Date of Publication: February 16, 2020

Author: Bénédicte Cenki

Summary:

“Critical minerals” are metals and non-metals that are essential for our economic future but whose supply may be uncertain. One consequence of a massive transition to renewables will be a drastic increase not only in the consumption of raw materials (including concrete, steel, aluminium, copper and glass) but also in the diversity of materials used. Australia is well placed to take advantage of this growth – some claim we are on the cusp of a rare earths boom – but unless we learn how to do it in a responsible manner, we will only create a new environmental crisis. At the same time, it is still unclear how we will secure supply of these minerals as demand surges. The opportunity for Australia is to produce its own minerals, and to do so in a way that minimises environmental harm and is sustainable. We must invest in geosciences, create new tools for exploration, extraction, beneficiation and recovery, treat the leftover material from mining as a resource instead of waste, develop urban mining and find substitutes and effective recycling procedures.

Link to Full Reading:

https://theconversation.com/critical-minerals-are-vital-for-renewable-energy-we-must-learn-to-mine-them-responsibly-131547