ABSTRACT
The world is changing: first because it needs to change for sustainable development and climate change, and second because it increasingly wants and is choosing to do so. The global community agreed in 2015 to limit climate change to no more than a 2°C (or ideally 1.5°C) temperature increase, thereby setting targets for the world to meet to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This means a global transition to renewable energy sources, the need for energy storage batteries as well as the electrification of the transport sector: all of which increases the demand for a range of metals which can only be supplied through mining. These are the so-called ‘technology metals’ such as indium, tellurium, rare earths, lithium and others since they are crucial in the functionality of solar photovoltaic and wind energy, energy storage batteries and electric vehicles. This chapter reviews the basics of the future demand for technology metals, which is closely linked to targets the world has agreed for climate change (e.g., the Paris Agreement), as well as the key trends in mining which underpin environmental and social impacts. There are sufficient resources to facilitate the global technological transformations underway, but they are coming at greater environmental and social risks which must be acknowledged and proactively managed. The chapter also reviews the primary protocols and guidelines which can be applied by mines to get recognition for progress on sustainable development or responsible production – requirements increasingly demanded by investors and consumers alike. Overall, there is a fundamental need for the mining industry to engage in the transformations underway: the grand challenge cannot be understated, but it is a journey which must be successful for the world to simultaneously address climate change and sustainable development.
