#Critical Minerals

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this Op-Ed from the Scientific American:

Copper and potash might not seem like the stuff of high drama, but controversy over critical minerals and the question of whether some should truly be considered “critical” is playing out in the halls of Congress right now. A rush for mining mundane metals and salts isn’t about moving the U.S. toward a renewable energy economy either. It’s about powerful corporate interests finding underhanded ways to circumvent scientific assessments and environmental regulations.

Their goal: big profits for a lucky few.

The worldwide move toward a green economy has triggered calls for easing mining of rare earth minerals, ones essential to modern devices and electrical infrastructure. But a flurry of bills that some members of Congress hope to push by year’s end focus on changes to the laws that govern mining and critical mineral designations. Without regard for the status of how critical—or not—a material actually is, however, this tranche of legislation simply allows the mining industry to co-opt the green economy moment. And while the industry seeks to profit, communities and the environment will ultimately pay.

To most people, a critical mineral might simply be a metal that’s important for everyday needs such as smartphones, electric cars and renewable energy. In the mining industry, however, the U.S. government designating a mineral as “critical” can bring significant benefits, including tax credits and expedited permitting allowed under federal environmental laws. But what the mining industry believes to be important or profitable may not be legally “critical”—and that distinction is something the industry hopes the public won’t recognize.

When it comes to energy transition materials, the term “critical” has a specific meaning. Under current law, the Department of Energy assesses which energy sector materials have a high risk of supply chain disruption and regularly updates its “critical materials” list accordingly. Meanwhile the U.S. Geological Survey assesses which subset of “critical minerals,” many mined overseas, are essential to U.S. economic and national security. Each of these federal agencies conducts rigorous, factual and scientific reviews to determine which materials should qualify as “critical.” Conflating these lists and various meanings of “critical” will only obscure our government’s ability to administer the appropriate policy for a specific supply chain.

For example, two of the most problematic bills would effectively designate copper, potash and phosphates as critical minerals—despite the fact that all of these are currently mined in North America and relatively abundant. Moreover, copper is already on the Department of Energy’s critical materials list to address supply chain concerns for the energy sector. But copper is not on the U.S. Geological Survey’s list, because it does not degrade in reprocessing, more than 30 percent of domestic consumption comes from recycled scrap, and the supply chain is not geopolitically at risk.

Mining is needed for a clean energy transition, but poking random holes in a regulatory process that is based on factual and scientific assessments isn’t going to get us there any faster. There’s just no good reason for Congress to rush poorly conceived mining projects. If Congress overrides the U.S. Geological Survey’s factual determinations, certainly there would be more expedited permitting for domestic copper mines. But the potential supply chain benefits of domestically mining more copper are marginal. And such fast-tracking would put towns and homes on the front lines of mining and the environment at great risk.

[thoughtlessarse]

The EU aims to boost production of copper and other metals to meet 2050 climate goals. A mine expansion in northern Sweden is seen as critical to those amibitons, but for indigenous Sámi who have been moved off their land it's a threat to an ancient way of life. Copper, lithium, cobalt and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are among the 34 metals and minerals classified as critical by the European Union. The EU's aim for carbon neutrality by 2050, along with modern weaponry and the increasing digitalisation of daily life, hinges on technologies that require more metals than ever before, making these materials prized commodities. But while the EU already consumes approximately a quarter of the world’s raw materials, it produces only about 3% of them. Critical Raw Materials In December 2023, the European Parliament adopted the Critical Raw Materials Act, which outlines targets for recycling, processing, trade, and crucially, domestic production. By 2030, the EU wants to mine at least 10% of its annual consumption of critical raw materials. This objective seeks to enhance supply security and reduce dependence on foreign sources, such as China, which currently supplies almost all of the EU's REE needs. Euronews travelled to Sweden, a mining powerhouse, to explore the implications of this target for the continent.

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“We're saving the planet!”

It's a double hit for the Sami people; the climate in the region is changing at an accelerated rate, and the minerals needed to combat that change are under the land they live from.

There is a 10 minutes video that accompanies this article.

[africaindustrializationday]

Member States Briefing on the outcomes of the Secretary-General's Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.

Following the release of the Panel's report Resourcing the Energy Transition – Principles to Guide Critical Energy Transition Minerals Towards Equity and Justice last month, the United Nations is consulting widely with Member States and other relevant stakeholders on the findings. The Member State briefing is an opportunity for delegations to provide feedback on the Panel's work and help inform next steps. The Secretary-General established the Panel in April 2024 in response to calls from developing countries amid signs that the energy transition could reproduce and amplify inequalities of the past and to identify ways to ground the renewables-based energy transition in justice and equity, safeguarding human rights and protecting the environment. At the conclusion of their work, the Panel recommended seven guiding principles and five actionable recommendations to embed justice and equity in critical mineral value chains.

