The latest EU report sounds the alarm: The core chips of the global energy competition are being reshuffled. When lithium, copper and rare earths become new oil, whoever controls the mining rights will hold the throat of the future. Space mining, moon mining——These plots that sound like science fiction are quickly becoming strategic games between major powers. The EU found itself stuck, and one country had quietly taken control of the overall situation.
In its sixth Strategic Forecast Report released on the 9th, the European Commission clearly pointed out a hidden crisis: the key raw materials required for low-carbon technologies may collapse at any time. This is not a theoretical deduction, but a realistic challenge that has already occurred. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, rare earth——The EU can hardly get the cards for self-exploitation of these metals that drive the transformation of green energy. They are highly concentrated in the hands of a few countries, and these countries may be like OPECLike oil manipulation, it unites to manipulate markets and prices. what does that mean? Electric vehicles may be suddenly stopped production, wind power equipment will be cut off, and the process of green transformation may be forced to be interrupted. The EU's anxiety is not only a matter of resources, but also a contest between technological sovereignty and survival ability.
The report proposes an extremely cutting-edge solution: de-space mining. This is not the brainshot of science fiction screenwriters, but the strategy that many countries are planning. NASANASA, Japan, JapanJAXA has been invested in research, and Luxembourg within the EU has taken the lead in calling itself the "European Space Mining Center" and vigorously promoted the use of robots to mine rare earths, titanium, platinum and other resources on the moon and asteroids. The mineral reserves in space far exceed those of the Earth, and the iron content of an asteroid may be enough for several years to use worldwide. But the question is: How to dig? How to ship it back? The current technology is still a long way from large-scale mining. Extreme properties of delivery costs, extraction processes, and space environment…Each link is a money-burning and complex project. Behind this is not only a technological competition, but also a grabbing for the commanding heights of the next generation of resources between countries.
The EU does not have resources, but cannot open it. In fact, there are lithium and rare earth minerals in member countries, but the environmental protection standards are high, citizens oppose it, and land use approval is extremely complicated. Open a new mine in Germany or France? Procedure alone may take ten years to go. The people did not agree. After protesting, the project was basically stranded. In this situation, even if you know there is a treasure underground, you can only watch it. In addition, the EU's local smelting capacity is seriously insufficient, and the ore must be dug out and sent to other countries for refining——This link in the middle of the supply chain is firmly held in the hands of others.
Reported citation of data from Jacques DeLor Center: Global60%Lithium --tt-darkmode-color: #C1C1C1;" class="data-color--tt-darkmode-c1c1c1">70%The cobalt and nearlyThe cobalt and 100%refined graphite is processed in China. This means that even if the mine is not dug in China, it will eventually become available materials, it still has to go through China. This control force is not accidental, but is the result of years of layout of industrial chains, investing in smelting technology, and controlling logistics nodes. Does the EU want to rebuild a supply chain independent of China in the short term? Nearly impossible. Unless you spend a huge amount of money and spend more than ten years to reconstruct the mining industry—Smelting—The full chain of manufacturing, but green transformation cannot wait for that long.
The German town tries to recycle rare earths from electronic waste, which sounds beautiful, but it is very skinny. The recycling efficiency is low and the cost is high, and the scale cannot support the demand of the entire EU at all. What's more, the quality of recycled materials is unstable and it is difficult to meet the requirements of high-performance batteries and motors. China has already pushed costs and scale to the extreme with its mature chain. No matter how hard Europe works, it will be difficult for it to catch up in the short term. This is not a technical issue, it is an economic reality.
The EU is at the intersection of energy transformation: on one side is the actual pressure of relying on raw materials from other countries, and on the other side is the distant but tempting way out of space mining. But the real question is, will you wait for the day when the moon mining is realized? In the past few decades, who will control the lifeblood of the green revolution? When resources become strategic weapons, the global chess game has just begun.
