IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/minecn/v38y2025i3d10.1007_s13563-024-00481-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A study on the impact of technological innovation on the sustainability of critical mineral supply from a multidimensional perspective: a case study of cobalt

Author

Listed:
  • Zhenghao Meng

    (China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)
    University of Tokyo)

  • Han Sun

    (China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)
    China University of Geosciences (Wuhan))

  • Simeng Song

    (China University of Geosciences (Wuhan))

  • Yannan Ding

    (China University of Geosciences (Wuhan))

  • Jinhua Cheng

    (China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)
    China University of Geosciences (Wuhan))

  • Chenxi Liu

    (China University of Geosciences (Wuhan))

  • Lu Chen

    (China University of Geosciences (Wuhan))

Abstract

Technical innovation is a key factor influencing the supply of critical mineral. Past scholars have often overlooked the time lag effect of technological innovation and the heterogeneity and correlation of different technologies. Focusing on the critical mineral cobalt, this study combines social network analysis and the ARIMAX method to investigate the evolutionary characteristics of the cobalt industry's technological innovation network and analyze the impact of technological innovation and other factors on the supply of critical minerals. The research finds that the scale of the technological innovation network continues to expand, and the cohesion and stability of the network are continuously enhanced. Technological innovation has a one-year and significantly positive time lag effect on mineral supply. The economic and price impacts on supply are significantly positively correlated in the short term, and the impact of mineral supply on itself has a two-year time lag effect with reserves. Further research indicates that different types of technological innovation have significant heterogeneity in their impact on mineral supply. In functional technological innovation, efficiency enhancement has the greatest impact, followed by cost reduction, with safety improvement having the smallest impact. In process technological innovation, the impact of "extraction" type is the greatest, followed by "processing" type, with "smelting" type having the smallest impact. In terms of time lag effect, technological innovations in different functions and process stages have time lag effects of 1–3 years.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhenghao Meng & Han Sun & Simeng Song & Yannan Ding & Jinhua Cheng & Chenxi Liu & Lu Chen, 2025. "A study on the impact of technological innovation on the sustainability of critical mineral supply from a multidimensional perspective: a case study of cobalt," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 38(3), pages 493-511, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:minecn:v:38:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s13563-024-00481-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s13563-024-00481-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13563-024-00481-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13563-024-00481-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Song, Yi & Zhang, Zhouyi & Zhang, Yijun & Cheng, Jinhua, 2022. "Technological innovation and supply of critical metals: A perspective of industrial chains," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    2. Tilton, John E. & Crowson, Phillip C.F. & DeYoung, John H. & Eggert, Roderick G. & Ericsson, Magnus & Guzmán, Juan Ignacio & Humphreys, David & Lagos, Gustavo & Maxwell, Philip & Radetzki, Marian & Si, 2018. "Public policy and future mineral supplies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 55-60.
    3. Joaquin Vespignani & Russell Smyth, 2024. "Artificial intelligence investments reduce risks to critical mineral supply," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Fikru, Mahelet G. & Awuah-Offei, Kwame, 2022. "An economic framework for producing critical minerals as joint products," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    5. Saleem H. Ali & Damien Giurco & Nicholas Arndt & Edmund Nickless & Graham Brown & Alecos Demetriades & Ray Durrheim & Maria Amélia Enriquez & Judith Kinnaird & Anna Littleboy & Lawrence D. Meinert & R, 2017. "Correction: Corrigendum: Mineral supply for sustainable development requires resource governance," Nature, Nature, vol. 547(7662), pages 246-246, July.
    6. Saleem H. Ali & Damien Giurco & Nicholas Arndt & Edmund Nickless & Graham Brown & Alecos Demetriades & Ray Durrheim & Maria Amélia Enriquez & Judith Kinnaird & Anna Littleboy & Lawrence D. Meinert & R, 2017. "Mineral supply for sustainable development requires resource governance," Nature, Nature, vol. 543(7645), pages 367-372, March.
    7. Lin, Boqiang & Chen, Xing, 2020. "How technological progress affects input substitution and energy efficiency in China: A case of the non-ferrous metals industry," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    8. Zhu, Yongguang & Xu, Deyi & Ali, Saleem H. & Cheng, Jinhua, 2021. "A hybrid assessment model for mineral resource availability potentials," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    9. Rachidi, Ntebatše R. & Nwaila, Glen T. & Zhang, Steven E. & Bourdeau, Julie E. & Ghorbani, Yousef, 2021. "Assessing cobalt supply sustainability through production forecasting and implications for green energy policies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    10. Gary A. Campbell, 2020. "The cobalt market revisited," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 33(1), pages 21-28, July.
