Copper, lithium, cobalt and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are among the 34 metals and minerals classified as critical by the European Union.
The EU's aim for carbon neutrality by 2050, along with modern weaponry and the increasing digitalisation of daily life, hinges on technologies that require more metals than ever before, making these materials prized commodities.
But while the EU already consumes approximately a quarter of the world’s raw materials, it produces only about 3% of them. By 2030, the EU wants to mine at least 10% of its annual consumption of critical raw materials.
This objective seeks to enhance supply security and reduce dependence on foreign sources, such as China, which currently supplies almost all of the EU's REE needs.Euronews travelled to Sweden, a mining powerhouse, to explore the implications of this target for the continent.In Gällivare, Boliden operates the Aitik mine, Europe's largest copper mine.