Apple to make iPhones out of brand new aluminium that produces only oxygen

(Apple)

Apple will start making iPhones out of a special kind of “carbon-free” aluminium, it has said.

The material, which will be introduced first in the iPhone SE, represents the first time that the aluminium has been made at industrial scale outside of a lab, and came after a breakthrough advance in smelting technology, Apple said.

The aluminium produces oxygen instead of greenhouse gases, and is made by a company called ELYSIS. Apple will buy the first batch for new iPhones, with the hope that it can expand into other products and companies.

“This is the first time aluminum has been produced at this purity, industrial scale, without GHGs, and the sale to Apple confirms the market’s interest in aluminum produced using our breakthrough ELYSIS carbon-free smelting technology. Today’s announcement proves that ELYSIS, a joint-venture between Alcoa and Rio Tinto was able to turn an idea into reality,” said Vincent Christ, ELYSIS’ chief executive in a statement.

“We are excited to be working alongside Apple on this advancement, which has the potential to make lasting changes in how aluminum is produced.” 

Apple did not say why the metal was only being used in the new iPhone SE – which was released last week – or whether it would be coming to other models of iPhone in the future.

The company made the announcement as it detailed the use of the $4.7 billion it has raised through Green Bonds. The proceeds of such debt has to be used for climate initiatives – and Apple has issued three of them so far, with the most recent and first European one coming in 2019.

(Apple)

It was the cash raised through that 2019 bond that helped fund the aluminium breakthrough, Apple said, as part of 50 total projects that have been supported by the money.

“Apple is committed to leaving the planet better than we found it, and our Green Bonds are a key tool to drive our environmental efforts forward,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy, and social initiatives, in a statement.

“Our investments are advancing the breakthrough technologies needed to reduce the carbon footprint of the materials we use, even as we move to using only recyclable and renewable materials across our products to conserve the earth’s finite resources.”

Generally, Apple looks to re-use materials rather than make them at all. It has revealed a range of technologies aimed at doing so, including Daisy, a robot that can tear phones apart and retrieve components to put them in new phones.

Many of the company’s products – including all the iPad line-up and new MacBooks – already use recycled aluminium for their enclosure. That has reduced carbon emissions from Apple’s aluminium production by 70 per cent, as part of an effort to become completely carbon neutral by 2030.