Copper’s Anti-Bacterial Properties Add to Reasons to Permit Pebble Mine

March 24, 2020

Sports fans who turned on SportsCenter, the MLB Network or the Golf Channel during pre-Covid-19 programming were sure to see ads selling copper-infused socks, t-shirts, wristbands and headwear.

The ads make claims that copper helps with natural healing, reduced swelling and even decreases fatigue among users.

Recently, an article on VICE.com reported that copper kills bacteria and viruses, including strains similar to Covid-19, and wondered why copper isn’t used more around the house, in businesses, and especially in health facilities and high-traffic locations?

The article postulated that Americans had grown too comfortable with plastics and steel as prices for those materials are significantly lower than copper.  So too is the availability of both, especially plastics.

With copper’s health attributes combining with calls for additional copper from green energy groups and companies including Tesla, this is the time America should be pushing ahead with mining additional copper.  Nowhere would that be more beneficial than with Alaska’s Pebble Project, which would bring nearly 2,000 construction jobs and 1,000 year-round jobs to a region that has exceptionally high unemployment and costs for food and daily supplies that would make the average American gasp.

The world needs copper.  Alaska needs jobs.  As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect daily life around the world, government and private industry can work in the background to move the Pebble project forward.