SMM: the European Union has launched a program to ensure the supply of 30 key raw materials by increasing domestic production and improving the recovery of key elements, especially rare earths.
The first step of the EU Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA,European Raw Materials Alliance)), which includes more than 300 enterprises, business associations and government departments, is to break its dependence on imports of key raw materials.
The EU imports 98 per cent of rare earths from China, 98 per cent of boron from Turkey, 78 per cent of lithium from Chile, 71 per cent of platinum from South Africa and 85 per cent of niobium from Brazil. Niobium is an important raw material for the production of alloy steel for jet engines, steel beams and oil and gas pipelines.
"the most important role of ERMA is to ensure the supply of EU raw materials and to find sustainable and socially responsible investment opportunities for EU primary and renewable key raw materials," Maro ef Schaefer, director of raw materials ovi at the EU Innovation and Technology Research Institute, said at a media conference.
In response to rising commodity prices, the EU began to increase its reserves of key raw materials in 2011, an increase of more than 100 per cent over the past decade. In September, the EU listed lithium, aluminum and titanium for aviation and medical applications, as well as strontium for permanent magnets for electric vehicles as key raw materials.
According to the analysis, driven by the demand for electric vehicles and energy storage, the consumption of lithium in the 27 EU countries will increase by 60 times and cobalt by 15 times by 2050. The number of rare earths needed for high-tech and military equipment in the EU will increase more than tenfold.
Maro commissioner Maros Sevkovich, the European commissioner, told an online conference that some commodities listed as key materials would be self-sufficient. "by 2025, 80 per cent of the lithium needed for batteries and energy storage in Europe will be self-sufficient."
Sefkovic revealed that 15 new battery plants are under construction in Europe, located in Italy, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden. These battery plants produce enough batteries to equip at least 6 million electric vehicles in the next five years.
Some analysts believe that EU member states will face serious difficulties for a long time, including obstacles to mining caused by strict environmental and social regulatory systems.
Take the Norakal (Noraa Karr) project in Sweden, which is the largest known rare earth deposit in Europe, but Sweden's Supreme Administrative Court has banned further exploration. In this regard, Bedell believes that it is not easy to cancel the decision because of concerns about the environmental risks it brings.
"in addition, it also reflects the scarcity of relevant materials. It is difficult to diversify the rare earth supply chain and other similar key materials. Therefore, when looking for sources of raw materials for manufacturing, Europe needs to consider allies that are stable, environmentally friendly and economically developed and able to recreate the entire value chain. " Bedell suggested.
As a measure to reduce dependence on imports, the European Union also plans to announce on December 9th that it will adopt strict green battery standards. The new regulation aims to reduce the overall carbon and material footprint of batteries produced or exported to the European Union
