LES MINÉRAUX CRITIQUES : FICHE INFORMATIVE

The document provides a comprehensive overview of critical minerals, which are essential for clean energy technologies and a low-carbon future. It explains that 'criticality' is context-dependent, defined either by supply security (import dependence) or strategic valuation (leveraging abundance). The text highlights the specific role of rare earth elements (REEs), the massive increase in mineral demand for electric vehicles and decarbonization, and the growing importance of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) alongside emerging sources like deep-sea mining and phytomining. It concludes by weighing the economic opportunities of value chain development against risks such as production concentration, price volatility, and the 'Dutch disease'.

• There is no single universal definition of 'critical minerals'; instead, criticality is determined by a country's specific economic needs, resource availability, and supply risk assessments. Two primary perspectives exist: one focused on 'Security and control of the supply' (common in the EU, US, and Japan) and another on 'Valorisation' (used by Canada, Australia, and China) to gain a competitive advantage from mineral abundance.
• Rare earth elements (REEs) consist of 17 metallic elements divided into heavy (9) and light (8) groups. Despite their name, they are relatively abundant in the Earth's crust; their 'rarity' stems from the complexity of extraction and processing. As of 2020, approximately 29% of REE demand was driven by the manufacture of permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and consumer electronics.
• The transition to clean energy is driving a massive surge in mineral demand. Producing an electric vehicle requires six times more minerals than a conventional vehicle. By 2050, 3 billion tonnes of critical minerals will be needed to decarbonize the global energy system. Specific projections include a 13-fold increase in lithium demand between 2020 and 2040, and a 20-fold increase for graphite, cobalt, and nickel.
• Supply sources are diversifying beyond large-scale mining. Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is increasingly significant, accounting for 15% to 35% of cobalt production in the Democratic Republic of Congo and approximately 26% of global tantalum production. Other emerging sources include secondary sources (wastewater and mining tailings), controversial deep-sea mining for manganese, cobalt, and nickel, and 'phytomining' (extracting minerals via plants).
• Governments face significant risks alongside economic opportunities. Key risks include the concentration of production and processing in a few countries, price volatility exacerbated by geopolitical instability (such as the Russia-Ukraine war), and macroeconomic threats like the 'Dutch disease', where resource abundance leads to currency appreciation that harms other economic sectors.

APA

Hendriwardani, M., & Ramdoo, I. (2022). LES MINÉRAUX CRITIQUES : FICHE INFORMATIVE. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-09/critical-minerals-primer-fr.pdf

Chicago

Hendriwardani, Murtiani, and Isabelle Ramdoo. LES MINÉRAUX CRITIQUES : FICHE INFORMATIVE. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2022. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-09/critical-minerals-primer-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hendriwardani |first1=Murtiani |last2=Ramdoo |first2=Isabelle |title=LES MINÉRAUX CRITIQUES : FICHE INFORMATIVE |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2022 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-09/critical-minerals-primer-fr.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hendriwardani2022les, author = {Hendriwardani, Murtiani and Ramdoo, Isabelle}, title = {{LES MINÉRAUX CRITIQUES : FICHE INFORMATIVE}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2022}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-09/critical-minerals-primer-fr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }