The EU is taking strong measures to boost the extraction of critical metals and minerals

The new legislation mandates development across numerous industrial sectors.

"We are still largely waiting for the 'how' to be put in place," says Christina Jönsson, Senior Researcher and Vice President at RISE. "The path to realizing these ambitions is not yet carved out, but we already know that this will affect strategic projects, require more efficient permit processes, and impact several industries."

Increased clarity on the origin

Industrial firms across multiple sectors may henceforth need to clearly disclose the origin of materials in their products. These requirements already align with other EU regulations, like the ecodesign directive and the batteries regulation. Raw material suppliers will be directly impacted, whether they are mining companies or companies in the recycling sector, as they are expected to substantially increase their raw material contributions compared to current levels.

"We are unsure whether there will be requirements to extract specific metals and minerals when managing streams containing them. Hypothetically, picking up iron from the ground might require managing other identified critical metals, possibly with various support systems to ensure economic feasibility. That is one potential approach to achieving the ambition: To gain access to secondary material streams that would otherwise end up in landfills." 

More efficient permit processes

Christina Jönsson points out that that these hypothetical requirements could be regulated within the permit processes.

"Everyone agrees that the permit processes need to be faster. We already know that we have access to pretty much all the material needed for transformation and electrification. All we have to do is to increase the extraction rate, and not waste years on complex processes. One possible approach could be national administration, or a national task force with the right expertise supporting the county administrative boards."

Faster processes do not necessarily mean that the environmental issues associated with extraction are overlooked, states Christina Jönsson. Rather, it's about clearly addressing the conflicts of interest and making decisions. 

"It's about balancing competing interests against one another. Would it, for example, be okay with increased local emissions into the water, if it leads to reducing the use of fossil fuels with global implications? We have to be able to make those kinds of trade-offs.

Recycled raw material accounts for only one percent

In Sweden, battery production is now growing into a major industry. Therefore, there should have been foresight regarding the need to supply the industry with sustainable raw materials, Christina Jönsson argues.

"Extraction in Sweden has two major advantages. Firstly, that we can extract with greater sustainability, environmentally and socially. Secondly, that we have access to several metals and minerals that are lacking elsewhere."

At the same time, the recycling rate must increase. The proportion of recycled raw material in production is less than one percent. Christina Jönsson emphasizes the need for industries, which currently vary significantly, to learn from each other.

"The mining industry's knowledge of primary raw materials is needed. The recycling required relies on fairly knowledge-intensive chemical expertise, partly found in the mining sector today. The operators should be capable of transforming some of their operations through modest knowledge transfer. When initiating new extraction, it's crucial to adapt the entire process – from extraction to product – to manage various streams beyond virgin materials. This approach enables the development of systems capable of handling circular flows right from the start!"

"RISE can contribute through research and innovation, by convening stakeholders, engaging in skill transfer, and providing facilities for testing and demonstration. We also review standardization and requirements: for example, when should the same requirements be applied regardless of the material used, and when can different requirements be applied if it allows for greater use of recycled materials? These are the types of questions we can assist in answering.

The challenge can be overcome

All in all, Christina Jönsson is optimistic. She argues that we have long known what needs to be done, but it is only now that things have started to move sufficiently.

"For a long time, there have been lists of critical metals and minerals, and with the altered security situation in Europe, several strategic needs have been brought to light. However, it is the necessity of transition that ensures what we have long known needs to be done is finally being accomplished. Wind power, solar energy, hydropower, electrification, batteries – all these sectors require critical metals, which are largely available underground and even more extensively utilized around us. Clearly, this challenge is achievable."