While mines seemed to belong to industrial archaeology, the European Commission wants to return to mining for valuable raw materials on its own land. But does everyone want that? ‘If we want responsible mining, we better do it ourselves.’
What’s the problem?
Green technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines and electric cars are chock full of precious metals. Batteries require lithium, nickel and cobalt, among other things. Electric motors and windmills contain so-called ‘rare earth metals’ with exotic names such as neodymium and dysprosium.
Europe is currently heavily dependent on imports for these metals from countries such as China, Russia and Congo. For example, we source more than 85 percent of our rare earth metals from China. For 14 of the 27 ‘critical’ metals with great strategic and economic importance, we are even completely at the mercy of countries outside the EU.
“It is crucial that we are not dependent on dubious regimes for important raw materials,” says Peter Tom Jones, who heads the Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals at KU Leuven. “The war in Ukraine has now made that even more clear.”
What does Europe want?
Anyone who digs a well for someone else has power, the European Commission realizes. She does not want us to trade dependence on fossil fuels for dependence on critical metals. That is why Europe must become more self-sufficient. The Critical Raw Materials Act sets out the guidelines for this.
The aim is for 10% of the critical metals used in the EU to be mined in Europe itself. That means: new mines in Europe. Fifteen percent of what we use must be recycled.
In addition, the Commission wants us to refine 40% of the metals we use within the EU ourselves. Because we are now also extremely dependent on that, especially on China. “China acts like a magnet, attracting purified ore from all over the world and processing it into the metals we need,” says Jones. “The Chinese dominance is huge.”
Will that work?
In any case, the problem is not that there are no critical metals in the soil in Europe. “So far it has proven to be cheaper and easier to extract it elsewhere,” says geologist Stijn Dewaele (UGent).
Ores containing copper, cobalt and nickel can be found in various places in Scandinavia and in southern Europe. These are already being mined in the Finnish Kevitsa mine, among others.
More than twenty mineable lithium deposits are known, although no lithium is currently being mined in Europe. The Finnish Keliber mine should produce the first European lithium by 2024, the French Emili project by 2028. A project is also in the pipeline in the Portuguese region of Barroso-Alvâo, but it is encountering a lot of resistance.
In Norra Kärr, Sweden, according to some estimates, there are enough rare earths in the soil to cover the European demand for rare earths for the next fifty years. But that project also failed to get off the ground due to protests. Rare earth metals were also recently found in Kiruna, Sweden. Because an iron mine is already located there, that project has a better chance of success, according to Jones.
It is certain that there are many opportunities in Europe for the extraction of metals from our own soil. “For lithium and rare earths, we could be self-sufficient,” says Jones. “We may not be able to do that for metals such as nickel and cobalt, but we can reduce our dependence.”
Sustainable mining, is that possible?
Opening new mines for green technology seems to be a challenge. Shouldn’t we recycle more? We certainly should, but it is not enough. To start with, the demand for critical metals will increase exponentially in the short term, according to forecasts from the World Bank and others. Then you won’t get there by reusing what is already there. And we will only be able to recover the metals that are currently in batteries and wind turbines in a few decades. “Even if we recycle to the maximum, we still need mining,” says mining expert Eric Pirard (ULiège). “And if we want responsible mining, we better do it ourselves.”
But a responsible mine remains a mine, not infrequently a large pit in the landscape, with the accompanying driving of trucks on and off. Many people would rather not have that in their backyard. The Commission wants to make permitting procedures, which often take a long time, run more smoothly. “It’s about giving local communities maximum say and sharing the benefits,” says Jones, who refers to the Scandinavian mines as an example of socially and environmentally responsible working practices. With attention to waste management, water consumption and safety. “A Swedish miner is less at risk than an Ikea employee.”
Betting on European mining is not just about strategic independence. It is also an ethical issue, according to Jones. He points out how in Indonesia – the world’s largest nickel producer – rainforest has to make way for new mines, and child labor and accidents in Congolese cobalt mines. “Putting the consequences of mining on countries with less strict regulations is morally irresponsible,” says Jones. “We want Teslas, but no mines: that is not possible.”
