In summer 2023, the EU entered a strategic raw materials partnership with Chile. While the EU is seeking to gain better access to critical raw materials such as lithium and copper, Chile is aiming to diversify its raw materials sector and boost local value creation. Despite progress having been...

We map the mining sector in Europe, with a focus on Energy Transition Metals (ETMs), and present an in-depth analysis of the environmental impact and associated monetary costs, at the regional level, of extraction activities. We aim to offer a spatially disaggregated view of the current mining...

Gasspeicher sind ein zentraler Baustein für eine sichere Energieversorgung und damit für eine funktionierende Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Derzeit bietet der Markt jedoch kaum Anreize, die Gasspeicher zu nutzen oder in deren Erhalt zu investieren. Im Gegenteil: Seit November letzten Jahres...

In July 2024, the European Union (EU) and the Serbian government signed a strategic raw materials partnership. For the EU, this cooperation represents an important step towards diversifying its supply chains and strengthening economic partnerships in its neighbourhood. Serbian President...

The transition to a cleaner energy mix, essential for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, will significantly increase demand for metals critical to renewable energy technologies. Energy Transition Metals (ETMs), including copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements,...

Securing access to critical raw materials has become a top priority for governments worldwide, particularly in light of geopolitical disruptions and increasing demand for materials essential to the green transition and advanced technologies. Ukraine holds substantial reserves of key raw...

Multiple geopolitical disruptions have highlighted the need for firms to diversify their supply chains. For Germany and the EU, this might imply an increased reliance on Africa, the neighboring continent, for example when it comes to sourcing critical raw materials for the energy transition...

Gegenstand der Studie ist die Untersuchung der langfristigen Nachfrage nach mineralischen Primär- und Sekundärrohstoffen im Bereich Steine und Erden unter Zugrundelegung verschiedener Szenarien in Hinblick auf die gesamtwirtschaftliche Entwicklung. Auf der Grundlage einer Projektion des BIP,...

Global demand for specific mineral raw materials is increasing, driven largely by the energy and digital transition. Although the EU is making efforts to boost domestic supply, it will remain highly dependent on imports of those minerals from third countries to achieve strategic autonomy in...

Diversifying the supply of mineral resources is a strategic necessity - one in which resource-rich countries of the Global South play a crucial role. Zambia, which is a major global copper exporter and possesses other critical raw materials, is seeking long-term alliances that will mobilise...

Gasspeicher sind ein zentraler Baustein für eine sichere Energieversorgung und damit für eine funktionierende Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Derzeit bietet der Markt jedoch kaum Anreize, die Gasspeicher zu nutzen oder in deren Erhalt zu investieren. Im Gegenteil: Seit November 2024 beobachten...

The transition to e-mobility has accelerated the demand for and has heightened the EU's dependency on critical raw materials such as rare earths, copper, lithium, cobalt, and nickel, increasing the urgency for higher circularity in end-of-life vehicles. Starting from a previous report, this...

The transition to e-mobility has accelerated the demand for and has heightened the EU's dependency on critical raw materials such as rare earths, copper, lithium, cobalt, and nickel, increasing the urgency for higher circularity in end-of-life vehicles. Starting from a previous report, this...

Cobalt (Co) is an essential metal used in renewable energy technologies, electro-mobility, aerospace and defence, due to its high-temperature stability and magnetic properties. It plays a crucial role in improving energy density in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and grid storage....

Copper (Cu) is used in all electrical and electronic applications, including renewable energy technologies, power grids, electric vehicles, electronic devices, aircrafts and defence technologies. Copper is mined both underground and open-pit and is widely recycled.

Gallium's (Ga) unique semiconducting properties enable highly efficient power management chips. Gallium arsenide is used for power amplifiers in devices, in telecommunications such as 5G, satellite communication and radar systems. Gallium is also used in thin-film solar panels and LEDs. Gallium...

Boron (B) is used in permanent neodymium magnets, in high-performance glass for e.g. photovoltaic panels, and chip production. Boron fibres and composites are used in aerospace structures, armour and ballistic-resistant materials. Boron can be extracted from open-pit mines and from brines.

Aluminium (Al) is widely used in society. Its high strength-to-weight ratio makes it ideal for aircraft frames, satellites, and electric vehicle bodies, where reducing mass improves fuel efficiency and performance. It is also used in the power transmission grid. Aluminium's primary ore is...

Gallium's (Ga) unique semiconducting properties enable highly efficient power management chips. Gallium arsenide is used for power amplifiers in devices, in telecommunications such as 5G, satellite communication and radar systems. Gallium is also used in thin-film solar panels and LEDs. Gallium...

Aluminium (Al) is widely used in society. Its high strength-to-weight ratio makes it ideal for aircraft frames, satellites, and electric vehicle bodies, where reducing mass improves fuel efficiency and performance. It is also used in the power transmission grid. Aluminium's primary ore is...

Tungsten (W) is one of the foremost defence materials, widely used in high-strength applications, and ammunition. It is suitable as well for high-temperature applications such as supersonic and hypersonic vehicles. Tungsten's density makes it ideal for armour-piercing ammunition and...

