Energy Business Summit 2025 Robert Friedland.

Billionaire Robert Friedland (founder of Ivanhoe Mines) recently dropped a stark reality check on the global copper supply crunch and it’s eye opening.

We’re currently using about 30 million tonnes of copper annually, with only ~4 million tonnes coming from recycling. To simply keep global GDP growing at 3% without factoring in any additional electrification, AI data centers, solar, wind, EVs, or the broader green transition, we’d need to mine as much copper in the next 18 years as humanity has mined in the entire last 10,000 years combined.

Friedland put it bluntly: “You people have no idea whatsoever what we’re facing.”

This isn’t just a mining issue, it’s a foundational challenge for modern infrastructure, clean energy goals, and economic growth. The demand is exploding, but new supply isn’t keeping pace.

Looking to de-risk battery materials with recycling and circular feedstocks?

Talk to Klean’s team to map secure, low-carbon supply options » GO.

#Copper #CriticalMinerals #EnergyTransition #Mining #CleanEnergy #SupplyChain