[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/9028\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EEurope is finding its hidden treasures to build its green, digital and climate-neutral economy \u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOur lives would be dramatically different without secure access to raw materials. For example, the platinum group metals (PGMs) \u2013 among the least abundant of the Earth\u2019s elements \u2013 are found in the touchpads of mobile devices, flat screen televisions, automobiles, jet engines and pacemakers, to name only a few.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nEven a device as common as a smart phone can require more than 50 different metals, including silicon, rare earth elements, and lithium that are in huge demand with limited supply. This makes raw materials crucial to Europe\u2019s recovery and essential to maintaining and improving our quality of life.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDemand is skyrocketing, with many of these resources essential for technologies and sectors that will underpin the drive toward climate neutrality. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates global materials demand will \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.oecd.org\/environment\/waste\/highlights-global-material-resources-outlook-to-2060.pdf\u0022\u003Emore than double by 2060\u003C\/a\u003E, reaching a staggering 167 billion tonnes. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFor instance, electric vehicles and energy storage solutions require minerals like graphite, lithium and cobalt, potentially increasing demand by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.worldbank.org\/en\/topic\/extractiveindustries\/brief\/climate-smart-mining-minerals-for-climate-action\u0022\u003Enearly 500% by 2050\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile our dependence \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/erma.eu\/app\/uploads\/2021\/09\/01227816.pdf\u0022\u003Eon rare earth element permanent magnets for use in space exploration, guidance systems, communications, power generation, and healthcare\u003C\/a\u003E is driving an exponentially increasing need for rare earth elements (REEs).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAchieving Europe\u2019s goal of a green, digital economy and climate neutrality by 2050 means we need to boost capacity in green mining, processing, production, reuse, and recycling. The global competition for raw materials is ramping up quickly and Europe is strengthening its links all along the raw materials\u2019 value chain.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDefining the problem is the first step to solving it\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe looming threat of supply insecurity is not something new to the European Commission (EC), which has been expanding efforts to meet the challenge for more than a decade. The EC launched the Raw Materials Initiative in 2008, aimed at diversifying supply sources to minimise disruptions if one link \u201cbreaks\u201d. One of its first activities was to establish a list of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/growth\/sectors\/raw-materials\/areas-specific-interest\/critical-raw-materials_en\u0022\u003Ecritical raw materials\u003C\/a\u003E (CRMs).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECRMs are defined as those materials that are economically and strategically important for the European economy, have a substantial risk associated with their supply, and are difficult to substitute due to their unique properties. The first list of 14 CRMs was published in 2011 and it has been revised every three years since then.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/docsroom\/documents\/42883\/attachments\/1\/translations\/en\/renditions\/native\u0022\u003E2020 list\u003C\/a\u003E contains \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.crmalliance.eu\/critical-raw-materials\u0022\u003E30 CRMs\u003C\/a\u003E, including newcomer strontium, which was not even considered in 2017. Strontium-90 is one of the best high-energy-beta emitters. Betavoltaic systems, a promising alternative to current battery technologies, are self-contained power sources that convert high-energy beta particles emitted from the decay of radioactive isotopes into electrical current. They could be used to generate electricity for space vehicles or remote weather stations and navigational beacons.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is relatively straightforward to understand why some materials are strategically and economically important. When it comes to risk, as the saying goes, don\u2019t put all your eggs in one basket.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ENot only are most of the CRMs, including between \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/op.europa.eu\/en\/publication-detail\/-\/publication\/eb052a18-c1f3-11eb-a925-01aa75ed71a1\u0022\u003E75% and 100% of metals\u003C\/a\u003E, obtained primarily from countries outside the EU, but they are often sourced from a few mines in one or two countries. China is a leading supplier overall, meeting about 66% of global demand for the CRMs identified in the 2020 list including more than 80% of global demand for REEs.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe most obvious solution to CRM security is to produce more of these materials and that means both extracting from mines and processing \u2013 two highly interdependent activities.