Very good. If you ever decide to write a sequel to Material World featuring all the materials you almost covered (wood, cobalt, aluminum), I would buy it in an instant.
Thank you, I loved the book and enjoy these posts.
One of New Zealand’s biggest power stations is directly under lake Manapouri, the whole generation hall is carved out of solid rock! I visited as a kid and vividly recall the space, feeling equally scared (at being hundreds of metres under the lake) and awed by the engineering. The sole purpose of the power station is to supply reliable power to an Aluminium smelter 160km away.
Funny enough I was in the place on the way to Sky island from Glasgow back in the summer of 2023, and I found it really interesting. The above ground development is not that impressive, but I was missing the “real thing” underground. If the Vermat couldn’t shut it down, don’t be afraid of Donny and his teammates on jeopardy, they won’t get it either. Same rules as the steel furnaces in Ukraine, really “hard to abate” ones.
A song, needs-must it was The Dubliners, referred to the tunnellers. I had the brief privilege in youth to work in a tunnel under the Solent marshes for an oil fuelled power station. There was a high worker death and casualty rate. The station was soon obsolete and is long since defunct, given the real global economy as it emerged. There are quite a few British assets one might think are worth prioritising, given the future that has arrived.
Hi Ed: I am currently teaching a course at Bolli Brandeis, a lifelong learning program, based on your book. A dozen books have been purchased by my students. In addition to discussing the book, I have prepared a set of Google slides to expand on the technical descriptions of the processes and chemistry of the materials. I am covering all the materials except oil and gas. My students like you r book very much. They say it's not like a dry boring textbook- I say this what my slides are for..
You have touched upon one the reasons, perhaps the most important one, for the Lochaber plant’s success - access to cheap energy. So much of British industrial processing has been undermined by the relative cost of energy in the UK.
Wow what an incredibly engaging article.
Totally engrossed in that and in 60 seconds I now know so much more about alumnium production. Excellent
Very good. If you ever decide to write a sequel to Material World featuring all the materials you almost covered (wood, cobalt, aluminum), I would buy it in an instant.
Please, please write a sequel, Material World is one of the best books I’ve ever read!
Very interesting article. I hope the plant gets more business from Europe as defence industries start expanding
The Sky News video is very cool. I love seeing industry at such massive scale.
Such global disruption because of the puerile actions of a sociopathic con-man and his crafty minions.
Thank you, I loved the book and enjoy these posts.
One of New Zealand’s biggest power stations is directly under lake Manapouri, the whole generation hall is carved out of solid rock! I visited as a kid and vividly recall the space, feeling equally scared (at being hundreds of metres under the lake) and awed by the engineering. The sole purpose of the power station is to supply reliable power to an Aluminium smelter 160km away.
Great article. I am a retired chemist and worked on flocculents used to purify aluminium hydroxide solutions derived from aluminum ore.
Brilliant work.
Funny enough I was in the place on the way to Sky island from Glasgow back in the summer of 2023, and I found it really interesting. The above ground development is not that impressive, but I was missing the “real thing” underground. If the Vermat couldn’t shut it down, don’t be afraid of Donny and his teammates on jeopardy, they won’t get it either. Same rules as the steel furnaces in Ukraine, really “hard to abate” ones.
Great article Ed.
A song, needs-must it was The Dubliners, referred to the tunnellers. I had the brief privilege in youth to work in a tunnel under the Solent marshes for an oil fuelled power station. There was a high worker death and casualty rate. The station was soon obsolete and is long since defunct, given the real global economy as it emerged. There are quite a few British assets one might think are worth prioritising, given the future that has arrived.
This is fantastic! I’ve learned about a metal which I thought was completely unremarkable before today.
Great addition to your book, Material World. Thanks. Your next book on the wonders of wood will be worth its wait :)
A great article and loved the book
Terrific article. Thanks.
Hi Ed: I am currently teaching a course at Bolli Brandeis, a lifelong learning program, based on your book. A dozen books have been purchased by my students. In addition to discussing the book, I have prepared a set of Google slides to expand on the technical descriptions of the processes and chemistry of the materials. I am covering all the materials except oil and gas. My students like you r book very much. They say it's not like a dry boring textbook- I say this what my slides are for..
Best regards, Rick Gander
Fantastic write up! You made me want to visit
You have touched upon one the reasons, perhaps the most important one, for the Lochaber plant’s success - access to cheap energy. So much of British industrial processing has been undermined by the relative cost of energy in the UK.