Geology and Geopolitics of Critical Minerals

3 Credits

Modern civilization depends on all 92 elements in the periodic table (of significant abundance) and most of these are extracted from mineral deposits. Transitioning to a green economy increases our need for elements such as lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements. This course reviews how key elements are concentrated in mineral deposits and how the ores are extracted and processed. Topics include geopolitical, economic, and environmental dimensions of critical minerals and how humans can sustainably manage natural resources. Attribute/Distribution: CC, NS, NW