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFinding the Earth\u2019s hidden treasures\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFrances Wall, Professor of Applied Mineralogy at the University of Exeter and one of the 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining 2016, heads up an international team developing geomodels that will help Europe and other countries locate the most promising sources. These sources have great potential not only for what they contain but the ease with which it can be extracted and processed economically, sustainably and with respect for the environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EUnless you can get your minerals separated efficiently from the waste rock, you will either not have an economically fruitful deposit or you will be generating a huge amount of waste. Our models will help enable better and more efficient design of minerals\u2019 processing, in turn enabling a better choice of deposits that will behave well during processing, resulting simultaneously in lower environmental impact.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EFrances Wall, professor of applied mineralogy at the University of Exeter, UK \u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDeveloped in the context of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/689909\u0022\u003EHiTech AlkCarb\u003C\/a\u003E project coordinated by Wall, the geomodels combine mineralogy, geology, geochemistry and geophysical imaging including magnetic and electromagnetic fields in the Earth\u2019s interior. A tremendous amount of data collection and research on geological processes supported their development, much of it studying the \u2018roots\u2019 of volcanoes millions of years old.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We are looking at the roots of old volcanoes, a really important place for mineral formation, including REEs,\u2019 said Wall. \u2018All kinds of complicated processes occur as the magma 50 kilometres down comes up to the surface. We are putting this story together.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists are also fine-tuning models at Songwe Hill in Malawi, a site of active exploration rich in the carbonatites in which REE mineralisation occurs and one of the key targets of HiTech AlkCarb. This ensures the models will be useful in the field since the presence of a deposit doesn\u2019t guarantee a profitable or sustainable mine.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Unless you can get your minerals separated efficiently from the waste rock, you will either not have an economically fruitful deposit or you will be generating a huge amount of waste,\u2019 explained Wall. \u2018Our models will help enable better and more efficient design of minerals\u2019 processing, in turn enabling a better choice of deposits that will behave well during processing, resulting simultaneously in lower environmental impact.\u2019 \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe HiTech AlkCarb team is now travelling around the world consulting and carrying out geophysical surveys at mining projects, helping companies use the openly available geomodels. Spin-off research projects will expand application of the models to other CRMs like lithium, used for batteries found in everything from mobile phones and laptops to electric vehicles and pacemakers, and also come up with innovations that reduce the environmental impact of mining.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStrengthening the supply chain\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003ETo have a secure supply chain, we need enhanced exploration and new deposits, but we also need processing, metal making and magnet production. The European Raw Materials Alliance is working on developing the other links in the chain. We need investment in all these stages and incentives to link those together.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EFrances Wall, professor of applied mineralogy at the University of Exeter, UK \u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EExtracting more raw materials is the first step in a long value chain, and processing is the second. Europe not only imports CRMs but often imports them after they\u2019ve been processed as well as importing important products that contain them. For example, China currently produces \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/erma.eu\/app\/uploads\/2021\/09\/01227816.pdf\u0022\u003Emore than 90% of rare earth magnets, which are used in nearly all electric vehicles\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018To have a secure supply chain, we need enhanced exploration and new deposits, but we also need processing, metal making and magnet production,\u2019 said Wall. \u2018The European Raw Materials Alliance is working on developing the other links in the chain. We need investment in all these stages and incentives to link those together.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Wall, some materials like REEs will always have a global supply chain due to where these deposits are found in the Earth\u2019s crust, but Europe can increase its presence beyond its borders by, for example, partnering in mine development and operation. However, the later steps of processing should really be in Europe to remove dependence on China, she added. Other countries including Australia, Malaysia, and the US are rapidly expanding processing capability, and we should too.