copper

In western Arizona, Ivan Bender, a Hualapai tribal member, points to an area, bordering Hualapai land, where an Australian mining company is exploring for lithium - a key metal in electric vehicle batteries.

Demand for minerals sparks fear of mining abuses on Indigenous peoples' lands

5:00am January 29, 2024

by Julia Simon

There's a growing demand for minerals as the world ramps up manufacturing of climate solutions. Experts say more than half of these mining projects are on or near lands of Indigenous peoples.

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Climate change is driving more frequent and intense wildfires. Companies and researchers are using AI to both detect wildfires early, and to help prevent megafires.

Environment

4 ways AI can help with climate change, from detecting methane to preventing fires

5:01am January 02, 2024

by Julia Simon

Many companies, researchers and governments are using artificial intelligence as a tool to help with climate solutions. Here are four ways AI is now used to combat global warming.

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The waters of the Ha' Kamwe' hot springs are healing and sacred, says Ivan Bender, the caretaker of the Cholla Canyon Ranch, which belongs to the Hualapai Tribe. Less than a hundred yards away, an Australian mining company called Arizona Lithium has been exploring for lithium.

The U.S. needs minerals for green tech. Will Western mines have enough water?

2:42pm September 26, 2023

by Julia Simon

As the U.S. plans new mines for copper, lithium and other metals to use in green technologies, mining projects in the West could threaten scarce water supplies.

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The copper market in Trabzon's old city on the Black Sea still rings out with the sounds of coppersmiths hammering their wares.

Coppersmiths In Turkey Embrace Their Dying Art

9:07pm November 22, 2015

by Peter Kenyon

In the Black Sea city of Trabzon, old market streets still ring out with the sound of coppersmiths hammering their wares. But this age-old art is fading, as more customers now favor modern cookware.

By the time archaeologists uncovered this statue of the Buddha at Mes Aynak, its head was gone — likely broken off by looters.

What's Better For Afghanistan's Future: Buddha Tours Or A Copper Mine?

2:48pm August 31, 2015

by NPR Staff

A vast archaeological site sits atop one of the world's biggest untapped copper deposits. Afghanistan must decide which resource will be a greater boon.

Stocks Manage To Bounce, But Commodity Prices Are Swooning

12:46pm July 11, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

Prices for raw materials, such as iron ore, copper and oil, are down dramatically from last year. The price plunge helps contain inflation for consumers, but is tough on mining and drilling companies.

A driver operates a haul truck in the Ray Mine near Kearny, Ariz. Falling copper prices have residents of some small mining towns in Arizona worried as shrinking revenues bring layoffs.

With Prices Down And Layoffs Up, Copper Industry Still Looks To Grow

7:41am March 11, 2015

by Carrie Jung

The price of copper is down 40 percent from four years ago. Arizona residents from smaller mining towns worry about job losses, but some companies are planning to expand in the state.

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A copper bedrail can kill germs on contact.

A Copper Bedrail Could Cut Back On Infections For Hospital Patients

11:05am December 24, 2014

by Hannah Bloch

Around the world, patients acquire new infections simply from spending time in a hospital. One way to fight back: replacing hospital bed rails with copper, a natural infection-killer.