The growing global demand for Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) is expected to further intensify extractive activities. Securing a resilient and reliable supply of CRMs will require the identification and development of new and alternative resources, including their recovery as by-products of conventional mining operations and from the reprocessing of extractive waste (EW). In this context, the development of more efficient, cleaner, and innovative approaches for the extraction and recovery of CRMs from both primary and secondary resources will be crucial.
CRMs production, from exploration and extraction to processing and waste management, can generate significant environmental pressures, including landscape alteration, land-use degradation, and soil and water contamination. These environmental pressures are closely interconnected with social and economic challenges, but also create new opportunities throughout the supply chain, particularly in relation to the valorization and management of EW facilities. A sustainable CRMs supply therefore requires a responsible and integrated approach.
This session welcomes contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following topics:
• Exploration and extraction of CRMs from primary mineral resources.
• Recovery of CRMs as by-products of conventional mineral exploitation.
• Revalorization of EW facilities as secondary sources of CRMs.
• Technological innovations for the exploration, extraction, processing, and reprocessing of minerals from primary deposits and EW.
• Advances in sampling and characterization methodologies for minerals and EW to improve resource assessment and environmental impact evaluation.
• Multiscale exploration of CRMs through innovative sensing technologies, automation, and modelling of primary and secondary resources.
• Environmental aspects and challenges associated with CRMs supply chain.
• Environmental and geotechnical innovations for addressing the challenges posed by EW facilities.
• The role of regulatory frameworks in promoting innovative approaches and supporting responsible production and CRMs recovery.
• Contributions of economists, social scientists, legal scholars, psychologists, and policymakers to addressing the social and economic challenges associated with new and reactivated mining activities and to fostering a responsible and socially accepted mining sector.
• Applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning throughout the mining life cycle.