BHP and MIT spin-out SiTration launched a pilot program at the Copper Cities site in Arizona. The project aims to recover copper from legacy mining water.
SiTration’s filtration and electro-extraction technology will produce commercial-grade copper cathodes. An initial small-scale pilot will run for one month to validate autonomous production. A larger deployment is scheduled for later this year.
Copper has become the largest earnings driver for BHP. This partnership explores new methods to expand the company's copper portfolio. The technology creates a new domestic U.S. copper source while addressing legacy environmental concerns.
Global copper demand is projected to grow significantly by 2050. This growth is driven by expanding energy infrastructure and data centers.