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Critical Minerals and Energy–Impacts and Limitations of Moving to Unconventional Resources

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  • Benjamin C. McLellan

    (Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Yoshida honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
    Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia)

  • Eiji Yamasue

    (Faculty of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Nojihigashi 1-1-1, Kusatsu City, Shiga 525-8577, Japan)

  • Tetsuo Tezuka

    (Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Yoshida honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan)

  • Glen Corder

    (Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia)

  • Artem Golev

    (Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia)

  • Damien Giurco

    (Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia)

Abstract

The nexus of minerals and energy becomes ever more important as the economic growth and development of countries in the global South accelerates and the needs of new energy technologies expand, while at the same time various important minerals are declining in grade and available reserves from conventional mining. Unconventional resources in the form of deep ocean deposits and urban ores are being widely examined, although exploitation is still limited. This paper examines some of the implications of the transition towards cleaner energy futures in parallel with the shifts through conventional ore decline and the uptake of unconventional mineral resources. Three energy scenarios, each with three levels of uptake of renewable energy, are assessed for the potential of critical minerals to restrict growth under 12 alternative mineral supply patterns. Under steady material intensities per unit of capacity, the study indicates that selenium, indium and tellurium could be barriers in the expansion of thin-film photovoltaics, while neodymium and dysprosium may delay the propagation of wind power. For fuel cells, no restrictions are observed.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin C. McLellan & Eiji Yamasue & Tetsuo Tezuka & Glen Corder & Artem Golev & Damien Giurco, 2016. "Critical Minerals and Energy–Impacts and Limitations of Moving to Unconventional Resources," Resources, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-40, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:5:y:2016:i:2:p:19-:d:70003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Miller, Hugh & Dikau, Simon & Svartzman, Romain & Dees, Stéphane, 2023. "The stumbling block in ‘the race of our lives’: transition-critical materials, financial risks and the NGFS climate scenarios," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118095, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Fikru, Mahelet G. & Awuah-Offei, Kwame, 2022. "An economic framework for producing critical minerals as joint products," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    3. Jenni Ylä-Mella & Eva Pongrácz, 2016. "Drivers and Constraints of Critical Materials Recycling: The Case of Indium," Resources, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-12, November.
    4. Gondia Sokhna Seck & Emmanuel Hache & Clement Bonnet & Marine Simoën & Samuel Carcanague, 2020. "Copper at the crossroads : Assessment of the interactions between low-carbon energy transition and supply limitations," Post-Print hal-03118509, HAL.

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