Abstract
The planet consumes commodity metals such as iron, aluminum, and copper at an unprecedented rate, as the basis for infrastructure, transportation, power generation, or consumer electronics. A review of the existing paradigm in the primary production of those metals is proposed, in particular with respect to energy consumption, productivity, and environmental impacts. Using an analogy with the electrochemical production of liquid aluminum, a discussion of the electrochemical engineering challenges faced to transform iron and copper primary extraction is then proposed. High temperature, high productivity electrochemical technologies are put forth as a possible path for cost-competitive production of those metals.