240611, '바보의 金', 진짜 金 따귀 올려붙이려나

[윤희영의 News English] '바보의 金', 진짜 金 따귀 올려붙이려나?

Fool’s Gold, will it really make a turning point?

 

오죽하면 ‘바보의 금’으로 불렸을까. 값어치 높은 상대를 닮아 황금색을 띠기는 했는데, 알고 보면 실속 없는 광물이라 온갖 구박·천대받던 황철광의 별명이다. 그렇게 ‘바보의 금’으로 조롱받고 설움 겪던 황철광이 미래의 그린·청정 에너지 원천으로 각광받고 있다. 진짜 금이 한때 그랬듯이 ‘바보의 금’ 황철광이 금세기의 ‘골드 러시’를 불러올 것이라는 예측까지 나온다.

Why was it called ‘Fool’s Gold’? It resembles its valuable counterpart in that it has a golden hue, but unfortunately worthless mineral. It has been subjected to all kinds of abuse and disparagement. This is why pyrite is nicknamed fool’s gold. Iron pyrite is gaining attention as a future source of green and clean energy, after experiencing sorrow and being mocked as ‘Fool’s Gold’. As the real gold once was, the fool’s gold, iron pyrite is gaining an expectation to kick off this century’s ‘Gold Rush’.

 

미국 웨스트버지니아 대학교 연구팀이 황철광에 전기자동차와 핵 융합로 등에 절대적으로 긴요한 미래 에너지 필수 요소 리튬이 놀라울 만큼 많이 함유돼 있다는 사실을 발견했다. 리튬을 활용한 배터리는 이미 전기자동차, 스마트폰, 태양열 발전 저장 공간 등 다양한 기술의 동력으로 사용되면서 수요가 급증하고 있다. 리튬은 핵융합 핵심인 삼중수소를 생성하는 데 결정적인 역할도 한다. 그런데 전 세계적으로 생산되고 있는 리튬은 연간 약 11만톤 정도에 불과하다. 2030년까지 2.5~5배에 달하는 26만~50만톤이 필요할 것으로 예상되는데, 턱없이 부족하다. 이런 와중에 발견된 황철광 함유 리튬이 각광받는 이유는 단순히 생산량 규모에 그치지 않는다. 추출 과정이 미치는 환경 영향이 훨씬 적다고 한다. 기존의 리튬 채취보다 훨씬 친환경적이고 비용 효율이 높아 미래의 세계 청정 에너지 수요에 필요한 지속 가능한 공급이 가능할 것으로 기대된다.

Recently, a team of researchers from West Virginia University found that pyrite contains a surprisingly large amount of lithium, which is an absolutely essential for the future energy element in electric vehicles and nuclear fusion reactors. As lithium batteries has been used to power a side array of technology, including electric vehicles, smartphones and solar power energy storage device, the demand for lithium is soaring. Also, lithium is crucial for breeding tritium, which lies at the heart of nuclear fusion. However, the global output of lithium is only around 110,000 tons. It is expected to more need 260,000 to 500,000 tons of lithium by 2030, 2.5 to 5 times more, but this is far from sufficient. Additionally, the reason for the spotlight of lithium containing iron pyrite is not just for the scale of production but also the less environmental impact in the process of the extraction. Compared to the traditional process of extraction, it is much more environmentally friendly and cost-effective and expected to enable sustainable supply to meet global clean energy demand.

 

황철광은 급성장하는 전기자동차 혁명뿐 아니라 청정 에너지 배터리 저장 등 다양하고 광범위한 분야에 이르는 엄청난 수요 급증으로 말마따나 똥값이 금값 됐다. 그 덕분에 ‘Fool’s Gold’로 불리던 호칭도 어느새 ‘White Gold’로 격상됐고, 대우도 몰라보게 달라졌다. 이 소식을 전한 한 매체는 “우리가 ‘바보의 금’이라고 놀리고 비웃었던 황철광이 우리 미래를 이끌게 될 줄 누가 알았겠느냐”며 “황철광이 바보같았던 우리의 사과를 받아주기만 바랄 뿐”이라고 썼다.

Pyrite is creating burgeoning electric vehicle revolution, but also becoming the price of gold due to a huge surge in demand. Thanks to this reason, the unpleasant nickname was changed into ‘White Gold’, and the attitude for the pyrite has been dramatically changed. The media reported this news said, “who knew that pyrite which we made fun of and laugh at by calling it ‘fool’s fold’ would lead our future? and added, “We just hope that pyrite would accept our apology for our ignorance.”

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[Reference]:

https://www.chosun.com/opinion/specialist_column/2024/06/11/5IUBEEE23JF6HD7GAFWCGZ7QXQ/

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[영문 참조자료 사이트]

☞ https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a60513631/fools-gold/

☞ https://interestingengineering.com/energy/shale-pyrites-hidden-lithium-riches

☞ https://www.newsweek.com/fools-gold-valuable-unheard-discovery-1890375

☞ https://greekreporter.com/2024/04/21/can-fools-gold-become-new-gold/

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(resemble its valuable counterpart)

(have a golden hue)

(worthless mineral)

(be subjected to all kinds of abuse and disparagement)

(nickname for iron pyrite)

(be mocked as ‘Fool’s Gold’)

(experience sorrow)

(gain attention as a future source of green and clean energy)

(kick off this century’s ‘Gold Rush’)

(contain a surprisingly large amount of lithium)

(be used to power a wide array of technology)

(lie at the heart of nuclear fusion)

(be crucial for breeding tritium)

(be far from sufficient)

(scale of production)

(extraction process)

(environmental impact)

(be much more environmentally friendly and cost-effective)

(enable sustainable supply to meet global clean energy demand)

(burgeoning electric vehicle revolution)

(due to a huge surge in demand)

(make fun of and laugh at)

(accept our apology)