They call them “critical minerals” for a reason. Cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel and the tongue-twisting assortment of rare earth elements (REEs) are the bedrock of the 21st-century economy.
Without sufficient supplies, there is no digital transformation, no green transformation and none of the technologies that are already the stuff of daily life.
Global demand for these raw materials is expected to more than double in the next five years. Shortages are anticipated. The International Energy Agency estimates that current mining plans will not allow us to meet the target of net zero global emissions by 2050.