Extractive raw materials

Extractive raw materials belong to the group of abiotic raw materials which are mined as metals or minerals. Due to their long geological formation they are non-renewable resources on a human timescale. Extractive raw materials are the basis of our economic development and from the basic inputs of our consumption goods. Global economic development and rapid rise in population increased demand and pressure on globally mined raw materials. Besides price advances and supply shortfalls, mining and further processing of raw materials is associated with considerable environmental impacts and social conflicts. In different projects ifeu analysis the ecological dimension of raw material supply and provides advice to national and international institutions.

Contact

Regine Vogt

Dipl. Ing. Technical Environment Protection
+49 (0)6221 4767 22
regine.vogt@ifeu.de

Projects

A detailed macro shot of a miner's hand holding a chunk of raw ore, with dirt and grime emphasizing the raw, unrefined state of natural resources right after extraction

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RoBW

Raw material demand in Baden-Württemberg: analysis, risk assessment and future concepts

What risks arise from the demand for raw materials in BW along the global supply chains? ifeu considers plural perspectives on this, especially voices from countries in the Global South.

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Current demand and reduction potentials of base metals in Germany and the EU

The study describes the current and future demand for base metals in Germany and the EU and identi-fies reduction potential based on selected sectors and product examples.

[Translate to English:] Förderband zur Beförderung von Eisenerz.

Critical raw materials (CRM) analysis for the EU27

The European Commission maintains a list of critical raw materials (CRM) that are of great economic importance to the EU27 and have a high supply risk. Ifeu supports the Commission in updating the…

ÖkoRess III: Pilot screening of environmental hazard potentials of mining sites

In order to strengthen an ecological raw materials policy, the method for the assessment of environmental hazard potentials (EHP) at mine sites that has been developed in previous projects (ÖkoRess I…

MinFuture

Global material flows and demand-supply forecasting for mineral strategies

Demand for minerals and metals is growing. Global supply chains are becoming increasingly complex encompassing extraction, international trade, different processing steps, use in different products as…

KlimRess

KlimRess examines possible effects of climate change on ecological risks of mining and raw material sup-ply chains using five country case studies for nine raw materials.

ÖkoRess II

Further development of policy options for an ecological raw materials policy

The aim of ÖkoRessII is to enrich the debate ongoing in Germany, Europe and internationally on the subject of sustainable resource management by contributing scientific findings on relevant…

Discussion of the environmental limits of primary raw material extraction and development of a method for assessing the environmental availability of raw materials to further develop the criticality concept

The aim of ÖkoRess is to contribute to an increased consideration of environmental aspects regarding the supply of primary raw materials. The project is meant to support national, European and…

Oil and gas production model

The oil and gas production model presents a powerful and versatile tool for the assessment of environmental impacts arising from oil and gas production including transport in different global regions…

Iron and steel production model

The iron and steel production model describes the entire process chain from iron ore mining and processing via furnace and oxygen converter to rolling mill and surface finishing.