Digging In: Why powering a green future means more mines
Around Australia new mining operations are being established and old sites, shuttered decades ago, are being brought back to life. These miners aren’t digging for coal or gold, they’re hunting for other lucrative commodities – known as critical minerals.
“Critical minerals (are) everything you use for electric vehicles, for transport, for manufacturing. We’re really at the start of what could be a new mining boom.” Minerals lobbyist
If you own a mobile phone, if you power your home with renewable energy or drive an electric vehicle, then these minerals are already playing a key part in your life.
And they will play a vital role in all our futures.
But there is a hidden cost?
“We have to decide as a country. How valuable is a place and is it worth risking for mining?” Research scientist
On Monday Four Corners investigates the new critical minerals mining boom and finds Australia is in the box seat to exploit a surge in worldwide demand.
“Australia is still the luckiest country. Last century we were the luckiest because we had all the coal and a huge amount of natural gas… what we know the future needs is things that Australia also has in spades.” US energy policy adviser
From lithium mines in WA and the NT, to cobalt operations in NSW and tin mining in Tasmania, these critical minerals are not just making major profits, they’re playing a part in the super power rivalry between America and China.
“China has always known the value of critical minerals. We are moving into a period now of geopolitical competition, everybody is looking for leverage. The Chinese are quite explicit about that.” China analyst
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