Recent Posts

Most Used Categories

Category: Low carbon economy

Understanding Zinc’s Role in a Low-Carbon Economy

by Sponsored Content

The following content is sponsored by Teck

Understanding Zinc’s Role in a Low-Carbon Economy

Understanding Zinc’s Role in a Low-Carbon Economy

When asked to describe how the metal zinc is used, people often mention vitamins, sunscreen, or metal coating.

But few are aware of zinc’s applications in transportation, infrastructure, electronics, food security, and renewable energy.

This graphic by Teck shows how zinc is playing a key role in the low carbon economy.

Zinc, the Versatile Metal

Zinc is one of the most versatile and essential materials known to mankind. It is the fourth most used metal in the world behind iron, aluminum, and copper.

The primary use of zinc is in the galvanizing process, which protects iron and steel from rusting. Zinc coatings play a key role in public transportation and infrastructure by extending the life of steel used in bridge rails and support beams, railway tracks, and public transportation hubs and terminals.

Additionally, zinc can be alloyed with other metals and used for die-casting into shapes such as door handles, alloyed with copper to make brass, and alloyed with copper and sometimes other metals to make some types of bronze, like architectural bronze or commercial bronze.

Zinc in the Low Carbon Economy

Furthermore, zinc also has applications in energy storage. Zinc-carbon batteries were the first commercial dry batteries, providing a higher energy density at a lower cost than previously available cells.

Due to its growing role in energy storage and its superior ability to protect metals against corrosion, zinc remains an essential material for the future.

Zinc in the Energy Transition

(Read more...)

Understanding Global Demand for Steelmaking Coal

by Sponsored Content

The following content is sponsored by Teck

Steelmaking Coal Infographic

Understanding Global Demand for Steelmaking Coal

Global population growth, increased urbanization, and a growing middle class will continue to drive long-term demand for steel and the steelmaking coal required to produce it.

The above infographic from Teck outlines the mineral’s key role in the low-carbon future.

A Vital Ingredient

Steel is the most commonly used metal and fulfills a variety of structural and construction needs, along with being an essential material for the production of vehicles, mechanical equipment, and domestic appliances.

Clean and renewable technologies also require steel to build wind turbines, solar panels, tidal power systems and bioenergy infrastructure.

ApplicationQuantity of steel (kg)Quantity of steelmaking coal (kg)
Refrigerator6948
Microwave139
Gas Stove6848
Vehicle900630
1 km of Light Rail Track112,00078,400
40-Foot Shipping Container4,0002,800
Boeing 787-10 Aircraft13,5009,450
High-Voltage Transmission Tower27,00018,900
Wind Turbine260,000170,000

While some kinds of steel can be made using recycled metal, roughly 72% of global steel production relies on steelmaking coal and certain higher grades of steel can only be made using the ingredient.

How is Steel Made?

Also known as metallurgical coal or coking coal, steelmaking coal is mined to produce the carbon used in steelmaking. This is fundamentally different from thermal coal, which is used to make steam that generates electricity.

To make steel, the coal is first heated at around 1100°C to remove water and other chemicals, without the (Read more...)

Visualizing the Economic Impact of British Columbia’s Golden Triangle

by Sponsored Content

The following content is sponsored by British Columbia Regional Mining Alliance (BCRMA).

British Columbia's Golden Triangle

The Economic Impact of British Columbia’s Golden Triangle

At the heart of British Columbia’s mining industry lies the Golden Triangle. This region has helped transform the province’s mining industry into a significant source of revenue and investment.

In 2020, the Golden Triangle accounted for roughly 44% of the $422 million in mineral exploration expenditures in British Columbia. In 2019, the Red Chris and Brucejack mines contributed around $1 billion to the province’s estimated annual gross mining revenues.

This is infographic is sponsored by the B.C. Regional Mining Alliance (BCRMA) which brings the best of this region to the world through a partnership between indigenous groups, industry, and provincial government representatives.

Here is how the Golden Triangle began.

The Golden Triangle’s Unique Geology

Between 220 and 175 million years ago, the Golden Triangle’s wealth was forming deep in the Earth for the world to discover. Most metal deposits form from superheated water that cycle over many kilometers, collecting metal atoms as they rise to the surface of the Earth’s crust and settle into deposits.

Industry, government, and university geologists have worked for over a century to understand the Golden Triangle’s unique geology to uncover its mineral wealth. This unique geology cradles the world-class deposits that define the legendary “Golden Triangle” of British Columbia.

A History of Discovery and Mining in the Golden Triangle

Historical gold rushes brought mining to the area, but the region’s vast copper deposits will deliver (Read more...)