Precious Metals in the Green Economy

Precious Metals in the Green Economy

 

The world is turning to green technology in an effort to reduce our impact on the environment. It is a global movement moving at different speeds in different jurisdictions. All the same, we are all moving towards an energy transition.

What is rarely discussed is our relationship with the elements that are required to build green technology. Where will these elements come from?

Interestingly, they will come from the same places we currently mine.  We will still need to extract elements from Mother Earth, the difference will be in the end use but not in the source.

Precious metals play a vital role in computing technologies and particularly in cleaning the emissions that exit the tailpipe of gas and diesel vehicles. Platinum and Palladium, for example, is a rare and precious metal that is an absolute requirement in catalytic converters.

Research is underway to determine if palladium can not only speed up the rate of battery charging but also extend the life of the charge.

With more than one billion cars on the road around the world, we sat down with platinum and palladium miner Mike Jones for a Conversation That Matters about the ongoing role of metals in the green economy.

 

Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Dialogue presents Conversations That Matter. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for an important and engaging Conversation about the issues shaping our future.

 

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