The most critical raw materials on the planet

Silicon, aluminium and lithium are the most critical raw materials on the planet. Their scarcity and the complexity of extracting them could hinder the development of technologies that are key to the green transition. This is one of the main conclusions of a study by the INGENIO Institute, a joint centre of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), in collaboration with the University of Rome, the Universitat de València and the University of London.

The article, recently published in the scientific journal Industry and Innovation, analyses the relationship between critical raw materials (CRMs) and green technologies, and confirms that the difficulties in obtaining these materials affect the production of solar panels and electric vehicles, technologies that are highly dependent on these materials and, at the same time, central to sustainability strategies such as the European Green Deal.

According to the European Union itself, critical raw materials are those considered essential for the development of certain sectors, such as renewable energy generation, but whose supply is at risk of scarcity due to their highly concentrated production in a small number of countries.

Now, the article 'Mapping critical raw materials in green technologies', using data from technology patents worldwide and text mining techniques, identifies the most critical raw materials in this regard. Silicon, aluminium, and lithium are followed by copper, nickel, zinc, magnesium, rare earth elements, platinum group metals, and cobalt. These materials are key in technologies related to electricity, energy storage, wind turbine coatings, electric vehicle motors, various climate change mitigation technologies and batteries, among other applications.

Davide Consoli, a researcher at INGENIO (CSIC-UPV) and co-author of the publication, explains that "the main objective of this article was to verify the viability of the green transition considering the dual role played by countries, either as developers of green technologies or as suppliers of critical raw materials. The need to analyse these types of issues responds to the objectives set by the EU for 2030, which include increasing the exploitation of its resources to produce at least 10% of the strategic raw materials it consumes."

According to the study, Russia, Australia, Taiwan, and Japan are the most dependent on these raw materials, as their economies rely heavily on their processing or on the manufacture of components that use them, such as microchips and semiconductors.

The analysis also highlights the gap between European countries with a high degree of dependence on CRMs but insufficient supplies, such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Portugal. Countries such as Spain, Germany and France have higher production of certain critical materials and, at the same time, show less technological dependence on them thanks to more diversified technological development.

Risks and challenges

One of the main findings of the study is the disconnect between CRM-producing countries, such as Chile, Argentina, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and India, and the most innovative countries in green technologies, such as the US, Germany and Japan.

'In this regard, the study highlights the need not only for policies that promote international cooperation with producing countries with limited innovation capacities, but also for policies that address CRM supply risks and encourage sustainable mining practices,' says Consoli.

The analysis also underscores the pressing need to enhance the recycling and reuse capabilities of critical raw materials, thereby reducing pressure on natural resources and ensuring that the objectives of the green transition are not compromised.