Boron (B) is used in permanent neodymium magnets, in high-performance glass for e.g. photovoltaic panels, and chip production. Boron fibres and composites are used in aerospace structures, armour and ballistic-resistant materials. Boron can be extracted from open-pit mines and from brines.

Lithium (Li) is particularly important for battery technology (Li-Ion batteries) for electro-mobility and energy storage, due to its electrochemical properties. Most lithium is supplied from primary resources like hard rock mining and brine extraction. The recovery from end-of-life batteries...

Graphite (C) is widely used in strategic technologies, particularly as the primary anode material in lithium-ion batteries for electromobility and energy storage. Most graphite is supplied from by natural graphite mining and synthetic production, but recycling from spent batteries and industrial...

Tungsten (W) is one of the foremost defence materials, widely used in high-strength applications, and ammunition. It is suitable as well for high-temperature applications such as supersonic and hypersonic vehicles. Tungsten's density makes it ideal for armour-piercing ammunition and...

Rare earth elements (REEs) is a group of 17 elements. The elements neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, dysprosium, gadolinium, samarium, and cerium are essential for high performance permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, high-performance electronics, aerospace and defence....

Platinum group metals (PGMs) include platinum, palladium, iridium, ruthenium and rhodium. They are excellent catalysts and indispensable for hydrogen technologies. They play a key role in hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysers, enabling the conversion of hydrogen into electricity and vice versa....

Germanium (Ge) is a semiconductor material with excellent infrared transparency and optical properties, making it indispensable in sensors, night vision systems, thermal imaging cameras, and high-speed fibre optics. It is also used in solar panels, especially for satellites, LEDs and gamma ray...

Germanium (Ge) is a semiconductor material with excellent infrared transparency and optical properties, making it indispensable in sensors, night vision systems, thermal imaging cameras, and high-speed fibre optics. It is also used in solar panels, especially for satellites, LEDs and gamma ray...

Graphite (C) is widely used in strategic technologies, particularly as the primary anode material in lithium-ion batteries for electromobility and energy storage. Most graphite is supplied from by natural graphite mining and synthetic production, but recycling from spent batteries and industrial...

Platinum group metals (PGMs) include platinum, palladium, iridium, ruthenium and rhodium. They are excellent catalysts and indispensable for hydrogen technologies. They play a key role in hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysers, enabling the conversion of hydrogen into electricity and vice versa....

Nickel (Ni) is used in the cathodes of rechargeable batteries for e-mobility and energy storage and in superalloys for turbines in aerospace and renewable energy generation. It is corrosion resistant, increases material strength, and can withstand extreme temperatures. Due to its properties, it...

Nickel (Ni) is used in the cathodes of rechargeable batteries for e-mobility and energy storage and in superalloys for turbines in aerospace and renewable energy generation. It is corrosion resistant, increases material strength, and can withstand extreme temperatures. Due to its properties, it...

Cobalt (Co) is an essential metal used in renewable energy technologies, electro-mobility, aerospace and defence, due to its high-temperature stability and magnetic properties. It plays a crucial role in improving energy density in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and grid storage....

Manganese (Mn) is a metal used for energy storage and steel production. In battery technology, manganese is used in lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, where it enhances stability and cost-effectiveness. In steelmaking, manganese improves toughness, hardness, and corrosion resistance, making...

Magnesium (Mg) is the lightest structural metal, offering a high strength-to-weight ratio, making it ideal for automotive, aerospace and defence applications. It is widely used in lightweight vehicle parts to improve fuel efficiency and performance, aircraft components, missile casings....

Lithium (Li) is particularly important for battery technology (Li-Ion batteries) for electro-mobility and energy storage, due to its electrochemical properties. Most lithium is supplied from primary resources like hard rock mining and brine extraction. The recovery from end-of-life batteries...

Magnesium (Mg) is the lightest structural metal, offering a high strength-to-weight ratio, making it ideal for automotive, aerospace and defence applications. It is widely used in lightweight vehicle parts to improve fuel efficiency and performance, aircraft components, missile casings....

Copper (Cu) is used in all electrical and electronic applications, including renewable energy technologies, power grids, electric vehicles, electronic devices, aircrafts and defence technologies. Copper is mined both underground and open-pit and is widely recycled.

Rare earth elements (REEs) is a group of 17 elements. The elements neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, dysprosium, gadolinium, samarium, and cerium are essential for high performance permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, high-performance electronics, aerospace and defence....

Manganese (Mn) is a metal used for energy storage and steel production. In battery technology, manganese is used in lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, where it enhances stability and cost-effectiveness. In steelmaking, manganese improves toughness, hardness, and corrosion resistance, making...

The transition to clean energy is both a climate imperative and a materials challenge. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the supply chain for wind turbines, a cornerstone of the EU's energy transition strategy. Significant dependencies are found for rare earth elements including...

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the battery industry's supply chain in the EU, with a focus on the critical raw materials (CRMs) (1 ) required for Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The risks associated with the concentration of the supply of their raw materials are identified. The...