Podcast - Reflexions - S2 Ep3
Mining resources: exploration, exploitation and recycling
To mark the 150th anniversary of the Belgian Geological Society and the adoption of the Critical Raw Material Act
This third episode of the second season of Réflexions examines the availability and future of mining resources in Belgium, Europe, and the rest of the world. Essential to our daily lives and to the energy transition, these resources raise major strategic, ecological, and economic questions.
M
ining resources power our technologies, renewable energies, and industries. These resources are at the heart of the world's strategic and economic challenges. But behind their importance lie major challenges linked to their availability, extraction, and sustainable management.
In March 2024, Europe adopted the Critical Raw Material Act, a regulation on critical raw materials that aims to increase and diversify the supply of these materials and strengthen their circularity - including recycling - to reinforce Europe's strategic autonomy on these materials.
Belgium has a rich mining history, but our present situation raises many questions: how can we exploit available resources responsibly? What innovations could transform our approach? At the European level, dependence on third countries for critical raw materials such as lithium and cobalt is a source of economic and geopolitical vulnerability.
About this episode
The speakers :
Marina Cabidoche is a geological engineer specializing in mineral resources, and Scientific Manager of EuroGeoSurveys, a European association aiming to coordinate geoscientific data and research to meet environmental, economic and societal challenges. She is also Executive Secretary of the European Technology Platform on Sustainable Mineral Resources, a European platform bringing together industry, researchers and geological services to develop innovative, sustainable solutions for mineral resource management.
Philippe Giaro is a geologist specializing in mineral exploration, engineering and business development. You have held management positions for international projects and, since 2017, you have been Senior Research Officer at the GeMMe laboratory at the University of Liège.
Eric Pirard is a geological engineer, Professor and Director of the GeMMe Research Laboratory at the University of Liège. His research focuses on the sustainable and responsible exploitation of mining resources. He is also heavily involved in the Reverse Metallurgy program, a Belgian strategic initiative launched in 2015 to develop innovative solutions in the field of the circular economy and metal recycling.
Presentation :
Julie Louis, Head of the Research Communication Unit at the Communication Service of the University of Liège
Usefull readings
- European Critical Raw Material Act
- Reverse metallurgy - new technologies for metal recycling in Wallonia and industrial partners
- The Geological Society of Belgium turns 150s - Le Quinzième Jour du mois (LQJ)
- The French portal to non-energy mineral resources
- LifePLASPlus Project
- RMIS information portal - Raw Materials Information System
- 3rd Raw Materials Scoreboard - European innovation partnership on raw materials
- European Geological Data Infrastructure - EGDI where you'll find data and maps from the geological services, particularly on mineral resources at European level.
The Réflexions podcast
Guests, reflections, backgrounds and complementary views to discuss a theme and decipher the issues.
To be followed on streaming platforms:
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ODD 12 : Consommation et production responsables
Établir des modes de consommation et de production durables Le douzième objectif est un appel pour les producteurs, les consommateurs, les communautés et les gouvernements à réfléchir sur leurs habitudes et usages en termes de consommation, de production de déchets, à l’impact environnemental et social de l’ensemble de la chaîne de valeur de nos produits. Plus globalement, cet ODD réclame de comprendre les interconnexions entre les décisions personnelles et collectives, et de percevoir les impacts de nos comportements respectifs entre les pays et à l’échelle mondiale.
Published on 1/30/25
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