The critical role of minerals in a carbon-neutral future

As countries and communities seek to address climate change, minerals will play a critical role in meeting targets to reduce emissions, particularly in energy generation, storage, transmission and use. The role that minerals play in the world economy is changing along with vehicle fleets, energy sources and consumer demand.

The transition to low-emissions economies will be largely facilitated by advances in battery technology, particularly those used in electric vehicles, and transition of energy generation away from CO₂ emitting sources. For example, electricity generation is increasingly utilising wind, solar, tidal, hydro and geothermal options but all of these require significant mineral resources in their generation equipment.

Green minerals, a term used to define minerals that support the non-fossil fuel and low carbon-emissions sectors will be critical in a carbon-neutral future. Green minerals include not only ‘battery metals’ like lithium, nickel and cobalt, but also many others including copper, vanadium, zinc, aluminium and platinum group elements. These elements play an important role in emission reduction, for example in vehicle exhaust clean emissions technology. Aluminium is being used in greater volumes to build lighter, more fuel-efficient cars, trains and aircraft. Rare earth elements are used in wind turbine magnets. 

Without continued research and development into mineral resources and their geology, emissions reduction targets will be more difficult to achieve. The role that minerals play will remain vital to maintaining a high standard of living and healthcare. Come to SGA’s 16th Biennial Meeting in Rotorua, New Zealand, to hear from global leaders about cutting edge research and development and be at the forefront of this change. The physical climate is changing, and so too is the climate changing for mineral research in 2021, and beyond.