{"id":383389,"date":"2025-06-16T09:00:36","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T07:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=383389"},"modified":"2025-06-16T09:00:38","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T07:00:38","slug":"study-mining-minerals-to-support-renewable-energy-is-wrecking-the-environment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=383389","title":{"rendered":"Study: Mining Minerals to Support Renewable Energy is Wrecking the Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
ChatGPT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essay by<\/strong> Eric Worrall<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who could have seen that coming\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Metal mining is a global driver of environmental change<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stefan Giljum<\/a>, Victor Maus<\/a>, Laura Sonter<\/a>, Sebastian Luckeneder<\/a>, Tim Werner<\/a>, Stephan Lutter<\/a>, Julia Gershenzon<\/a>, Megan J. Cole<\/a>, Juliana Siqueira-Gay<\/a> & Anthony Bebbington<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nature Reviews Earth & Environment<\/em><\/a> (2025)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Global metal extraction is increasing, owing to rising mineral demands\u00a0from infrastructure development and the\u00a0growing need for metal-intensive renewable energy technologies to mitigate climate change and phase out coal mining<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, extraction of metal ores also drives impacts on land use, water resources and biodiversity. In this Review, we evaluate mining trends of 47 metal ores between 1970 and 2022 and explore the environmental consequences. Global extraction of crude metal ores has nearly quadrupled, from 2.7\u2009gigatonnes (Gt) in 1970 to almost 9.4\u2009Gt in 2022, with the greatest increases in Oceania (+1,222%), South America (+929%) and Asia (+285%). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ore-specific mining activities are generally concentrated, with the top-five producers contributing on average 82.7% of the global supply in 2022. The impacts of mining are also concentrated. In 2022, about 50% of the 100,000\u00a0km2<\/sup>\u00a0global mining areas were located in Russia, China, Australia, the United States and Indonesia.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mining-induced water consumption, pollution and biodiversity loss substantially affect local ecosystems, with tropical rainforests and deserts being especially vulnerable.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 70% of global metal extraction is linked to international supply chains. Enhanced environmental assessments, stricter implementation of policies, and coordinated actions across sectors throughout supply chains (mining, processing, consumers and financial markets) can help to mitigate the environmental impacts of mining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more:\u00a0https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s43017-025-00683-w<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

WUWT has reported many times on the catastrophic damage green energy initiatives are doing to the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
The Copper Conundrum<\/a><\/blockquote>