During one of the university courses I taught, students complained about having to learn new technology to create vlogs on metals and minerals. They could hardly foresee the broad media transformation or the go-green discourse.
A couple of years later, there has been a widespread focus on renewable energy, mining, and technologies with plans and projects for economic and social development. Global warming and environmental deterioration have driven the agenda for exploring new resources.
Gripping the smartphone tightly in the hand, many people can’t imagine life without a cell phone, or the Internet. But no matter where smartphones are made, producers depend on materials from at least a dozen countries for the mobile to shine bright, conduct electricity, hold a charge, record a message, take a picture, and perform other functions we take for granted.
However, we rarely think about the components of a smartphone, orthopedic implants, bone screws, medical imaging, dentistry, or how the earth’s richness is critical to sustain our needs.
From dinner plates, cosmetics, and paper to medication, industrial minerals and metals are essential to technologies, including in defence, agriculture, and renewable energy.
Despite their importance to our daily lives, minerals and metals are often overlooked. People can learn about these expensive natural resources and how they can benefit national economies and local populations. Humans also need certain amounts of metals to function properly, such as iron, zinc, copper, nickel, etc.
Industrialised economies and improved lifestyles demand more energy. Cities, hospitals, airports, and ports rely on 24-hour power supply. The expansion of electricity networks implies that copper consumption is rapidly increasing; without energy, our way of life would collapse.
Experts predict a metals supercycle driven by the transition to renewable energy and electric transportation. Experts also anticipate a global lithium crisis as early as 2025, as supply struggles to keep up, while nickel has become a critical component in the green transition, with prices tripling since 2016.
The discussion of going green with renewable energy technologies sourced from natural resources rather than oil, gas, and coal tells an interesting story. The reality is that many renewable energy systems rely on mineral extraction, which causes environmental damage.
One example is the trend of electric vehicles entering the market with fanfare about zero pollution and eco-friendly promises, as well as their use of rechargeable batteries.
Almost all electric car batteries contain lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite. Graphite, for example, the most common and well-known material used in pencils, plays an important function in batteries by storing and releasing electrons during the charging and discharging processes.
Batteries' use of raw materials and/or polluting substances makes recycling challenging due to cost and/or technological limitations.
While experts believe the earth's quantity of nonrenewable resources is diminishing, the fast-growing demand raises worries regarding supply availability and reliability.
Mining has emerged as a key component of Oman's economic diversification agenda. Previous surveys revealed deposits of coal, iron ore, manganese, copper, lithium, gypsum, nickel, silver, zinc, and gold, among other natural resources. Statista estimates that in 2022, Oman had 15 copper-related mines and projects as well as nine gold-focused mines.
With its natural valleys, cliffs, canyons, and coastline, Oman is more than just a desert. From Suhar to Massirah, Taq to Yangul, Ibri to Samayil, Liwa to Thamrait, Sur to Duqm, Mahout, and the northern mountain highlands, the country has rich natural reserves.
History suggests that the copper industry has sustained Oman for almost 4,000 years, with Suhar thought to be the ancient 'majan' (copper mountain) mentioned in Mesopotamian records from the third millennium.
Despite their whining, introducing minerals and mining to media students was a positive step towards educating them about the country’s potential.
Leading mining countries: Australia, Chile, China, Russia, Canada, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Africa, and the United States.
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