COPPER MINING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
By: Evan Lucyk
The copper industry in British Columbia is extremely hot right now. Copper is in high demand, and people can‘t seem to get enough of it. This make perfect sense, however, as copper is an element used in an abundance of items.
USES OF COPPER
The global demand for copper remains consistently high, making the copper industry a steady market with no ebbs and flows. Why? Because copper is used in so many things we use every day, which means as consumers, we will always be lining up to purchase items that keep the copper industry in (big) business.
A couple of industries where copper is commonly used include equipment manufacturing, and building construction, as well as various infrastructure projects. Copper is incorporated into electrical wires and cables for its conductivity potential. It’s also regularly used in plumbing and industrial machinery and construction materials—thanks to its strength and durability, as well as its machinability, resistance to corrosion, and its amenability to being cast with high precision.
What makes this soft and malleable metal so exciting is how it’s being used to help propel forward many emerging and clean technologies—which include solar cells and electric vehicles. Copper is also used in EV batteries, but we’ll talk a bit more about that a little later.
COPPER PRODUCTION IN BC
The copper business is alive and well in Canada, with British Columbia representing the lion’s share. Case in point: Mines in Canada produced an impressive 543,608 tonnes of copper in concentrate in 2019, with more than 50% of that bounty unearthed from mines in BC.
This is no small feat, and it shows just how promising the industry is, representing a healthy 3% increase nationwide from the previous year (2018)—all thanks to increased production levels not only in British Columbia, but also in Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
FUTURE OF THE COPPER INDUSTRY
With no signs of slowing down, the future of the copper industry looks extremely promising. The growing preference and more affordable price tags for electric vehicles (EVs) have increased copper demand thanks to more eco-minded consumers and obliging manufacturers. This means copper production is only expected to grow—and exponentially at that. EVs are such a power player in this growth equation because these eco-friendly autos require at least twice as much (sometimes even up to four times!) the amount of copper compared to conventional vehicles.
Another sign that points to a bright future for the copper industry: it’s one of the few materials that can be recycled without losing its chemical and physical properties in the process. The possibilities this presents to extend the use of resources and minimize waste cannot be underestimated, which bodes well for the industry in BC—and beyond.
Currently, Canada’s copper recycling industry is healthy, with an abundance of the metal being recovered in the Quebec-based smelter, located in Rouyn-Noranda, and a refinery found in Montreal. Things are certainly looking up for the copper industry, and here at Bit Service, we are excited to see what’s to come.