“Critical List”. The EU indicated projects

In 2024 he came into force Act on critical raw materials. This name is raw materials, without which the EU will not be able to carry out energy and climate transformation. They are needed for the production of solar panels, wind turbines or energy warehouses.

What's more, without this EU she will not be able to improve her defense capabilities and develop its own industry in this sector, which is the new EU goal. Metals of rare lands need, among others for the production of radars, sonars and sights.

European Commission assumes that Until the end of the EU decade, it will need five times more rare earth metals than today.

Most of the raw materials on “Critical List” of the European Union These are rare lands, including CER, LANTAN, Neody, ITR and SKAND.

Today The EU is practically completely dependent on Chinawhich are responsible for over 60 percent. extraction of these elements and over 90 percent their production. However, other metals, such as copper, aluminum, lithium and titanium, are also included in the category of critical raw materials.

The act of critical raw materials from the previous year is to reduce the dependence of the EU on China. Upon it The EC showed the first list of strategic projectsthat are to help the EU in increasing mining, processing and recycling of critical raw materials.

When it comes to extracting rare lands, EU goals are rather modest, because the act assumes its increase by 10 percent. By 2030, the EU is not seen as a region in the world in which these elements occur, and even if it has deposits, they are waiting for operation.

In 2023 in Swedish Kiruna In the area of ​​per geijer, deposits of rare lands, including ceras, lantan and neodym, were discovered, as well as iron ore and phosphorus deposits.

A year later in the area Norwegian commune of Nome In turn, deposits containing almost nine million tons of rare earth metals, including neodyh and prazeodym oxide, were discovered. Today, Norwegian deposits are considered the largest in Europe.

It also has critical raw materials resources Francewe are talking about the extraction of German, copper, lithium, molybdenum, boxing, tungsten, antimony, gold or lead.

In addition to the EU, the rich deposits of such metals as Lantan, CER and SKAND also have Ukraineand. On its territory there are deposits 22 out of 34 critical raw materials from the EU list. Contract extraction of these raw materials She became one of the tender cards during the talks between Kiev and Administration Donald Trump.

It is also rich in deposits Russiawhich is located in the five of the largest owners of these metals in the world, after China, Brazil, India and Australia.

To become independent of deliveries from China, The Union began to look for other critical raw materials suppliersleading, among others conversations with Chile and Australia, as well as looking around in its neighborhood, including in Serbia and Ukraine.

However, not all partnerships are durable. The political situation in the raw materials of the Democratic Republic of Congo is unstable, and Rwanda, which a year ago signed an agreement with the EU, including of balanced deliveries of critical raw materials, she is accused of supporting rebels in the neighboring DRK. For this reason, the future of cooperation with Rwanda is uncertain.

In addition to mining as part of an act on critical raw materials, the EU also undertook to increasing the processing of rare lands by 40 percent. and their recycling by 25 percent. In turn, environmental issues may be on the way to achieve these goals due to the high requirements regarding its protection provided for in EU law.

This is why Projects considered by the EC are critical to enjoy facilitations in this regard.