Critical Minerals are a key component to a sustainable future, with mining and processing for low-emissions technologies essential to achieving net-zero goals. But how does this tie in to the circular economy?
In Mackay, Queensland, the heart of the Bowen Basin mining sector is a hive of activity with our METS supply chain supporting the continued growth of a region built on coal.
At the Resources Centre of Excellence, a critical mineral pilot processing plant has just been constructed, supported by the State Government and local council to provide a critical link to the NW mineral province. The need for this pilot plant was evident, with mining companies from across Qld eager to utilise a commercial, common-user facility to test samples of battery minerals and tailings. But while we know the demand for critical minerals will grow astronomically by 2050, the question is how do we meet this demand in an environmentally responsible way?
Circular economy strategies are helping us to look at mineral demand through a different perspective. How can we reuse and recycle critical minerals and tailings to reduce the number of new mines required within the supply chain? How can we repurpose and increase the lifespan of batteries to reduce the demand for minerals? How can we ensure a balance of energy-intensive extraction, concentration and processing projects with net-zero emissions targets? These are all questions that form the context of the Resources Centre of Excellence Circular Economy Platform, a consortium of players addressing the decarbonisation requirements of our resources sector by linking the critical minerals industry to circular economy strategies for a long-term approach to green transition. The leaders in this room are imperative to our way forward with this initiative. The future of our planet depends on a collaborative approach.