Against the backdrop of diverse and overlapping transformations in Germany, such as the energy transition, electromobility, digitalization, climate change and the green transformation as a whole, secure access to high-tech raw materials is of central importance. It is also important to maintain the innovative strength and competitiveness of German industry and to upgrade the infrastructure for the future. In the ...
Read More »Fachartikel 06_2024
Raw Materials Agreement Germany – Mongolia: Challenges in Supplying the Federal Republic of Germany with Critical Raw Materials
Mongolia has occupied a key position in the global mining sector. The country is one of the ten most resource-rich countries in the world. In the south of the country, which has a very sparsely populated population of around 3.4 million, in the Gobi Desert, there are gigantic deposits of copper, silver, gold, coal, fluorspar and other raw materials that ...
Read More »Terechrecht – a Well-known Mauritanian Deposit for Rare Earths Is Rediscovered
Mauritania is rich in raw materials. Gold, iron ore or copper are mined on an industrial, modern scale. Oil and natural gas are also produced. Artisan mining takes place on gold, rock salt or gypsum. In addition to other raw materials, the Mauritanian part of the phosphate deposit already used in Senegal or the Terechrecht rare earth deposit southeast of ...
Read More »Copper for the Energy Transition
The world’s energy supply is changing – from the direct use of fossil fuels to generate electricity, to so-called renewable energies. Furthermore, the expansion of e-mobility and increased demand for information technology require additional grid and generation capacities. Copper, which is essential for all power supply systems and grids, plays a central role. The rapidly increasing demand for copper is ...
Read More »IEA Recommendations for “Just Transitions” in the Coal Sector
In spring 2024, the International Energy Agency (IEA) presented a new special report on the international coal sector. This is addressed to the global community. However, the IEA’s well-founded recommendations also allow energy policy conclusions to be drawn for the phase-out of coal-fired power generation that has been decided on, planned and launched in Germany. This is by no means ...
Read More »Remining of Mine Water and Tailings – an Initial Assessment
The IAW33 research project “Innovative processing technologies and their potential for the recovery of recyclable materials from mine water, precipitates and tailings from the Ruhr, Saar and Ibbenbüren areas with special focus on critical metal resources”, which the Research Center of Post-Mining (FZN) at the TH Georg Agricola University (THGA), Bochum/Germany, launched in 2022, has been engaged in investigating the ...
Read More »Tailings – Environmental Risks or Future Raw Material Resources?
Modern society relies on mining and quarrying to secure a steady supply of mineral resources supporting technological advancements and elevated living standards. Products of mining are crucial for various technologies, while waste, in the form of tailings, poses considerable environmental risks. This review explores the dual nature of mine tailings, examining both their adverse environmental impacts and their potential for ...
Read More »The IMMERSE Project: Virtual Excursions on Critical Raw Materials for the Clean Energy Transition
Despite progress in increasing female representation in the mining industry, women remain significantly underrepresented, also in mining engineering education. This paper aims to address gender disparities in mining engineering education by proposing three gender-related goals: empowering women, preventing discrimination and strengthening gender and diversity competencies. Specific measures are identified for each stage of the student life cycle, including overarching themes ...
Read More »