About: mining
German fertiliser mining could come out on top amid Belarus embargo
While the EU has banned the import of potash, a key mineral fertiliser, from Belarus as part of the sanctions regime, test drilling for additional potash mines in Eastern Germany looks promising.
Thunberg protests against Sweden iron mine on Sámi land
Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and members of the Nordic country's indigenous Sami community on Saturday (5 February) protested against a possible iron ore mine in northern Sweden.
Vucic backs down on Rio Tinto project under pressure from civil society
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has halted a controversial lithium mining project with British-Australian company Rio Tinto, following national protests throughout the country during November and December. But protesters have vowed to continue the fight.
Serbian activists rally against laws on expropriation and referendum
About 2,000 protesters rallied in Belgrade on Wednesday (24 November) over the planned adoption of laws on expropriation and a referendum they say is designed by the government to help investors speed up their mining projects in Serbia.
Stop the mining rush in protected nature
Last year, the World Bank indicated that production of graphite, lithium and cobalt must increase by more than 450% by 2050 to meet the demand for energy storage technologies. Is the energy transition in danger? Do we have to exploit resources massively in Europe to avoid becoming dependent on imports? Green MEPs have an alternative plan.
Industry anxious about mandatory recycling targets in EU battery law
Requiring companies to use recycled metals in new electric vehicle batteries is necessary to prevent manufacturers from opting for cheaper, freshly mined virgin materials, the EU says. Still, the automotive sector, battery makers and the mining industry are all anxious about the upcoming EU battery regulation.
Mining industry warns against Europe’s drive for raw material ‘autonomy’
Relying solely on raw materials sourced within Europe could incentivise the use of cheaper, non-recyclable batteries, increasing the need to mine virgin materials to power electric vehicles, industry has said.
Polish copper giant signs deal with US firm for small nuclear reactors
Polish copper giant KGHM on Thursday (23 September) signed a memorandum of understanding with NuScale Power of the United States for the development of at least four small nuclear reactors to power its plants.
Mining is wreaking havoc – better recovery of battery metals will help
The EU’s proposed new standards for sustainable batteries are an opportunity to move away from destructive mining. The right policy measures can make the system more circular and avoid the mistakes of the past, write Benjamin Hitchcock Auciello and Alex Keynes.OpinionStakeholder Opinion
Without the Right Partnerships, EU Legislation is Dead on Arrival
Despite major progress towards new mandatory frameworks aimed at tackling sustainability and ethical issues in supply chains coming into Europe, the EU’s ambitious legislation will see little impact if not backed up by deep and long-lasting partnerships with producing countries....
EU raw materials push aims to underpin Green Deal, digital ambitions
Increasing the EU’s domestic supply of critical raw materials and cutting external dependencies got top billing in a new European Commission strategy on Thursday (3 September), as the bloc started to get serious about its Green Deal and digital agenda.
EU climate transition needs mineral miners, not coal miners
The European Union needs to transform its coal-mining regions into the source of minerals for clean technology, such as cobalt and rare earths, if it is to meet its climate goals and curb import reliance, a senior official said on Monday.
Europe looks home for new mining opportunities
As EU policymakers worry about global tensions threatening raw material imports, one option could be getting more from their own backyard.
Northvolt ‘will source directly from the miners’ to ensure clean supply chain
A short supply chain “will make it possible for us to trace our materials” and ensure they come from responsible sources, said a senior executive at Northvolt, the Swedish startup aiming to supply Europe with green electric batteries.
The EU is creating a sustainability label for raw materials
An EU research group is creating a certification method for raw materials, to be completed by 2021. The project is part of a push to sustainably mine the metals needed for Europe’s clean energy transition. But critics say certification is not the answer.
Europe’s mining sector faces skilled workers shortage
Trade unions expressed concerns on Tuesday (20 November) about a shortage of skilled workers in the extraction industry, saying this is becoming a problem for Europe at a time of rising global demand for raw materials.
Urban mining: In search of Europe’s valuable waste
Each year Europe wastes millions of tonnes of valuable metals by landfilling or exporting them. How can policy measures increase the recovery of these materials?
Metals: Friend or foe of the green economy?
The green economy usually brings to mind traditional renewable materials such as wood, biomass, water and earth. Less likely poster children are the big metals that have formed the backbone of the industrial revolution – steel, copper, iron, tin and aluminium.
Raw power
Vanadium, borate, bismuth, gallium – they may sound like planets from a science fiction movie, but in fact they are some of the most critical elements of the European Union’s economy.
Is deep-sea mining worth the risk?
There is no evidence that deep-sea mining will reduce our dependency on land-based mining. We need to end business as usual and act to reduce the demand for these raw materials by making the transition towards a circular economy, write a group of Greens/EFA MEPs.
French mining code reform ignores climate objectives
The long-awaited reform of France's mining code is about to get under way. But the new text pays very little heed to the country's environmental objectives. EURACTIV France reports.
Piketty: EU must demand more transparency from companies in Africa
The European Union should require companies operating in Africa to disclose the taxes they pay there more transparently, to ensure they contribute fairly to government revenues, French economist Thomas Piketty said on Thursday (10 September).
Afghanistan’s mineral deposits: A source of wealth and conflict
Afghanistan's vast untapped natural resources, valued at more than $1 trillion, are seen as the war-battered country's ticket to a self-reliant future, a possible trump card that could jumpstart the lagging economy as foreign aid ebbs.