If I Had Elon Musk’s Money — I’d do These Two Things
MineFull Mines: Farmining — the future greening of the mining industry
I think that any sane human would agree that based on reliable scientific research and prediction modeling the world is going to continue to have an ever increasing problem with the disruption to normal weather patterns. And it really doesn’t matter if it is man-made, natural or a combination of the two. The latter is what I think it is, and unfortunately, that’s worse than if it were just either.
All future weather models predict it becoming more difficult to feed people, and that millions to billions may be forced to relocate.
I know from living in Michigan, U.S. that increasing temperatures will wreak havoc on Michigan’s agricultural industry by forcing farmers to change from their traditional crops to those that can withstand a warmer, wetter environment. It’s the same story across the globe and feeding populations will be a major future challenge.
Governments will be forced to put more focus, financing, and resources into food production at the same time that resources will be more limited due to greater natural disasters and human displacement. Governments that cannot feed their people will collapse, which will bring even greater food chaos. We can see with current global events the difficulty of feeding populations in war torn areas of the globe. It’s a portal into our future as to how we as humans behave when we have little to no food.
The first thing I’d do is contact the CEO’s of Cargill and Compass Minerals. Cargill is a mammoth $165 Billion global agricultural company that grows grains, manufacturers fertilizers, livestock feed, food products and salt. It also owns its own salt mines in New York, Ohio and Louisiana. Compass Minerals is a $2.5 Billion company with salt mines in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.
Next on the contact list:
The Dean of the Michigan State University College of Agriculture & Natural Resources; the Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University; the Director of Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Science; the Dean of the Ontario Agricultural College and the Louisiana State University Dean of the College of Agriculture.
I’d propose an underground pilot program for hydroponic farming in the previously mined areas of active salt mines. While the federal government prefers that mines not have shared uses, there is one active mine that has set precedent in Missouri that allows a shared use for document storage.
Other global salt mines are used for purposes other than mining salt. Here are a few examples:
What are some of the advantages of Farmining?
-Farmining is impervious to the effects of Climate Change and weather conditions at all times of the year
-Vertical farming uses 95+% less water than traditional farms;
-Mines offer a controlled, constant and temperate environment of 60+ degrees;
-No air conditioning for hot summer environments; or expensive heating in a cold weather climate
-Filtered air eliminates GMO cross contamination;
-Locally grown and harvested at peak freshness for highest nutrition value;
-Organically grown, pesticide and GMO free environment;
-Longer shelf-life for the consumer and less food waste;
-Reduced transportation costs;
-Close to major urban centers helping to fulfill underserved communities;
-Organic fertilizers formulated to maximize phytochemical and Flavonoid nutrients;
Within the Great Lakes Basin, five salt mines share a population base of 75 million people within 250 miles. Due to the weather, the Midwest and Northeast have the most limited growing seasons in the country which also equates to less available fresh veggies and fruit during off season. Farmining nearby, or directly below, could help solve this problem.
Challenges?
I’m not a miner, so I’m sure that in my mind I’m oversimplifying it.
- The current mine shaft may not be available due to its size, and/or due to the mining operations needing to use it exclusively. A new mine shaft to accommodate a separate growing operation will be needed.
- Agreement to lease space from the current owner of the active mine. Hesitancy to lease would be based on potential liabilities, small working shaft, additional mine maintenance, and potential unknowns.
- Staff and procedures would need to adhere to strict mine safety standards
- There may not be enough Carbon Dioxide in the air for optimum growing
- Permits from Federal, State and local jurisdictions.
Existing operational salt mines already have electrical lines and limited water. A pilot program at one mine could solve any operational challenges. This requires no new technology needing to be invented. I’m not implying it’s simple, but it’s not like landing on the moon or going to Mars!
When I had a conversation with an official at the Federal Land Bureau, I was told four key points:
- First, to their knowledge no one has inquired with them about using any mine, active or closed, for any type of farming.
- Second, there are very strict safety controls for mines and all employees/etc. would need to be certified and follow the rules.
- Third, there are no laws against co-use of an operating mine.
- Fourth, there is one mine in the United States that already is dual use. So there is precedence already in place.
What are the possibilities?
The convergence of several technologies creates an excellent use case for a Farmining Pilot Farm:
Hydroponic Farming — It is proven technology with various limitations that has grown during the last 15–20 years. The application of LED lighting has helped drop energy costs and improve growing techniques. Very large hydroponic farms are being built around the world. The market is expected to grow from $12 Billion now to almost $30 Billion in 2030. That’s just 6 years from now.
Robotics — It is proven technology and the first industrial robot was invented in 1961 and used in a General Motors plant. In just over sixty years we’ve seen the first basic industrial robot to robots that talk, walk, run, jump, carry weapons, and are also being used in hydroponic farming.
Artificial Intelligence — AI will be especially useful, and necessary for hydroponic farming to improve the metrics of water, nutrition and light, and for the planting and processing of crops.
Direct Air Carbon Capture — This industry is really just 15 years old and has great promise for pulling CO2 out of the air and then either storing it safely underground, turn it into synthetic fuels or supply Coca-Cola with CO2. Or, like Climeworks in Switzerland pump the CO2 into greenhouses to improve crop yields. Farmining would be a perfect application.
Electric Underground Mining Vehicles: Caterpillar announced the production of its first underground electric mining vehicles in January of 2024. As mines shift away from carbon based vehicles air quality will improve and the cost of operating and maintaining will decrease.
Ya, But How Much Acreage Is Available in Salt Mines?
The Detroit Salt mine, which is an active mine, covers approximately 1,500 acres, is 1,200 feet below the surface, a 100 miles of road cut through the salt beds and contains roadways 60 feet wide and rooms from 17 feet to 40 feet high. Most of the area has been mined and is unused. It’s temperature year-round is about 60+ degrees, there are no pests, no weeds, no GMO air borne pollen, no pollution, and it is protected and impervious to harsh winters, and to the effects of the looming hotter and wetter summers due to impending climate change. This creates an ideal environment for growing leafy greens, herbs, and other crop varieties such as root vegetables, mushrooms, tomatoes, flowers, and many more.
Assuming 1,000 acres is farmable, for a vertical hydroponic farm the actual amount of growing space could be 10,000–20,000 acres due to the use of vertical space.
The Cargill Cleveland Mine, in Cleveland, Ohio, covers about 7,600 acres and the Cargill Cuyuga mine in Lansing, New York covers about 18,000 acres. The salt mine in Goderich, Ontario is the largest in the world and this graphic shows how the vast majority of the mine is no longer used.
So, that’s the first thing I would do.
The second thing I would do is call the CEO of Musk’s ‘The Boring Company, and the CEO of Freight Farms. Just eleven years ago Freight Farms began installing a hydroponic farm inside a standard freight container. It just happens that a freight container will fit inside The Boring Company’s tunnel that is 12 feet in diameter.
The tunnels can be built to accommodate vehicles, utilities and freight containers.
A single Greenery from Freight Farms can produce from 2–6 tons of food depending on the type of crops. In one mile of tunnel you can fit 140 containers supplying 280–840 tons of fresh produce, just a few feet below major urban centers. The containers can be put on wheels to allow them to be moved easily throughout the tunnel which allow a ‘train’ of containers to move through the tunnel. Containers could then be moved through the tunnel to unload the crops in collection rooms. Or adapted to use a conveyor system above the container to transport crops.
Even better than the 12 foot diameter tunnel is The Boring Company’s capability for a 21 foot diameter tunnel. This would accommodate two Greenery’s separated by a three foot walkway, or other conventional hydroponic systems.
So Elon, if you happen to hear about this…….