And it starts with copper, the mineral copper. Theres copper in brass. Theres copper in bronze. The Statue Of Liberty is sheathed in a layer of copper. Thats about the thickness of two pennies. Pennies themselves used to be copper, but now theyre just coppercovered zinc, which sort of seems sad. It makes financial sense, because copper over time became too valuable to use in something as cheap as a penny, because most of what we use copper for now is conducting electricity. We use copper for wiring. There is a massive global appetite for copper. And the Worlds Largest producer of copper is an american company. Its a company that used to be based in new orleans but now the Mining Company freeport is based in phoenix, arizona. And the freeport Mining Company of phoenix, arizona, they do still mine copper in arizona and
they mine copper in new mexico and in colorado. But they are a gigantic firm. And theyre a global operation. In south america, they mine copper in chile, peru. In indonesi
they mine copper in new mexico and in colorado. but they are a gigantic firm. and they re a global operation. in south america, they mine copper in chile, peru. in indonesia, they operate the largest gold mine in the entire world, which is also the third largest copper mine in the world, which is also a huge silver mine as well. this is an american company, but the physical footprint that freeport has in indonesia, it isn t just visible from space. it s easily visible from space. it s massive. their mine in papua province in indonesia, is basically a massive upside down mountain. it s almost a half million acres. they first discovered mineral wealth there in the 1930s when it was a dutch colony, by the 1970s, indonesia was an independent country and that
and it starts with copper, the mineral copper. there s copper in brass. there s copper in bronze. the statue of liberty is sheathed in a layer of copper. that s about the thickness of two pennies. pennies themselves used to be copper, but now they re just copper-covered zinc, which sort of seems sad. it makes financial sense, because copper over time became too valuable to use in something as cheap as a penny, because most of what we use copper for now is conducting electricity. we use copper for wiring. there is a massive global appetite for copper. and the world s largest producer of copper is an american company. it s a company that used to be based in new orleans but now the mining company freeport is based in phoenix, arizona. and the freeport mining company of phoenix, arizona, they do still mine copper in arizona and
silver mine as well. this is an american company, but the physical footprint that freeport has in indonesia, it isn t just visible from space. it s easily visible from space. it s massive. their mine in papua province in indonesia, is basically a massive upside down mountain. it s almost a half million acres. they first discovered mineral wealth there in the 1930s when it was a dutch colony, by the 1970s, indonesia was an independent country and that mine was one of the biggest open pits in the world. among the many products and byproducts of that mine are of course all that silver and copper and gold. also hundreds of millions of tons of mining waste that they have dumped in the surrounding jungle and rivers. that environmental damage associated with that mine is one of the things that mine is most
case in point. this story is amazing. and it starts with copper, the mineral copper. there s copper in brass. there s copper in bronze. the statue of liberty is sheathed in a layer of copper. that s about the thickness of two pennies. pennies themselves used to be copper, but now they re just copper-covered zinc, which sort of seems sad. it makes financial sense, because copper over time became too valuable to use in something as cheap as a penny, because most of what we use copper for now is conducting electricity. we use copper for wiring. there is a massive global appetite for copper. and the world s largest producer of copper is an american company. it s a company that used to be based in new orleans but now the mining company freeport is based in phoenix, arizona. and the freeport mining company of phoenix, arizona, they do