Invisible Mining: A Blueprint for EU Critical Materials Resilience

Overview

The European Union (EU) faces unprecedented challenges in securing critical raw materials (CRM) while maintaining environmental protection standards. The EU-funded CIRAN project is examining the EU's evolving raw materials governance framework, particularly focusing on the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and the consequences of its implementation for environmentally protected areas. The research analyses how governance structures can balance a potential ethical dilemma: safeguarding environmentally protected areas and biodiversity, and securing the mineral raw materials that are necessary to maintain the European economy and living standards.

 

Methods

The project methodology was based on a systematic analysis of case studies across European countries, examining mining operations in or near protected areas, the use of the DPSIR (Drivers-Pressures-States-Impacts-Responses) framework to evaluate policy drivers, such as the EU Green Deal, and consultations and dialogues with people from five different communities living in or near environmentally protected areas in five different EU countries.

 

Results

The study of existing mining operations located in or near natural protected areas across nine European countries revealed a striking conclusion: mining is not only possible in environmentally protected areas but also socially accepted in all cases studied. This finding is particularly significant when contrasted with claims, even in recent peer-reviewed literature, suggesting that mining projects are inherently value-destructive, universally detrimental to the environment, and largely compromised on socio-economic grounds.

The study also revealed that existing EU and national regulatory frameworks do not significantly prevent mining operations, even within protected areas. However, administrative barriers, particularly understaffed public agencies, politically motivated interpretation of regulations, and lengthy permitting processes, create substantial delays.

Finally, the research shows that successful mining projects consistently demonstrate three characteristics: comprehensive environmental impact assessments, effective and sustained stakeholder engagement, and robust post-mining planning.

 

Conclusions

The CRMA requirement to reduce mine permitting cycles from 15-20 years to 24 months represents a paradigm shift in resource management approaches. Considering that a large percentage (over 85%) of known mineral deposits of CRM in Europe lie within or at less than 5 km from an environmentally protected area, and that there are no clear decision trees to guide decision making processes to balance nature conservation and mineral resources extraction, the implementation of the CRMA will create difficult to manage ethical dilemmas for permitting authorities in EU countries.

In this context, securing sustainable domestic supply requires systemic policy reforms focused on three key areas: streamlined and transparent permitting processes, enhanced administrative capacity, and improved social contracts.