Hardware Podcasts

Keeping copper from limiting the energy transition

Catalyst · 1 Jun 2023 · 49m

What this episode covers

Cristóbal Undurraga, CEO of Ceibo, explains how stagnating copper supply threatens net-zero goals due to declining ore grades and the high capital costs of transitioning from oxide to sulfide mining. He details the industry's reliance on concentration plants for sulfides, which require billions in investment and complex permitting, while highlighting Ceibo’s novel electrolysis technology that enables leaching of refractory copper sulfides like chalcocite. Undurraga argues that extending the life of existing hydrometallurgical infrastructure is critical to meeting the doubling demand for copper in the energy transition without building entirely new, expensive smelting facilities.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Ceibo, S&P Global, Codelco, BHP, Freeport McMoRan, Rio Tinto, Energy Hub, Bloom Energy
Products
Escondida, Morenci

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