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETackling the gaps and paving the way to a secure raw materials value chain to meet future demand requires a multidisciplinary effort. The Expert Network on Critical Raw Materials created by the SCRREEN and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/958211\u0022\u003ESCRREEN2\u003C\/a\u003E projects (referred to collectively as SCRREEN) is addressing this challenge. The team is collecting and analysing data on CRMs and updating factsheets regularly while analysing the future supply and demand of raw materials, policy and technology gaps and innovation potential along the raw materials value chains to support targeted and effective EC policymaking.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EMuch like the weather these days, the \u201ccriticality\u201d of raw materials can change relatively quickly as supply and\/or demand change due to anything from geopolitical tensions to the development of innovative technologies and applications. For this reason, the 2020 preparation experience spawned the idea to include CRMs and non-CRMs in more frequent updates of materials factsheets and foresight reports on the future of target sector value chains.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003ESt\u00e9phane Bourg of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to St\u00e9phane Bourg of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission and SCRREEN2 project coordinator, SCRREEN analysed the value chains of the raw materials that were identified as critical in 2017 and then evaluated all of the more than 80 materials under consideration for the 2020 criticality exercise.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Much like the weather these days, the \u201ccriticality\u201d of raw materials can alter relatively quickly as supply and\/or demand change due to anything from geopolitical tensions to the development of innovative technologies and applications. For this reason, the European Union decided to include CRMs and non-CRMs in more frequent updates of materials factsheets and foresight reports on the future of target sector value chains,\u2019 said Bourg.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESCRREEN2 and the EC\u2019s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/growth\/about-us_en\u0022\u003EDG GROW\u003C\/a\u003E) are now working together to prioritise the factsheets and thematic foresight reports to help keep stakeholders including industry representatives, investors, and policymakers on the same page.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom a chain to a circle\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAlthough SCRREEN2 is just beginning its work and it is early to make predictions and identify gaps in technologies and policies regarding the raw materials supply chain, Bourg is already certain about one thing: \u2018To ensure sustainable access to required materials, the EU must support the responsible sourcing of strategic materials by promoting innovation in mining and recycling. To achieve this goal, we need technologies, of course, but also reliable data on primary and secondary resources and traceability of materials and waste.\u2019 And the SCRREEN Expert Network is meeting this critical need.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESCRREEN is also co-organising the CRM day on 15 November at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eu-raw-materials-week-2021.b2match.io\/\u0022\u003EEU Raw Materials Week 2021\u003C\/a\u003E and Bourg encouraged all interested in joining the Expert Network to register. \u2018We are always looking for experts \u2013 in physics, chemistry, engineering, geosciences, environment, policy, business \u2013 on any part of the value chain of the 80-plus materials screened or on CRM methodology!\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EEurope is not leaving anything to chance in the global competition to secure access to the materials it needs for a green, digital, climate-neutral economy in 2050.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-bg-bluelightest tw-p-12 tw-my-12 tw--mx-16\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\u0022tw-font-sans tw-font-bold tw-text-blue tw-uppercase tw-text-lg tw-mb-8\u0022\u003ELooking for an investment matchmaker for your raw materials project?\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-inline-block tw-w-1\/6 tw-h-1 tw-bg-blue tw-mb-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EBuilding capacity along the raw materials value chain from mining to recovery will be vital to Europe\u2019s access to CRMs in the coming decades as demand skyrockets and the majority of CRMs and processing are found beyond Europe\u2019s borders. Depending on the sector and area of the value chain, regulations can vary, and capital expenses can be prohibitive.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA) could be the matchmaker you need to hook you up with money fast. The streamlined process helps projects move quickly through the pipeline and has a very high investment success rate through its RawMaterials Investment Platform (RMIP), thanks to technical and market intelligence that boosts the appeal of your project.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInvestment proposals are accepted on a rolling basis and can be submitted at any time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E-\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/erma.eu\/investment\/\u0022\u003EERMA Investment\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-ifbx-yyobsoxgqu-ik8tn41k99zf-akqkpudkprb-8s\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-IfbX-yyObSOxgqu_iK8tn41k99Zf_AKqKpUDkpRb_8s\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]