Researchers, including a team at Imperial College London and Rio Tinto, are developing sustainable copper mining methods to mitigate environmental impacts as demand for copper rises with the clean energy transition. They are exploring extraction techniques such as using copper-rich brines and utilizing local geothermal energy, while also investigating the potential of growing crops in contaminated soil to recover metals. With $150 million allocated to the Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials, the initiative aims to address mining-related sustainability challenges while considering Indigenous community perspectives.
