Is sustainable exploitation of strategic metals possible?

Because of their indispensable nature for the development of low-carbon technologies, strategic metals play a crucial role in the energy transition process. They are at the heart of considerable economic and geopolitical stakes, particularly because of China’s dominant position in this area and the ever-increasing global demand. Given these facts, what strategies should Western countries adopt? Should they develop a policy of large-scale direct investment abroad, as China has done? Should they reopen mines and develop new extraction processes on their soil? What about the environmental consequences? What are the opportunities offered by recycling? Is energy sobriety the only way out? This session will review all these issues, with a particular focus on the responsible and sustainable nature of metal mining.