ORE GEOLOGY - IN THE EPICENTRE OF THE FOSSIL-FREE ENERGY TRANSITION

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  • DURATION
    15 HOURS
  • SUBJECT AREA
    Climate Transition
    Energy
  • COURSE LEVEL
    First Cycle
  • CREDITS
    0.0 HP
  • INSTITUTIONS
    Luleå University of Technology
    Open for the Climate
  • STUDY TYPE
    MOOC
  • START DATE
    2022-12-05

Applications 2022-12-05

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Society is transitioning from oil dependency to metal dependency as we are turning to fossil-free alternatives in the energy and transport sectors. Today, many more metals in the periodic table are used in our daily lives compared to only a few decades ago and many metals that previously had marginal applications are today central to achieving the climate goals. But where do these metals come from and how are they linked to geology?

In this course, you will explore the basics of geology and understand how geology controls where critical metals are in the earth’s crust. You will gain insight into what it takes to mine an ore body and broaden your perspective on what risks and challenges we are facing when it comes to the raw material supply that drives the fossil-free energy transition.

This course covers the role of ore geology in the transition to fossil-free energy and transport systems, which means that we are moving from oil dependency to metal dependency. Geological processes throughout the earth’s history are responsible for the current distribution of ore deposits. By understanding how these ore forming processes work, we can better explain why certain metals occur in extractable amounts in one place while being almost absent in another. To meet the global demand of metals needed in, for example, solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries, a thorough understanding of how geological processes work is fundamental. In this course, you will be introduced to the fantastic world of the subsurface that made all the technology you take for granted possible.   

You will explore:

  • What critical metals are, where they are produced today, and what risks and challenges are involved in the supply of raw materials that drives the fossil-free energy transition.
  • Basic geology – minerals, rock types, geological structures and why they matter.
  • What an ore is and the natural processes that accumulate metals in the earth’s crust. 

This course is designed for people that would like to gain knowledge about the role of geology in the transition to fossil-free energy systems. The course is for those who want to know more about what critical metals are, how an ore is formed, and about risks and challenges coupled to the supply of raw materials that drive the energy transition. This may include politicians and other authorities, teachers and students in elementary and high school that want to know more about subjects critical to the energy transition. It may also include university students within the social sciences, and many more. The course will also be useful for anyone who is employed and wishes to upskill within the area of societal challenges coupled to the supply of raw materials and the need for metals in modern society.

The course will be given in english.

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