Mining is a huge global industry with the power to greatly boost a country’s economy – but it can also do significant harm.
Ever since the first lump of coal was burned thousands of years ago, fossil fuels have played a central part in the story of humanity. But as the world transitions away from these planet-warming energy sources, demand is shifting towards a subset of minerals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt.
The importance of critical minerals should not condone their extraction at all costs
Working on your laptop on the move, searching for your way with your smartphone or taking pictures with your digital camera: Batteries have made the technological revolution of mobile devices possible at first. At the same time, they play a central role in the #energy and transport revolution. In the Cluster of Excellence POLiS, we are researching batteries of the future that are more powerful, more reliable, more #sustainable and more #environmentally friendly than current lithium-ion batteries.
Learn about what are battery passports, why we need battery passports, and how Circularise battery passports work.
Lithium-ion batteries are king. They are ubiquitous in everything from consumer electronics to electric vehicles. They are even used to store excess renewable energy. But demand for the critical minerals needed to make lithium-ion batteries is predicted to outstrip supply. That, combined with cost considerations and concerns over energy security are leading companies to consider alternative battery chemistries. One of the most promising is the sodium-ion battery. But there are challenges ahead since sodium batteries are larger and have a lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries.
The world is slowly working its way towards a more sustainable way of living and working. Therefore, electrification and digitalisation are now becoming more the norm within many industries. However, this consequently means a substantial increase in demand for key minerals and rare earth elements (REE). Ultimately, if we want to work towards the green transition, then mining metals must be done in a sustainable manner and need to come from a sustainable place too. A solution that covers all ESG factors is very much needed.
Demand for critical minerals is booming. Global efforts to fight climate change are driving up the need for lithium, cobalt, graphite and other such minerals essential for building electric vehicles, solar panels and other clean technologies. This compounds existing demand from the tech sector, where critical minerals are used in smartphones, laptops and other consumer electronics.
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We rely heavily on lithium batteries – but there's a growing array of alternatives