Or, actually aluminum.
Makes a lot of sense, of course, but it still feels … vaguely post-apocalyptic.
Reshared post from +Gideon Rosenblatt
Aluminum Expert says it’s time to start mining New Jersey
Since the dawn of the industrial revolution the world’s ore deposits have depleted to dangerously low levels and the industrial thirst for aluminum has increased. China accounts for 40% of the world’s aluminum use, and is projected to increase its demand by 8-10% annually over the next 5 years, according to Novelis Inc., the world’s largest consumer of aluminum.
So where will the world get its supply? “New Jersey!” Dr. Subodh Das says with a smile. Dr. Das’s calculations show that it is possible to recover 4.5 million metric tons per year from urban mines, many of which are located just outside of major US cities.
More: ➽ http://www.bgi.edu/changing-business/aluminum-expert-says-its-time-to-start-mining-new-jersey/
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I saw a presentation in which they were discussing waste-stream security in computer chip manufacturing, where the presenter commented that fully crushed and destroyed scrap should still be protected as if it were the richest ore on the planet, because it functionally is based on reclaimable metals.
I see little reason why one can't apply the same arguments to landfills. The metal is typically less precious, but fairly abundant and easily scavenged.
I think it makes a tremendous amount of sense, really. And the developed countries with the most immediate needs have the resource right in their back yard (or, in some cases, underneath it).
Kurt’s been predicting just this sort of mining for a few years now.
@Marina – It certainly makes sense, for this and other metals.