Jericho Diamond Mine pit in Nunavut, Canada. Photo by Tom Churchill (
Tomchurchill at en.wikipedia) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Think clean energy jobs are just in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance? Think again. Specifically, think of the extraction industries. Canada’s mining sector produces a host of metals and resources that are critical to renewable energy technologies. Copper is the most notable example; the metal is used for solar and wind equipment, smart grids, and electric cars.
The rise of green energy could trigger a boom in mining jobs. Demand for copper alone may rise by almost two percent per year, hitting 31 million tons by 2035 — a 43% increase over today’s requirements. The projections bode well for Canada, which boasts the world’s 10th-largest copper reserves. The country is also home to 14 of the 19 metals and minerals needed to make solar panels. Canada’s natural resource base may make it a critical link in the renewable energy supply chain.
Even so, the mining industry must ramp up efforts to standardize the “greening” of its own operations, and expand them beyond voluntary measures. Once it does, it will be poised to take on a pivotal role in the economy of the future.
Read the full article at Clean Energy Canada.