The accelerating increase in global demand for copper, zinc and lead poses a challenge for mining operations: increasing their efficiency and productivity to meet the demand while ensuring their profitability and sustainability. Sensor-based ore sorting can be an invaluable asset for optimizing the process and achieving this goal, as Rasoul Rezai, Global Segment Manager Metals at TOMRA Mining, explains.
Sulfide minerals are the source of metals such as copper, zinc and lead, which have a key role to play in our modern lifestyle – with uses ranging from the energy supply, electronics and transportation to construction and infrastructure. The increase in demand for these three metals is expected to accelerate, driven by a variety of factors, such as infrastructure development, the rising demand for electronics and, very importantly, the transition to a low carbon economy.
In fact, they are among the critical raw materials required for the electrification of the economy, moving from fossil fuels to wind and solar power generation, and battery or fuel-cell electric vehicles (EVs). Copper is an essential driver of the energy transition for its uses in electrification, including the charging infrastructure for EVs and, according to a report by the International Energy Agency, the world will need between 1.7 to 2.7 times as much copper in 2040 as it produces today.
The global zinc demand for renewable energy technologies is forecast to increase consistently to reach 364,000 metric tons in 2030, up from 109,300 in 2020, as stated in a Statista report. The value of the global market for copper and zinc is expected to reach $394 billion and $49.6 billion respectively between 2027 and 2030. The lead market is also expected to flourish, driven by the growing demand for energy storage, the accelerating adoption of EVs, and integration of smart-grid technologies.
