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Ep 19  |  Simon Michaux

Simon Michaux: “Minerals Blindness”

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TGS19 Simon Michaux The Great Simplification

On this episode, we meet with Associate Professor of Geometallurgy at the Geological Survey of Finland, Simon Michaux.

Why do humans ignore important mineral and material limits that will effect human futures?  Michaux reveals how we are “minerals blind” — and the consequences of this myopia.

To shed light on the effects of our minerals blindness, Michaux explores the disconnect between experts in renewable energy and economic and government leaders.

Michaux offers individual strategies for us to overcome our energy and minerals blindness. How can we learn to adapt in order to overcome the coming challenges?

About Simon Michaux

Simon Michaux is an Associate Professor of Geometallurgy at the Geological Survey of Finland. He has a PhD in mining engineering. Dr. Michaux’s long-term work is on the development and transformation toward a circular economy.

In French, we have a motto that says that a simple drawing is often better than a long explanation. Jean-Marc Jancovici Carbone 4 President

That’s very understandable because with left atmosphere thinking, one of the problems is that you see everything as a series of problems that must have solutions. Iain McGilchrist Neuroscientist and Philosopher

We can’t have hundreds and hundreds of real relationships that are healthy because that requires time and effort and full attention and awareness of being in real relationship and conversation with the other human. Nate Hagens Director of ISEOF

This is the crux of the whole problem. Individual parts of nature are more valuable than the biocomplexity of nature. Thomas Crowther Founder Restor

Show Notes & Links to Learn More

00:45 – Simon Michaux info + works

01:10 – Energy Blind

02:58 – Mintech

03:11 – Geometallurgy

08:10 – Fossil energies are finite

08:15 – Mineral resources are finite

09:30 – Volcanic reproduction of minerals

10:25 – The fourth industrial revolution

14:20 – Coking coal

15:08 – Low carbon steel

15:59 – Scalability

17:11 – It takes decades to build a grid of new plants

19:40 – 19 terawatt powered society

20:44 – In general we’re adding 1-2 nuclear power plants per year

22:19 – Nuclear cannot scale up fast enough to replace fossil fuels

22:51 – Base metals are recycled at 30-60% and technology metals don’t get recycled at all

24:09 – Circular economy

25:20 – Resource balanced economy

26:42 – Quantitative easing

29:26 – Availability of uranium and thorium

30:50 – Energy properties

32:22 – Cobb Douglas Function

32:50 – Generation IV nuclear power

35:15 – 2018 Peak Oil

38:10 – Extracting copper will become more difficult

40:28 – Renewables: Right answer to the wrong question

32:35 – Minerals in a wind turbine (2-ton neodymium magnet)

43:28 – ⅓ of current system will be electrified according to the European commission

43:43 – There’s not enough time or materials to mine and replace lithium to meet goals by 2030

46:07 – Brandenburg, Germany 100% renewable by 2030

52:03 – Manufacturing and raw material production in Russia and China

52:38 – Natural gas in Europe comes from Russia

53:50 – Liquifying and unliquifying gas loses 30% of energy properties

58:04 – Peak coal 2013 and peak gas 2019

1:03:10 – Paul Ehrlich info + TGS Episode

1:03:20 – Industrial fertilizer

1:03:40 – We’ve lost 40% of arable land since 1960

1:05:45 – Cuban response to oil embargo

More: Navajo Nation: Cleaning Up Abandoned Uranium Mines

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