Critical minerals for the clean energy and high technology industries 2012 and beyond - the EU perspective

Copenhagen, May 21, 2012

The conference, 'Critical minerals for the clean energy and high technology industries 2012 and beyond - the EU perspective', was held in Copenhagen, on May 21, 2012. The conference was organized by the Geological Survey of Denmark & Greenland (GEUS), EuroGeoSurveys (EGS), the European Technology Platform on Sustainable Mineral Resources (ETP-SMR), and Confederation of Danish Industries (DI), and organized under the auspices of the Danish EU presidency, with the aim to focus on the importance of access to raw materials and minerals production and supply in Europe, and to facilitate a discussion addressing supply restrictions, and their solutions. It was the wish of the organizers to create and opportunity for exchange of knowledge, experiences, views, and ideas, and to discuss reasons for criticality, i.e. geological, political and economical factors in mineral access, and to address and understand variability, mechanisms and predictions for industry demand of certain critical elements, some of which are essential in the development of any modern society.

To achieve these goals invitation for the conference were circulated to senior policy- and decision makers, researchers, representatives from the extractive minerals industry, representatives from the raw materials consuming industry, academia, and special interest groups, representatives from the emerging technologies sector. A total of 138 individuals were registered for the conference.

The conference was organized in three sessions:

Session 1 - Demands and criticalities: Setting the stage having policy makers and socio-economic experts put the current raw materials awareness into perspective. Why do we need minerals and what are the predictions both globally, and in the EU, on demand increase and future needs, and what are the predictions?

Session 2 - The mineral potential - supply and dynamics: Discussions on the geological availability of mineral resources, in a European context, and discussions on the potential impact from recycling and substitution.

Session 3 - Raw materials demand - views of the industry: addressing the perspective of the emerging industries, focusing on the impact of supply restrictions and predictions on market evolution.

Panel discussions - and a wrapping up presentation on the importance of education and communication: All chairs of the conference concluded the meeting summarizing the 'take-home-messages' of each session and proposals for conclusions of the meeting.

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME: critical_minerals_programme_final.pdf (final version)

CONFERENCE WORK PAPER: work_paper_final_150812.pdf

PRESENTATIONS GIVEN : The entire list - possibility for download

FURTHER INFORMATION: Per Kalvig pka@geus.dk