Related Sites and Documents

Website Panel’s report

Watch the Member States Briefing on the outcomes of the Secretary-General's Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals!

[coopsday]

Press conference by the Co-Chairs of the UN Secretary-General's Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals. 

Press conference by the Co-Chairs of the UN Secretary-General's Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, Ambassador Mxakato-Diseko of South Africa and Director-General Ditte Juul Jørgensen of the European Commission, on the release of the panel's report. 

Watch the Press Conference: Co-Chairs of the UN Secretary-General's Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.

[greenfue]

China will lobby African nations to snap up green tech exports

China will try to convince leaders from 50 African countries to purchase more of its green exports in return for more loans and investment at the China-Africa Cooperation Summit tomorrow, Reuters reports. The country is hoping to secure agreements before Western levies come into effect on some of their exports, mainly electric vehicles and solar panels. A change in tactics: China wants to gain…

[gmdc-ltd]

Rare Earth Mining by GMDC

What is Rare Earth?

Rare Earth refers to a group of 17 naturally occurring metallic elements with unique properties and a wide range of industrial applications. These elements are essential for the global transition to a low-carbon economy, particularly in the production of clean energy technologies. Their critical role in the advancement of technology and sustainable development underscores the importance of securing a stable supply of these elements. REEs are divided into two categories:

Light Rare Earth Elements include elements like lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd) and samarium (Sm). These elements are abundant and generally have a low atomic weight. 

Heavy Rare Earth Elements include elements such terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy) and yttrium (Y). They are less abundant and have a higher atomic weight. 

GMDC’s Portfolio includes High Purity Light Rare Earth Oxides 

Neodymium (Nd) and Praseodymium (Pr) are essential for making the strongest permanent magnets which are critical for motors in EVs and wind turbines. 

Lanthanum (La) is primarily used in the catalytic cracking process in the petroleum industry, as well as in  the electronics, optics industries and batteries for hybrid cars. 

Cerium (Ce) is used in catalytic converters in the automotive industry, as polishing powder for glass products and in electrical components. 

Developing India’s Sustainable Permanent Magnet Supply Chain 

We aim to develop an end-to-end REE value chain from rare earth mining, processing, separation and end-product manufacturing. We are establishing one of the world's top rare earth processing hubs in India. The hub will integrate the entire REE value chain and support downstream activities across industries such as metals or alloys, NdFeB magnets, electric motors, glass and optical glass manufacturing in India. 

Mining and Beautification in Ambadungar 

GMDC is developing one of the world’s largest rare earth deposits at Ambadungar, a village in Chhota Udepur district of Gujarat. The project includes an open pit mine, processing plants, tailings storage facility, water supply, bulk power supply, mine infrastructure, workshops, offices, modern residential facilities with a best-in-class living ecosystem. 

Our Ambadungar deposits contain light earth elements (LREEs), which are critical minerals for most economies globally. The ore will be mined from an open-pit mine and transferred for processing through crushing, milling, conditioning and floatation to form a mixed rare earth concentrate. 

Separation and Integrated Downstream Manufacturing at Bharuch 

The mixed rare earth carbonate produced in Ambadungar will be transferred to our separation plant in our REE hub at Bharuch. The end-result from this separation process will be the valuable rare earth oxides - Nd, Pr, La, Ce. 

These separated oxides will be converted into metals and further used in manufacturing products such as catalysts for catalytic cracking as well as rare earth magnets - which are essential for the global transition to clean energy and mobility. GMDC provides critical minerals from rare earth mining. To know more about our services, visit our website  https://www.gmdcltd.com/

[appalachianfuturism]

“Firepoint Energy Inc, a Wyoming C-Corp startup with principal offices opening in Pennsylvania and Texas, announces the discovery of more than $130 billion in rare earth minerals in waste coal samples collected from nine locations in Pennsylvania.

The test results confirmed by Conti Labs in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania prove that the waste coal samples contained dozens of critical rare earth elements (REEs), including neodymium, dysprosium, europium, lithium praseodymium, and terbium. All of these minerals have been declared to be critical to the U.S. economy and national security per the Energy Act of 2020…”

[waterandenergyrelief]

Panel Discussion on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.

Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential components of clean energy technologies, including wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles and battery storage. Rising demand for these minerals to fuel the renewables revolution presents risks, challenges and opportunities, particularly for developing countries. In response, Secretary-General António Guterres is leveraging the United Nations' convening power to assemble a diverse and representative group of governments and non-state actors to facilitate standards and safeguards, and embed justice, in the transition to renewable energy.

