Foresight study - Thematic Report IV: Secondary Raw Materials (Including Mine Wastes)

ABSTRACT: This thematic report has been developed within the Minerals4EU project in the context of the first Foresight Study report (WP6) that comprises a central report and five thematic reports. These contributions were designed according to a well-defined structure to fit the purposes of the central Foresight Study report. The scope and targets of the first Foresight Study significantly determine the nature of the documents and may not be suited for unspecified or differing purposes.N/

GeoERA Raw Materials Monograph : the past and the future

ABSTRACT: GeoERA Minerals projects have produced data aimed at supporting Europe’s minerals sector and to assist the European Commission to realise its goals for raw materials. Data has been compiled on mineral occurrences and mineral provinces across Europe, in particular, areas with potential to host Critical Raw Materials. Anecdotal evidence from the minerals sector provides an indication of the likelihood of exploration leading to mine development. For every 1,000 mineral showings examined, only 100 may receive further exploration work and of those 100, only 10 may warrant more detailed sampling either through trenching, drilling or other means and of those 10 only 1 may proceed to an evaluation through a full feasibility study which itself has only 50% chance of being positive. Following this, any project for which a mine proposal is made must undergo a full evaluation and permitting by authorities including full public consultation. The proposal may or may not pass this scrutiny. In terms of a schedule, the generally accepted minimum time frame from discovery to production is 10 years and usually much more, up to 20 years.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Der Einfluss von Lagerstätteneigenschaften auf eine nachhaltige Rohstoffnutzung am Beispiel Kupfer

Analysis of resource scarcity is generally focused on non-renewable commodities such as energy and mineral resources and concerns have been expressed about the adequacy of mineral supply necessary for the maintenance of economic stability and growth. The concept of sustainable development adds another aspect to the perspective of resource availability and it requires efficient production and use of Earth materials. The demand of an efficient use of metallic raw materials leads to the question about the optimal exploitation of deposits. The availability of raw materials for the primary metal production depends on geological processes that shaped the present characteristics of the ore deposits.In the scope of the work presented the influence of ore deposit characteristics on the subsequent processes where analyzed. The metal losses where analyzed in relation to the mining and processing methods employed and in relation to the ore deposit types the ore is extracted from. The global copper production 1998 was 12.05 Mt. The calculated overall copper loss was 4.2 Mt (26% of copper contained in the initial reserve) for this year. The amount of unextracted copper varies between 18% and about 30% for different ore deposit types. The geologic-mineralogical characteristics of ore deposits provide the basis on which mining and processing methods are chosen. The methods employed influence the amount of metal losses. The calculated copper losses and the analysis of aspects influencing them alone is not sufficient for evaluating the efficiency of sites in the sense of resource use.Additionally to analyzing copper losses an evaluation of the efficiency of resource use has to be done. To evaluate the efficiency of resource use the method of statistical entropy was chosen. By the method of statistical entropy the distribution pattern of a substance in a system can be quantified. The method enables to analyse how efficient metal is concentrated at the production sites and finally leads to a conclusion about the efficiency of copper production. The results of this calculation allow for an evaluation of the resource efficiency by using a categorization. The different ore deposit types show different input and output values, but are similar to each other in the substance concentration efficiency (SCE). In the sense of sustainability high SCE values and low copper losses are preferable. The combination of both criteria can by regarded as a hint for the sustainability of a site in relation to the efficiency of resource use. The analysis shows that porphyry Cu-deposits have to be weighted as more sustainable than stratiform sediment hosted deposits or VHMS-deposits. To integrate the excavation residues as a part of the triggered mass flow the material input (MI) was calculated.Based on the quantification of copper losses, the results of the method of statistical entropy and results of the MIPS-(material input per service unit) concept an indicator for the evaluation of the use of a given non renewable resource was developed. Results of this indicator indicate that stratiform sediment hosted copper deposits have to be rated as more sustainable than VHMS-deposits or porphyry copper deposits. use of copper ore as a non-renewable resource.The case studies presented (mines Tintaya and Cuajone in Peru and mines of the polish Kupferschiefer) support the global results on a local scale

Der Einfluss von Lagerstätteneigenschaften auf eine nachhaltige Rohstoffnutzung am Beispiel Kupfer

Analysis of resource scarcity is generally focused on non-renewable commodities such as energy and mineral resources and concerns have been expressed about the adequacy of mineral supply necessary for the maintenance of economic stability and growth. The concept of sustainable development adds another aspect to the perspective of resource availability and it requires efficient production and use of Earth materials. The demand of an efficient use of metallic raw materials leads to the question about the optimal exploitation of deposits. The availability of raw materials for the primary metal production depends on geological processes that shaped the present characteristics of the ore deposits.In the scope of the work presented the influence of ore deposit characteristics on the subsequent processes where analyzed. The metal losses where analyzed in relation to the mining and processing methods employed and in relation to the ore deposit types the ore is extracted from. The global copper production 1998 was 12.05 Mt. The calculated overall copper loss was 4.2 Mt (26% of copper contained in the initial reserve) for this year. The amount of unextracted copper varies between 18% and about 30% for different ore deposit types. The geologic-mineralogical characteristics of ore deposits provide the basis on which mining and processing methods are chosen. The methods employed influence the amount of metal losses. The calculated copper losses and the analysis of aspects influencing them alone is not sufficient for evaluating the efficiency of sites in the sense of resource use.Additionally to analyzing copper losses an evaluation of the efficiency of resource use has to be done. To evaluate the efficiency of resource use the method of statistical entropy was chosen. By the method of statistical entropy the distribution pattern of a substance in a system can be quantified. The method enables to analyse how efficient metal is concentrated at the production sites and finally leads to a conclusion about the efficiency of copper production. The results of this calculation allow for an evaluation of the resource efficiency by using a categorization. The different ore deposit types show different input and output values, but are similar to each other in the substance concentration efficiency (SCE). In the sense of sustainability high SCE values and low copper losses are preferable. The combination of both criteria can by regarded as a hint for the sustainability of a site in relation to the efficiency of resource use. The analysis shows that porphyry Cu-deposits have to be weighted as more sustainable than stratiform sediment hosted deposits or VHMS-deposits. To integrate the excavation residues as a part of the triggered mass flow the material input (MI) was calculated.Based on the quantification of copper losses, the results of the method of statistical entropy and results of the MIPS-(material input per service unit) concept an indicator for the evaluation of the use of a given non renewable resource was developed. Results of this indicator indicate that stratiform sediment hosted copper deposits have to be rated as more sustainable than VHMS-deposits or porphyry copper deposits. use of copper ore as a non-renewable resource.The case studies presented (mines Tintaya and Cuajone in Peru and mines of the polish Kupferschiefer) support the global results on a local scale

Limits to the critical raw materials approach

The issue of a secure supply of raw materials has regained importance in recent years. A prominent feature of the current discussion has been the identification of 'critical raw materials' and of adequate measures to reduce their 'criticality'. This paper explores the definition, uses and limitations of lists of critical raw materials as a policy tool today and in a historical perspective. It becomes clear that the underlying issues affecting security of supply tend to persist while the identity of the 'critical' raw materials changes due to changing market conditions. The usefulness of shortlists of critical raw materials as a policy instrument therefore depends not only on the degree to which a particular methodology reflects the underlying issues but also on the timeframe chosen for the analysis