The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) has formed research partnerships with the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI), the Enel Foundation, and Circle Economy to investigate how the mining and metals sector can contribute to a global circular economy aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.
The partnerships with CCSI and the Enel Foundation will focus on the role of key materials (aluminum, copper, silicon, and steel) in the value chains of wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels. The research aims to identify the necessary conditions for mining companies to adopt circular concepts and operations and interact effectively with the value chain. Collaboration with industry stakeholders, policy-makers, investors, financiers, research institutions, and downstream purchasers of metals will provide valuable information and data for this work.
The collaboration with Circle Economy has a specific focus on comprehending the movement of transition minerals and metals, their utilization in solar panels and wind turbines, and their market dynamics. The objective of this research is to produce a collection of metrics that will assist mining companies and other involved parties in establishing alliances and exploring business prospects that foster circularity, while simultaneously generating socio-environmental and economic benefits.
Overall, the research partnerships seek to explore how the mining and metals sector can play a central role in a global circular economy, ultimately contributing to sustainable development objectives and the transition to a low-carbon future.
Source: ICMM
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