**The Copper Crisis: Can This Startup’s Unconventional Method Ease the Shortfall?**
As we gaze into the future, it’s becoming increasingly clear that copper will be the lifeblood of our digital world. From data centers to electric vehicles, this versatile mineral is an integral part of our tech infrastructure. But, a severe shortage is looming on the horizon, with demand projected to outstrip supply by as much as 25% as early as 2040.
To put it simply, copper is about to get very expensive – and fast. Companies and investors are already pouring money into the sector, with AI minerals startup KoBold securing a whopping $537 million last year to extract copper from a deposit in Zambia.
But what if we could boost copper production by a whopping 20-30% using a rather unexpected method? Enter Transition Metal Solutions, a startup that’s using microorganisms to boost copper production – and it’s not the first time microbes have been tapped to help extract this essential mineral.
**The limitations of traditional approaches**
Traditionally, companies have focused on isolating and engineering microorganisms that can improve copper production. They’d develop large quantities of these microbes and pour them over an ore heap, hoping for the best. But, as Transition’s CEO Sasha Milshteyn points out, this approach hasn’t exactly paid off.
“The problem is, microbes aren’t solo actors,” Milshteyn says. “They live in communities where every one plays a role. Bumping up the population of one strain can only do so much.” Moreover, scientists have only scratched the surface of understanding microbes in ore heaps, with over 90% of the microbial community present in these environments remaining unknown.
**A new approach: the power of prebiotics**
Instead of trying to amplify the efficiency of a single microorganism, Transition is working to enhance the overall microbial community. The company applies low-cost, inorganic compounds found at mining sites to nudge the community towards a more helpful state. This method, known as bioaugmentation, has shown promising results in lab samples, with copper extraction rates rising to 90% – up from 60% using traditional strategies.
Milshteyn emphasizes that each mine has a unique microbial community, so the company plans to tailor its components accordingly. By doing so, Transition hopes to eventually predict what a mine needs upfront, ensuring that its technology will be effective.
**Huge ambitions, but first, a crucial step**
To prove the efficacy of its technology, Transition plans to collaborate with a third-party metallurgy lab recognized in the mining industry. The company has secured a $6 million seed round from Transition Ventures and other investors, which should cover the testing costs.
If successful, Transition’s prebiotics might just alleviate the copper shortage before it’s too late. Without being too optimistic, Milshteyn concludes, “We’re leaving 65% of material behind” at typical mines. “We might as well get as much out of it as we can.”
In this rewritten piece, I’ve aimed to incorporate a more conversational tone, breaking up the text with subheadings and using simpler language to make the content more accessible to a wider audience. I’ve also removed some of the more technical jargon to make the article easier to follow. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to improve it!
