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Artificial Intelligence, Data Centers, and Copper
Copper is in nearly all electrical infrastructure, and data centers require enormous quantities.
The AI Revolution has led to a boom in Data Center construction – copper is a key building block of this infrastructure.
Demand, measured by power consumption to reflect the number of servers a data center can house, is expected to increase by as much as 165% by 20301
1. Goldman Sachs 2. Statista. 3. Statista. 5. CBRE.com
Copper’s Role in Infrastructure and Construction
Even without factoring in the renewable energy transition, or the data center boom, the world will need to mine at least 115% more copper than has been mined in human history to meet business-as-usual trends to 2050.
Rapid growth in developing countries is increasing the demand for copper in building construction, electrical wiring, plumbing and industry. 1
1. IEF.org
Copper Supply versus Demand
1. FOOTNOTES HERE
Image: Example of Bornite, also known as “peacock ore.”
Magnets and Motors
Used to produce high-strength permanent magnets, now ubiquitous in mobile phones and laptops as well as energy-efficient electric motors and generators in EVs, wind turbines, appliances and hundreds of other applications.
Ceramics, Pigments and Glazes
Used to produce functional and decorative ceramics, structural ceramics, cutting tools, dental crowns, electrical capacitors, tiles and more.
Battery Alloys
Rare earth elements are used to produce anode materials for nickel-metal hydride batteries used in hybrid electric vehicles and consumer electronics like cordless power tools and shavers.
Defense Technology
Used for energy efficient lamps, display screens and avionics, ceramics for jet engine coatings.
Glass Polishing Phosphors
Used to polish optical glass, hard disk drives, LCD display screens and gemstones. Also used for UV-filtering glass coatings and high-quality optical glass for camera lenses, microscopes and telescopes and for phosphors in display screens and avionics.
Industry, Metallurgy and Alloys
Used in some types of steel and ductile iron making as well as in a variety of different alloys. Used in catalytic converters in gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles, fuel cracking and other oil refinery processes and in the aerospace, agriculture, high-tech and chemical industries.