The race to mine critical minerals for AI and clean energy is creating ‘sacrifice zones’
These zones are places where human and ecological well-being are traded away for technological breakthroughs.
Tag: mining
The dark side of the data center boom
Data centers don’t just pollute and raise utility bills — they keep Americans hooked on wars for oil.
Global copper demand outstrips supply, threatening electrification and industrial growth
Copper is used in generating and distributing electrical power, equipment in data centers and much more.
Even with Trump’s support, coal power remains expensive – and dangerous
Natural gas is cheaper and, in some places, so are renewable energy and battery storage.
Natural World Heritage sites under growing threat, but bright spots remain
UNESCO World Heritage sites include the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Everglades National Park in Florida.
A bold new investment fund aims to channel billions into tropical forest protection – one key change can make it better
Brazil launched the Tropical Forest Forever Facility ahead of the UN's COP30 climate conference.
Waterlogged and contaminated: In rural Florida, locals suspect a mining company is to blame for their flooding troubles
Residents are trying to connect the dots between hurricanes, high radium levels and a mineral mining giant next door.
Conservationists push to ‘finish the job’ of protecting Okefenokee from mining
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is the headwaters of the Suwannee and St. Marys rivers.
Land deal stops mining project near Okefenokee Swamp, though advocates brace for future threats
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is the headwaters of the Suwannee and St. Marys rivers.
How the US can mine its own critical minerals − without digging new holes
The US has the potential to catalyze new domestic supply chains for materials essential to national security and technology.