FT - Challenges with Mining Licenses across Europe26 Apr 2022 09:17
The report estimates that to meet its clean energy goals, Europe will require 35 times more lithium and seven to 26 times the amount of rare earth metals in 2050 compared with today. It will also need 1.5mn tonnes of copper (an increase of 35 per cent from today) and 400,000 tonnes of nickel (a 100 per cent increase).
While up to 75 per cent of the region’s clean energy metal requirements could eventually be met through local recycling, assuming there is enough investment, the study says a metal supply crunch will emerge over the next 15 years.
That is when global shortages of lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earths and copper are expected to emerge because of a lack of new mining projects and competition from countries around the world also seeking to decarbonise.