Current issue 3/2023

Editorial

The European Commission has listed 30 raw materials that it considers to be of strategic importance, including the rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, silicon, graphite, steel refiners like magnesium and vanadium and also fluorspar and coking coal. Most critical raw materials are needed for modern technologies such as heat and power generation, digitisation, space applications and defence. According to the Commission demand in his area is set to grow strongly, with the EU member states being almost completely dependent on imports, mainly from China, for 17 of these key resources. What is more, China now controls large parts of the processing industry. The risks posed by such a heavy one-sided reliance have recently been highlighted by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which has seen imports of raw materials from Russia to the EU, such as coal, oil and gas, suspended or at least severely restricted.

In March of this year the Commission submitted a proposal for a “Critical Raw Materials Act” that seeks to streamline the permitting process for new mining projects in the EU, promote strategic partnerships with third countries and diversify imports into the EU area. Greater monitoring of raw materials within the EU will help reduce Europe’s strategic dependence on non-EU countries. EU supply security will also be improved by developing a stronger circular economy.

This latest edition of Mining Report Glückauf focuses on potential improvements to supplies of critical raw materials – both within the EU member states and within the Federal Republic of Germany. In the latter case the national gaze is now directed at the states of Saxony and Thuringia where operations have already started at a number of places, including the Tellerhäuser project, the Pöhla ore mine, the Lusatia copper shale project and the Gehren fluorspar mine. Opening new mines ultimately depends on the prevailing mining legislation, which in turn is closely tied in with regional planning law.

It should also be mentioned in connection with the rising consumption of rare earth elements and lithium that mining and processing these materials represents a real environmental challenge. This burden has so far been borne by the key producing countries, namely China and Myanmar. But despite the euphoria over the proposed extraction of rare earths, e. g., at Kiruna in Sweden, a prudent and careful approach will be needed to ensure that these resources are treated responsibly.

This edition of Mining Report Glückauf is rounded off with a paper in the ISSA Mining section on “Smart safety” and with another one in the Post-Mining section that deals with the management of abandoned mines in Western USA.

With my best regards