Heavy Metals
A new book traces our dependence on rare elements—and the environmental costs of a revolution in global mining.
Tim Heffernan
Tim Heffernan is a writer and editor based in New York, and the copy editor of Pacific Standard.
The Tagalong Metals: The Valuable Byproducts of Mining Copper
Inside the mining industry’s epic but surprisingly fragile push to keep pace with demand for the raw materials of modern life.
The New Bronze Age: We're Entering the Era of Tough Ore
Worries about oil and gas hog the airwaves. But copper is also essential to keep the world running: It threads through your house, your computer, your eco-correct hybrid car. And it's getting just as difficult, expensive, and environmentally menacing as oil to extract. We have entered the era of tough ore.
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