07/31/2023
Our investments in space exploration are not only making the space domain more accessible and affordable than ever. By integrating commercial and open-source tech into earthly applications we are also able to transform that research into solutions and products with both environmental and economic benefits in addressing global-scale challenges on Earth, today.
I would like to highlight that one of the most important trends in the mining sector on earth is automation, this trend is not primarily environmental, but instead productivity, health and safety.
Some metals, such as copper, have always been important economically. Considering that a single EV can require upwards 180 kilograms of copper, the mineral will only become more important. This same demand pattern then extends to renewable energy installations. Wind turbines, in particular, require significant amounts of copper. Broadly, anything electronic will continue to require substantial amounts of copper. As the world shifts from a fossil fuel-based economy, this will become ever more important.
In the last 60 years uranium has become one of the world’s most important energy minerals. While uranium is used almost entirely for making electricity, a small proportion is used for the important task of producing medical isotopes. Some is also used in marine propulsion, especially naval. Nuclear capacity is expected to rise for the foreseeable future as global energy demand is projected to increase and due to the growing need for a clean energy transition. Searching for uranium is in some ways easier than for other mineral resources because the radiation signature of uranium's decay products allows deposits to be identified and mapped from the air.
Radiation represents a hazard to those working close to high-grade ores. It comes principally from uranium decay products in the ore, in particular, dust represents the main potential exposure to alpha radiation as well as a gamma radiation hazard, so exposure to this is regulated. In Canada this means that mining in very high-grade ore is undertaken solely by remote control techniques.
These are just a few examples of the ways we ensure innovations developed for space exploration are benefitting the planet, and improving lives globally.
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