Tom Hegen. The Mineral Age

For over a century, coal, oil, and gas have driven human progress—while simultaneously pushing CO2 emissions to levels that now pose a global threat. The goals of decarbonizing our lives have sparked a profound transformation: the transition to an electrified future. This marks the beginning of a new era of raw materials. Metals such as copper, nickel, lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements are indispensable for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and battery storage. This book reveals the origins of this metallic world and offers insights into the often-hidden landscapes of raw materials. It invites readers to reflect on the ecological and social costs of the energy transition. Photographer Tom Hegen documents, through aerial photographs, the traces that humans leave on the Earth’s surface. His work reveals the complex interplay between human activity and the resulting changes in the landscape.