Demo: Critical Minerals
“As the rollout of renewable energy scales at pace, e-waste continues to increase, and the first generation of EV batteries and wind turbines start to reach the end of their lives, we have a window of opportunity to build a better system, based on the principles of a circular economy.”
1. Circularity window due to energy transition
Where is it starting?
- China are seeing the most activity in battery retirement, recycling, and second-life repurposing centres [Transportenevironment, 2024].
- First-generation wind turbines are approaching end-of-life in regions that pioneered wind energy, especially in Europe. Notable countries with the oldest wind farms are having large-scale decommissioning, repowering, or lifetime extension projects underway. In particular, Europe expects 38 GW of onshore wind to reach a 20-year operational life by 2025.
- Typical life cycle
End-of-life for first-generation EV batteries and wind turbines is starting now (2025) in Europe, the US, and China—regions with the earliest large-scale deployments of these technologies. ‘China's retired power batteries will hit 1.04 million tonnes in 2025 and may surge to 3.5 million tonnes by 2030.'[Chinadailyhk,2025] - First-generation EV battery life is typically 8-15 years in vehicles, with repurposing for stationary storage adding up to 20 more years.
2. Shifting Regulatory Leadership in the EU
E-waste policies in the EU have shifted leadership from DG Environment (DG ENV) towards economic-focused bodies such as DG GROW, reflecting a broader industrial and supply security agenda as of 2025. The EU’s 2040 strategy must encompass energy security, defence, economic security, investment, and industrial strategy.
Associated regulations
- Circular Economy Act
- Clean Industrial Deal
3. Three drivers leads to broader motivations
Declining resource security
- Declining resource efficiency ((less accessible or lower-quality deposits in the Earth’s crust)
- Rising costs of virgin mining.
Geopolitical tension
- The EU’s growing dependency on imports of critical minerals (e.g., from China and Brazil) exposes its supply chains to geopolitical risks, scarcity, and price volatility.
- Rising geopolitical tensions, recent export restrictions, and the concentration of supply highlight these risks and reinforce the need for policies on recycling, export monitoring, and strategic stockpiling to mitigate vulnerabilities.
Systemic demand
- Surging demand for critical minerals for energy transition (renewables energy infrastructure, EV batteries).
- Rapid digitalisation (data infrastructure and AI operations).
4. Long-term demands are pulling this circular transition
Significant future demands
- Green energy transition (batteries, wind, solar)
- Digitalisation (electronics, semiconductors, data centers)
- Built environment (smart infrastructure, electrification)
- Defense and strategic sectors (high-performance materials)
Economic Added Values of Circularity
- Cost savings through reduced import and mining reliance.
- Value creation from recovering critical minerals in e-waste.
- Risk reduction: more resilient, less volatile supply chains.
5. The R principles for E products and E wastes
E-products circularity mainly follows the ‘Reduce - Repair -Recycle’ 3R principle.
- Reduce - Be conscious about purchasing electrical or electronic products. Reduce the amount of unused E products.
- Repair - To extend the usage of E products, repair if possible instead of reducing.
- Recycle - Having e-waste returned to the right recycling channel.
- Value degraded from ‘Reduce - Repair -Recycle’ order.
The Butter Diagram
- This diagram is extracted from the Butterfly Circular Economy diagram, visualising the circular economy
5. Pivoting role of Copper in circular economy
Why Copper
- Abundance in existing waste stream infrastructure
- Economic advantage compared to virgin material - Copper produced from recycled materials can save up to 85% of the energy needed for mining and extraction.
- Material property for wide applications
To double the recycling rate
- A reliable and steady supply of feedstock
- High-standard processing capacity
- Strong market demand for recycled copper
Behind the scenes of mining
- Responsible Mining in Europe: A New Paradigm to Counter Climate Change 2022 documentary featuring expert interviews, on-site footage, and insights on Europe’s efforts to secure critical raw materials—details environmental and social innovations in the sector.
- Mining for a Climate Solution – Four Corners Investigates how carbon reduction and green energy goals are directly linked to one of the world’s biggest increases in mining for transition metals.
Article
- Mining critical to renewable energy tied to hundreds of human rights abuses. Investigative report highlighting alleged environmental crimes and human rights violations by major mining companies operating sites that produce transition metals like lithium, copper, and nickel, also mapping the lack of global safeguards.