German carmakers Volkswagen and Mercedes signed Memorandums of Understanding with Canada to secure access to raw materials such as nickel, cobalt and lithium for battery production, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in attendance.
Starting August 31, 2022, interested companies can submit proposals that increase the value of lithium products in Chile, which they can acquire in return at a preferential price and with a guaranteed supply until 2030.
A discussion paper on critical raw materials was published in mid-June 2022 by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). The paper will be open for public discussion and feedback until mid-September, after which it will be incorporated into a raw materials strategy.
With the headline “Strengthening the Ties: Germany and Canada on Their Way to Energy Transition”, current bilateral industry topics in mining were discussed. The panel speakers focused on sustainable directions for critical minerals.
German carmaker Audi is working with the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology on the development of bioleaching methods that use bacteria and innovative membrane technology to mine for transition metals.
In terms of energy consumption, manufacturing represents the largest sector of the Chinese economy with a proportion of more than 50 percent of final energy use. The steel and non-ferrous metals industry are particularly energy-intensive. In recent years, especially since the national targets for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality were announced in 2020, China is actively taking measures to make production processes more energy-efficient and less carbon-intensive.
For three days, international and local experts will meet to discuss global trends in digitization and sustainability in mining, organized by Siemens Large Drives, with the sponsorship of SONAMI, Woman in Mining Chile, UC Anacleto Angelini Innovation Center and German Mining Network.
The new member of the German Mining Network, IHK Chemnitz, is leading and supporting the establishment of the Chamber of Mines in Mozambique to strengthen the mining sector in the region in perspective. The country has the potential to position itself as an important international supplier of raw materials. However, it is dependent on competent and experienced partners and is therefore also relevant for the German raw material supply.
Post-mining and legacy issues present challenges around the globe that can be turned into opportunities for new ventures, collaborations, and innovations to create value from waste and contribute to sustainable and circular mining practices.
Against this backdrop, this webinar presented current initiatives from around the world.
China is highly dependent on imports of various kinds of raw materials from foreign countries. Domestic recycling and reuse of resources therefore is an essential strategy for China to ensure sufficient supply. The Chinese government has been facilitating circular economy development since more than a decade and recycling of raw materials has been further enhanced and improved in recent years. Non-ferrous metals such as copper, aluminum, lead and zinc play a key role in this development.
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