capacity. Modern li-ion batteries for EVs don’t suffer from this.
In this series
At RMI, Thomas Koch Blank leads initiatives to promote the adoption of green hydrogen in heavy industry. With his experience in the fields of sustainability, energy and resource efficiency, renewable energy and access to energy, mining and minerals, hydrogen, and solar system design, Thomas is a leader of a portfolio of initiatives focused on accelerating clean energy technology and decarbonizing heavy industry.
Prior to his work at RMI, Thomas helped build consultancy McKinsey & Company’s Sustainability and Resource Productivity practice, advising the world’s largest companies on the decarbonization of production and supply chains. He also served as a senior advisor to national governments drafting and implementing sustainability strategies.
Alexander Allen began his career as a geologist, gaining extensive experience working for a range of exploration companies across various commodities and countries. Following his geological career, Alexander transitioned to investment banking in natural resources, spending 8 years in London where he focused on capital markets and mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
In September 2022, Alexander joined Nth Cycle, a company focused on developing innovative recycling technologies for the battery and electronic waste industries.
Bruno Santos is a tire field test engineer with over 10 years of experience validating new technologies, products, and services. He has extensive knowledge of the tire industry, and his technical expertise and ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams has been instrumental in the successful development of new products and services.
Bruno is passionate about finding innovative solutions to improve tire performance and safety. His commitment to continuous improvement makes him a highly valuable professional in the tire industry.