Did someone say Dacha? :-)EU warns on metals shortages
The European Commission (EC) has sounded the alarm about a loomingshortage of some critical metals. The warning comes just one monthafter a similar message from the US Government Accountability Office(GAO).
Based on the findings of a special report published thisweek, the EC will recommend that the European Union (EU) increase itssupport for exploration of a group of metals, and improve incentivesfor recycling.
In May, the GAO told Congress that the USdefence-contracting sector has been "woefully neglectful of itsraw-material supply chain". As both the EC and GAO reports note, Chinacontrols the future availability of many metals that are crucial toindustrial growth and/or military weapons.
The EC warningcoincides with publication of a report from the British GeologicalSurvey (BGS) on REE shortages. The BGS notes that these metals "play avital and increasing role in a wide range of consumer electronics, inenvironmental technologies and in military applications".
Details in this week's Mining Journal.