A newly established Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals -- co-chaired by Ambassador Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko of South Africa and Ms. Ditte Juul Jørgensen Director-General for Energy from the European Commission -- will develop a set of global common and voluntary principles to guide governments and other stakeholders involved in critical minerals value chains in the years ahead by addressing issues relating to equity, transparency, investment, sustainability and human rights.

UN-convened panel to address equity, sustainability and human rights across the value chains of critical energy transition minerals

[trendingnowlive]

Mining in Australia

Opening the Door for a Green Revolution: Australia Releases the Critical Minerals Prospectus

https://trending-now-live.blogspot.com/2024/02/australia-mining-critical-minerals-green-energy.html

[nrspeculator]

America’s Import Reliance of Critical Minerals

America’s Import Reliance of Critical Minerals

https://elements.americas-import-reliance-of-critical-minerals-charted

[thoughtlessarse]

Global demand for critical minerals, particularly lithium, is growing rapidly to meet clean energy and de-carbonisation objectives. Africa hosts substantial resources of critical minerals. As a result, foreign mining companies are rushing to invest in exploration and acquire mining licences. According to the 2023 Critical Minerals Market Review by the International Energy Agency, demand for lithium, for example, tripled from 2017 to 2022. Similarly, the critical minerals market doubled in five years, reaching $320 billion in 2022. The demand for these metals is projected to increase sharply, more than doubling by 2030 and quadrupling by 2050. Annual revenues are projected to reach $400 billion. In our recent research, we analysed African countries that produce minerals that the rest of the world has deemed “critical”. We focused on lithium projects in Namibia, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ghana. We discovered these countries do not yet have robust strategies for the critical minerals sector. Instead, they are simply sucked into the global rush for these minerals. We recommend that the African Union should expedite the development of an African critical minerals strategy that will guide member countries in negotiating mining contracts and agreements. The strategy should draw from leading mining practices around the world. We also recommend that countries should revise their mining policies and regulations to reflect the opportunities and challenges posed by the increasing global demand for critical minerals. Otherwise, African countries that are rich in critical minerals will not benefit from the current boom in demand.

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[faultfalha]

When the prime minister of India urges critical minerals leaders to view control as a global responsibility, he speaks with the authority of a long and venerable history. India has always been a land of great natural resources, and its people have always understood the importance of holding on to what is theirs. The prime minister's words are a warning to the world that India will not be pushed around, and that it is ready and able to take whatever steps are necessary to secure its future.

[xtruss]

Zimbabwe’s ‘White Gold’! Critical Minerals Law Favors China

Harare has Africa’s largest lithium reserves and Beijing is poised to benefit, despite an export ban.

— By Nosmot Gbadamosi | Foreign Policy | August 16th, 2023

A foreman looks on as an earth mover works on the slippery road at Arcadia Mine on Jan. 11, 2022 in Goromonzi, Zimbabwe. ​Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Images

The world’s clean-energy transition will be impossible without African minerals—and a degree of resource nationalism from African countries is benefiting China, which has for decades invested in the African Green-Energy Market and accounts for 59 percent of the world’s lithium refining. Chinese companies run the majority of Zimbabwe’s mines and are better positioned to expand domestic processing there.

Lithium, often referred to as “White Gold,” is essential to producing Solar Panels and the Rechargeable Batteries that power electric vehicles; and in 2022, demand pushed prices up by more than 100 percent. Africa could supply a fifth of the world’s lithium needs by 2030, but to best serve citizens, African leaders are demanding that miners go beyond extraction and add value by locally processing the raw mineral.

Last December, Zimbabwe 🇿🇼, which has Africa’s Largest Lithium Reserves, imposed a ban on raw lithium ore exports, requiring companies to set up plants in the country and process ore into concentrates before export in order to boost local jobs and revenue. Those seeking to export and not process domestically would need to provide proof of exceptional circumstances and receive written permission to export raw lithium ore.

Zimbabwe’s ban, called the Base Minerals Export Control Act, will stop the country losing billions in mineral proceeds to foreign companies, officials said. Namibia 🇳🇦 has followed suit; and in 2020 around 42 percent of African nations, excluding those in North Africa, had implemented restrictions on raw exports, including the Democratic Republic of Congo 🇨🇩, Ghana 🇬🇭, and Nigeria 🇳🇬.

Traditionally, “mining companies after extraction enjoy all the benefits [while] leaving communities in their catchment areas to bear the brunt of life-threatening dangers associated with their operations,” Edmond Kombat, research and finance director of Ghana’s 🇬🇭 Institute for Energy Security, told ESI Africa. “It is time to stop that practice.”

