Frontiers in Earth Science,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
12
Published: Dec. 12, 2024
Niobium,
an
irreplaceable
raw
material
in
high-tech
industries,
boasts
a
complex
global
trade
network
across
its
industrial
chain.
This
study,
leveraging
2022
data
and
inter-linkage
dependencies
within
the
niobium
industry,
constructs
multi-layer
model
simulates
impact
propagation
of
supply
disruptions
under
two
realistic
scenarios:
Restrictions
on
primary
product
exports
total
export
bans.
Our
findings
reveal
that:
(1)
Supply
constraints
products
cascade
through
middle
downstream
networks,
impacting
final
layer
more
severely,
especially
for
countries
with
limited
ability
to
cope
disruptions.
(2)
China,
Malaysia,
Brazil,
United
States
emerge
as
crucial
risk
sources,
their
restrictions
potentially
triggering
complete
collapse
networks
all
layers.
(3)
Hidden
sources
include
Asian
like
Japan
Korea
layer,
while
European
nations
Kingdom
Germany,
despite
playing
role
upstream
disruptions,
significantly
influence
intermediate
These
underscore
importance
developing
feasible
systemic
mitigation
strategies,
optimizing
structures,
fostering
cooperation,
ultimately
bolstering
robustness
resilience
industry
Energy Research & Social Science,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
113, P. 103556 - 103556
Published: May 3, 2024
Vastly
increased
quantities
of
minerals
and
metals
are
needed
to
scale
up
renewable
energy
technologies.
Indigenous
peoples
globally
voicing
concerns
about
how
this
will
affect
the
speed
mining
development
on
their
lands
territories.
In
paper,
we
delineate
areas
Australia
where
peoples'
interests
in
land
formally
recognised
under
legislation.
These
overlayed
with
critical
project
information
calculate
intersections
across
14
commodities.
Our
results
show
that
57.8
%
projects
located
have
a
right
negotiate.
Including
native
title
claims,
these
rights
available
for
79.2
projects.
We
argue
policies
must
consider
upfront
–
not
as
an
afterthought.
To
date,
shared
equitably
wealth
generated
by
Australia's
mineral
endowment.
Inequitable
outcomes
continue
without
major
policy
reform.
Abstract
As
a
key
ingredient
of
batteries
for
electric
vehicles
(EVs),
lithium
plays
significant
role
in
climate
change
mitigation,
but
has
considerable
impacts
on
water
and
society
across
its
life
cycle.
Upstream
extraction
methods—including
open‐pit
mining,
brine
evaporation,
novel
direct
(DLE)—and
downstream
processes
present
different
both
the
quantity
quality
resources,
leading
to
depletion
contamination.
Regarding
upstream
extraction,
it
is
critical
comprehensive
assessment
lithium's
cycle
include
cumulative
related
not
only
freshwater,
also
mineralized
or
saline
groundwater,
known
as
brine.
Legal
frameworks
have
obscured
social
ecological
by
treating
mineral
rather
than
regulation
through
evaporation.
Analysis
lifespan
reveals
conventional
mining
freshwater
needs
DLE
technologies,
well
burdens
fenceline
communities
wastewater
processing,
chemical
contaminants
battery
manufacturing,
use
cooling
energy
storage,
hazards
recycling.
Water
analysis
assessments
(LCAs)
tends
exclude
lack
hydrosocial
context
environmental
justice
implications
stage.
New
research
directions
might
benefit
from
taking
more
community‐engaged
cradle‐to‐cradle
approach
LCAs,
including
regionalized
impact
DLE,
pollution,
water,
recycling
processes.
This
article
categorized
under:
Human
>
Governance
Imagined
Represented
Science
Environmental
Change
Resources Policy,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
91, P. 104860 - 104860
Published: April 1, 2024
Australia
is
experiencing
a
rapid
escalation
in
exploration
for,
and
extraction
processing
of,
critical
minerals.
This
new
boom
driven
by
changing
geopolitics
global
demand
for
low
carbon
technologies.
arguably
the
biggest
economic
opportunity
since
mining
of
2000s,
driving
transformation
extractive
industries
development
offshore
gas
1970s.
Against
this
backdrop,
Australian
governments
at
all
levels
are
implementing
strategies
to
upgrade
domestic
In
paper
we
conduct
comparative
analysis
17
specifically
targeting
minerals
–
or
cognate
categories
'strategic
raw
materials'
'high-tech
metals'.
Based
on
close
reading
comparison
these
strategies,
finds
far
more
commonalities
than
differences.
Together
they
chart
an
approach
typified
facilitation
trade
investment,
efforts
de-risk
individual
projects,
streamlining
investment
through
regional
hubs
with
common-infrastructure
planning.
At
same
time,
also
exhibit
concerning
similarities
terms
limited
attention
paid
improving
environmental
social
regulation
First
Nations'
rights.
Instead,
'ESG'
presented
as
competitive
advantage
markets.
significant
identifying
emerging
mode
'green
developmentalism'
that,
while
committing
public
funds
developing
mineral
industry
context
decarbonisation,
keeps
private
capital
firmly
centre
its
vision.
contrasts
extensively
studied
modes
green
developmentalism
other
resource-rich
countries.
ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
12(16), P. 6037 - 6058
Published: April 4, 2024
Among
the
emerging
technologies
for
decarbonization
of
various
energy
sectors,
electrolyzers
fuel
production
(power-to-X)
and
cells
power
generation
(X-to-power)
are
most
modular,
efficient,
low-cost
technologies.
Electrochemical
can
be
broadly
classified
into
alkaline
cells,
proton
exchange
membrane
phosphoric
acid
cell,
molten
carbonate
solid
oxide
in
short
SOCs.
SOCs
offer
higher
efficiency
lower
cost
available
hundreds
kW
scale
stacks/modules.
However,
if
commercialized
deployed
at
a
large
(GW),
quantities
materials
required
challenge.
More
importantly,
such
include
rare
earth
elements
(REEs)
like
lanthanum,
yttrium,
scandium,
other
critical
metals
cobalt
nickel.
Thus,
strategies
long-term
vision
need
to
developed
an
early
stage
(1)
outline
implement
recycling
recover
these
from
end
life
(EOL)
(2)
reduce
used
or
find
alternative
avoid
usage
that
scarce.
Although
lot
work
has
been
directed
toward
synthesizing
testing
recent
times,
topic
paid
little
attention.
This
review
discusses
global
supply
demand
REEs
state-of-the-art
SOCs,
their
projected
GW
next
20
years.
also
briefs
being
REE
metal
recovery
sources
e-waste,
optical
waste,
coal
fly
ash,
proposes
how
techniques