    11. Peter Greim & A. A. Solomon & Christian Breyer, 2020. "Assessment of lithium criticality in the global energy transition and addressing policy gaps in transportation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    12. Upstill, Garrett & Hall, Peter, 2006. "Innovation in the minerals industry: Australia in a global context," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 137-145, September.
    13. Han, Sun & Zhenghao, Meng & Meilin, Li & Xiaohui, Yang & Xiaoxue, Wang, 2023. "Global supply sustainability assessment of critical metals for clean energy technology," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    14. Lisa A. Levin & Diva J. Amon & Hannah Lily, 2020. "Challenges to the sustainability of deep-seabed mining," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(10), pages 784-794, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Song, Yi & Ruan, Shengzhe & Cheng, Jinhua & Zhang, Yijun, 2023. "Technological change in critical metallic mineral sub-sectors and its impacts on mineral supply: Evidence from China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    2. Hunt, C. & Romero, J. & Jara, J. & Lagos, G., 2021. "Copper demand forecasts and predictions of future scarcity," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    3. Castillo, Emilio, 2021. "The impacts of profit-based royalties on early-stage mineral exploration," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    4. Huiting Shi & Jiani Heng & Hongbo Duan & Huajiao Li & Weiqiang Chen & Peng Wang & Lianbiao Cui & Shouyang Wang, 2025. "Critical mineral constraints pressure energy transition and trade toward the Paris Agreement climate goals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Yakovleva, Natalia & Chiwona, Annock G. & Manning, David A.C. & Heidrich, Oliver, 2021. "Circular economy and six approaches to improve potassium life cycle for global crop production," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    6. Song, Huiling & Wang, Chang & Lei, Xiaojie & Zhang, Hongwei, 2022. "Dynamic dependence between main-byproduct metals and the role of clean energy market," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    7. Li, Xiongying & Ou, Hongjing & Nie, Puyan, 2024. "Assessment of the relationship between mineral extraction in the southern hemisphere and sustainable development," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    8. Matheus L. C. M. Henckens, 2022. "The Energy Transition and Energy Equity: A Compatible Combination?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-22, April.
    9. Song, Yi & Zhang, Zhouyi & Zhang, Yijun & Cheng, Jinhua, 2022. "Technological innovation and supply of critical metals: A perspective of industrial chains," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    10. Hetong Wang & Kuishuang Feng & Peng Wang & Yuyao Yang & Laixiang Sun & Fan Yang & Wei-Qiang Chen & Yiyi Zhang & Jiashuo Li, 2023. "China’s electric vehicle and climate ambitions jeopardized by surging critical material prices," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    11. Osorio-Aravena, Juan Carlos & Aghahosseini, Arman & Bogdanov, Dmitrii & Caldera, Upeksha & Ghorbani, Narges & Mensah, Theophilus Nii Odai & Khalili, Siavash & Muñoz-Cerón, Emilio & Breyer, Christian, 2021. "The impact of renewable energy and sector coupling on the pathway towards a sustainable energy system in Chile," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    12. Han, Sun & Zhenghao, Meng & Meilin, Li & Xiaohui, Yang & Xiaoxue, Wang, 2023. "Global supply sustainability assessment of critical metals for clean energy technology," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    13. Rachidi, Ntebatše R. & Nwaila, Glen T. & Zhang, Steven E. & Bourdeau, Julie E. & Ghorbani, Yousef, 2021. "Assessing cobalt supply sustainability through production forecasting and implications for green energy policies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    14. Heijlen, Wouter & Franceschi, Guy & Duhayon, Chris & Van Nijen, Kris, 2021. "Assessing the adequacy of the global land-based mine development pipeline in the light of future high-demand scenarios: The case of the battery-metals nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co)," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    15. Endl, Andreas & Tost, Michael & Hitch, Michael & Moser, Peter & Feiel, Susanne, 2021. "Europe's mining innovation trends and their contribution to the sustainable development goals: Blind spots and strong points," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    16. Guzmán, Juan Ignacio & Karpunina, Alina & Araya, Constanza & Faúndez, Patricio & Bocchetto, Marcela & Camacho, Rodolfo & Desormeaux, Daniela & Galaz, Juanita & Garcés, Ingrid & Kracht, Willy & Lagos, , 2023. "Chile: On the road to global sustainable mining," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    17. Tomer Fishman & Rupert J. Myers & Orlando Rios & T.E. Graedel, 2018. "Implications of Emerging Vehicle Technologies on Rare Earth Supply and Demand in the United States," Resources, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-15, January.
    18. Dou Shiquan & Xu Deyi, 2023. "The security of critical mineral supply chains," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 36(3), pages 401-412, September.
    19. Margarita N. Ignatyeva & Vera V. Yurak & Alexey V. Dushin & Irina G. Polyanskaya, 2021. "Assessing challenges and threats for balanced subsoil use," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(12), pages 17904-17922, December.
    20. Steven B. Young & Shannon Fernandes & Michael O. Wood, 2019. "Jumping the Chain: How Downstream Manufacturers Engage with Deep Suppliers of Conflict Minerals," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-24, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:minecn:v:38:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s13563-024-00481-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.