In 5 Years There Will Be a Massive Copper Shortage

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Have you ever held a commodity?
What is your actual experience in this commodity. Speculation or active?

In the base metals a 5 yr cycle is a crap shoot.
Look at the head & shoulders of the graft.

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Count how many there has been in the past 20 yrs. The 2020 events that pushed everything over double will do the same, but in the opposite direction.
Personally I would be pushing every pound out the door.

I was just at a large scrap yard pre Xmas, I was toured through the copper processing plant. Little to no inventory of copper chop. Aluminum chop was available, some mixed that had to be rerun, but no copper.

The general public doesn't see the inner workings nor inventory of larger yards generally.

The 'graft' will get you every time. Along with the greed profits overhead and taxes.

But back to resources. I recall back in my yoot that famous geologist and precious metals mineral explorer Gene LaBarge spoke about copper deposits so rich in the Lake Superior regions that it couldn't be mined. Yup, you heard that. Can't cut it or melt it. Try some TNT and it just goes poof fluff smoosh. Does not break up into small pieces that can be hauled out. There is no shortage. Just going to require some new methods. Get on top of how to extract that and you can get rich

 

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[pepperj]

The 'graft' will get you every time. Along with the greed profits overhead and taxes.

But back to resources. I recall back in my yoot that famous geologist and precious metals mineral explorer Gene LaBarge spoke about copper deposits so rich in the Lake Superior regions that it couldn't be mined. Yup, you heard that. Can't cut it or melt it. Try some TNT and it just goes poof fluff smoosh. Does not break up into small pieces that can be hauled out. There is no shortage. Just going to require some new methods. Get on top of how to extract that and you can get rich

The copper that was 99.9 % pure. It was mined for a few years. 🤣

There's many written reports of 1000 pits where the copper was mined just in Isle Royale.

No documented habitation , since no habitation sites from the mining period have been located on Isle Royale.

This copper nugget might of been a problem to pack up and carry south.

 

[UnderMiner]

"copper shortage"
Meanwhile in Africa:

 

[pepperj]

"copper shortage"
Meanwhile in Africa:

Meanwhile the new world vs the real world...but let's stick with the old world.

 

[UnderMiner]

Meanwhile the new world vs the real world...but let's stick with the old world.

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And don't try to explain how the electric car is charged by a coal, gas, or oil fired power plant through a process of energy transfer less efficient than the traditional on board internal combustion engine of gasoline powered cars.

 

[pepperj]

And don't try to explain how the electric car is charged by a coal, gas, or oil fired power plant through a process of energy transfer less efficient than the traditional on board internal combustion engine of gasoline powered cars.

But it's solar and wind power.🤣

 

[Terry Soloman]

Just google copper shortage there are no lack of indicators. By 2030 global demand will outpace supply by 20%.

If you use google to plan for shortfalls or surplus supplies you are probably getting biased information. https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/copper

 

[AusTexDude]

But it's solar and wind power.🤣

They never took in account that solar panels have a 25 year life span and where are all these 100s of millions of solar panels going to end up?

 

[pepperj]

They never took in account that solar panels have a 25 year life span and where are all these 100s of millions of solar panels going to end up?

There's a few of them getting installed.

 

[UnderMiner]

But it's solar and wind power.🤣

Don't explain to them how it takes more energy to create a solar panel than the solar panel will ever be able to produce in its operating existence. Also don't mention how if wind was indeed a viable option the big energy companies wouldn't simply adopt it and abandon oil. Don't tell them how the windmills need oil to be manufactured and need oil to operate and don't tell them how when the wind doesn't blow the windmill doesn't generate any energy.

 

[Carl-NC]

And don't try to explain how the electric car is charged by a coal, gas, or oil fired power plant through a process of energy transfer less efficient than the traditional on board internal combustion engine of gasoline powered cars.

Actually, power plants that run on fossil fuels are far more fuel efficient than an automobile's ICE. So it really is an advantage to use power plant electricity (even from fossil fuels) to charge an electric car.

They never took in account that solar panels have a 25 year life span and where are all these 100s of millions of solar panels going to end up?

Solar cells are made of silicon (sand), which could be recycled to make new solar cells. That is just beginning to happen and will quickly become mainstream.

Don't explain to them how it takes more energy to create a solar panel than the solar panel will ever be able to produce in its operating existence.

This statement is pure mythology.

C'mon guys, catch up a little bit on technology. It won't hurt one bit.

 

[UnderMiner]

Actually, power plants that run on fossil fuels are far more fuel efficient than an automobile's ICE. So it really is an advantage to use power plant electricity (even from fossil fuels) to charge an electric car.



Solar cells are made of silicon (sand), which could be recycled to make new solar cells. That is just beginning to happen and will quickly become mainstream.



This statement is pure mythology.

C'mon guys, catch up a little bit on technology. It won't hurt one bit.

The wind isn't always going to be blowing and the sun isn't always going to be shining. And if everyone is charging their electric cars at night what will be feeding the grid? Batteries? Billions of batteries charged in the day time?

 

[AstralDruid]

The way things are going, there could be a shortage of humans by 2030...

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[Carl-NC]

The wind isn't always going to be blowing and the sun isn't always going to be shining. And if everyone is charging their electric cars at night what will be feeding the grid? Batteries? Billions of batteries charged in the day time?

I wasn't arguing the pros & cons of wind or solar power in general, just addressing some specific wrong statements. But since you asked, no, solar & wind will never completely power the country. You will always need some amount of 100% reliable generation to fill in when needed. But what does make sense is to minimize the day-to-day use of fossil fuels by maximizing the use of solar, wind, and other methods. In fact, since crude oil WILL run out one day (or become too expensive to extract any further) is seems foolish not to invest in alternative energy production, and if those alternatives produce far, far, less environmental damage then that's just a bonus.

The topic of this thread is the looming shortage of copper. Whether this happens in 5 years or 50 years I have no idea, but it will happen one day, for absolute certain. Same with most other metals; supply is not infinite, even it seems that way*. Silicon is about the only "infinite" resource on the planet, or iron if you dig deep enough. Oil WILL run out, there is no question, and even though it's likely to happen after I'm dead (along with all the other looming resource shortages) I consider it foolish and selfish to maintain policies and activities that pretend it will never happen. It's cheaper to start addressing these things before they become a crisis.

*This includes lithium!

 

[ARC]

JFYI... Solar panels in general are only about 1% copper.