However, China, which controls the world’s critical minerals supply chain, is ideally placed to reap benefits in these situations, because several Chinese owned companies have recently completed processing plants in the country. Chinese-owned Companies have Spent more than $1 Billion acquiring and developing lithium projects in Zimbabwe, which in contrast has seen Very Little Western investment.

Last month, Chinese minerals giant Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt opened a $300 million lithium processing plant at its Arcadia Mine in Zimbabwe, which it bought last year from Australia-based Prospect Resources for $422 million. The plant currently has the capacity to process around 450,000 metric tons of lithium concentrate annually. Under Zimbabwean law the refined lithium can then be exported for further processing into battery-grade lithium outside Zimbabwe.

In May, another Chinese company, Chengxin Lithium Group, commissioned a lithium concentrator to produce 300,000 metric tons per year at the Sabi Star mine in eastern Zimbabwe. And China’s Sinomine Resource Group said last month it had completed a $300 million lithium plant, after it bought Bikita Minerals, one of Africa’s oldest lithium mines, for $180 million.

Zimbabwe hopes to satisfy 20 percent of the world’s total lithium demand when it fully exploits its known lithium resources. “If we continue exporting raw lithium we will go nowhere,” Deputy Mines Minister Polite Kambamura told Bloomberg last year. “We want to see lithium batteries being developed in the country.”

New rules stipulate that a 5 percent royalty rate will be payable on lithium exported, due half in cash and half in processed final products so that the country can build cash reserves it could use for government-backed borrowing.

U.S. sanctions on Zimbabwe 🇿🇼, imposed since 2001, have impacted the country’s access to borrowing and investment, leaving few options but China. Last year, Zimbabwean Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube claimed the country has lost more than $42 billion in revenue as a result of Western sanctions. The Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency reportedly received 160 lithium investment applications from investors based in China in the first half of 2023 compared to just five from the United States.

Even among Zimbabwe’s regional peers, U.S. companies have been left on the backfoot. Nigeria Rejected Elon Musk’s Tesla in favor of Beijing-based Ming Xin Mineral Separation to build Nigeria’s first lithium processing plant in Kaduna State, in the country’s northwest region. Nigerian officials reportedly rejected Tesla’s proposal because it did not align with the country’s new policies. “Our new mining policy demands that you add some value to raw mineral ores, including lithium, before you export,” Ayodeji Adeyemi, special assistant to Nigeria’s mines and steel development minister, told Rest of World.

For decades, African economists complained that foreign companies extracted minerals without benefit to citizens. In 2015, Zimbabwean researchers estimated the country had lost $12 billion due to illegal trade involving multinational companies in China 🇨🇳, Canada 🇨🇦, the United States 🇺🇸, and the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 —enough money to pay off Zimbabwe’s foreign debt.

Africa holds more than 40 Percent of Global Reserves of Key Minerals for batteries and hydrogen technologies. Yet it’s predicted that, by 2030, more than 80 percent of the world’s poor will live in Africa, and about 75 percent of them in resource-rich countries.

It makes sense for African Nations to step up efforts to increase quality jobs. “The United States and Europe must ensure that the partnerships they are building in Africa are mutually beneficial and non-extractive,” Theophile Pouget-Abadie and Rachel Rizzo recently wrote in Foreign Policy. “Otherwise, they will run headlong into the walls erected by an increasingly dominant Beijing.”

Washington in January signed a memorandum of understanding to help the Democratic Republic of Congo 🇨🇩 and Zambia 🇿🇲 develop an electric battery supply chain. But China is going beyond this in terms of thinking about what African nations need. Beijing, for example, with support from the United Nations 🇺🇳 Development Program, is facilitating a joint research center in Ethiopia 🇪🇹 to fast-track access to renewable energy in the country.

Experts warn that more African countries banning critical raw minerals exports will impede global decarbonization. Zimbabwe’s ban is perceived as unrealistic because the country lacks skilled workers. Some countries (Kenya 🇰🇪, Tanzania 🇹🇿, and Zambia 🇿🇲) have implemented policies requiring mining companies to train locals, according to a recent World Bank report. The report suggests national export bans alone can make countries worse off because investors simply move their business elsewhere, but that training requirements could ensure retention of investment and the creation of a skilled workforce.

[nicolae]

The Importance of the Rare Earths for the World Economy

Dobrescu, Emilian M. (2023), The Importance of the Rare Earths for the World Economy, Cunoașterea Științifică, 2:2, xxx,   Abstract “Rare earth elements” (REE) is a frontier discipline between economics as a generic science and the economy of rare earth elements, which studies the production, the distribution and the circulation of the rare earths. On our planet, over a quarter of the new…