🌍 The cost of leaching copper oxide ore in the Central African Copperbelt is about to get even more expensive.
In the past few days a number of Middle Eastern Oil refineries have been attacked / closed. In addition, exports through the Strait of Hormuz have ground to a halt.
What has this got to do with leaching copper in one of the world’s largest copper belts ? Sulphur, or more specifically sulphuric acid.
Approximately, 50% of seaborne sulphur is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.
90% of sulphur imported into Africa is from the Middle East… and therefore passes through the Strait of Hormuz
The central African Copperbelt imports around 2 million tonnes of this sulphur per annum. The sulphur is used in local sulphur burners to convert into sulphuric acid, which is used by mining companies for leaching copper out of copper oxide ores. One part of sulphur makes 3 parts of liquid high-strength sulphuric acid. Therefore, 2.0 million tonnes of sulphur produces approximately 6.0 million tonnes of sulphuric acid.
The price of high-strength sulphuric in Kolwezi, on the western edge of the DRC Copperbelt, has been trading near all-time highs of $700-$800/tonne for the past 4-5 months, due to regional export restrictions, higher copper prices, as well as an already tight global sulphur market. This price will rise further.
I have heard that traders are already struggling to source any. Sulphuric acid prices will therefore significantly increase across Africa… and if the disruption lasts longer than ~3 weeks, copper oxide operations will have to close as they’ve run out of acid.
Oxide copper is the dominant ore source of copper produced in DRC… and the DRC is the world’s 2nd largest copper producer.
🔗 Robert Friedland
The Phantom MK1 is the first US humanoid robot built explicitly for combat.
$150k per unit. Ballistic armor.
Stealth coating that hides it from thermal sensors.
Can carry 20kg of weapons or equipment.
Reports claim two units are already being tested on the frontlines in Ukraine.
War is about to look very different...
🄳🄾🄾🄼🄿🤖🅂🅃🄸🄽🄶
Do you understand what just happened?
A guy in Florida asked ChatGPT to sell his house. Not help him sell it. SELL IT. Pricing, Marketing, Showings, Contract.. Everything.
Sold in 5 days.
The average real estate agent takes 6% commission. On a $400K house that's $24,000. For what? Putting it on Zillow and sending you emails?
This man paid $20 a month for ChatGPT and did the whole thing from his couch.
Real estate agents spent 20 years telling you the process is too complicated for normal people. That you need a professional. That the paperwork is too risky without them.
It was gatekept.
And a chatbot just kicked the gate open..
Lawyers are next, Accountants are next, Financial advisors are next.. Every profession that made you feel stupid so you'd pay them is about to get the same treatment.
The middleman economy is dying. And it's not dying because AI is smarter than them.. It's dying because AI proved you were always smart enough to do it yourself. You just weren't allowed ...
Almost Half of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Cases Are Caused by Ticks
The causes of chronic fatigue syndrome remained elusive until now. In a breakthrough study, researchers have identified a major cause - tick bites. https://bit.ly/4bjweQB
🌐🌾⛽️ - A look at those who will be most affected by Russia's confirmed ban on AN #fertilizer exports until April 21.
The biggest problems are for #Brazil & #India--the world's two largest #urea importers already facing notable disruption from the Strait closure.
🔗 Mike Castle
@CIG_telegram