Category: Minerals and Metals Initiative

Analysis of world trade data with machine learning to enhance policies of mineral supply chain transparency 1/13/2024

Analysis of world trade data with machine learning to enhance policies of mineral supply chain transparency

Umut Mete Saka, Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Sebnem Düzgün, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how utilizing machine learning to help the integration of supply chains worldwide and the establishment of resilient material flows emphasize the significance of transparency on mineral supplies. As regulations and policies around mineral supply become more stringent, organizations are actively seeking effective tools to assess the transparency of their supply chains.  January 13, 2024.

Comparing methods for criticality and security in minerals for clean energy 1/13/2024

Comparing methods for criticality and security in minerals for clean energy

Mines Advanced Energy Systems Student Eliza Hotchkiss, Maria Paz Urdaneta, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how energy security goals, supply chain risks, production growth, and market dynamics will shape the future of critical mineral methodologies.  This paper reviews two methodologies employed for critical mineral identification from nations committed to clean energy transitions.  January 13, 2024.

Saudi Arabia wants to be the Saudi Arabia of minerals 1/11/2024

Saudi Arabia wants to be the Saudi Arabia of minerals

Vice President for Global Initiatives John Bradford contributed to this article about how Saudi Arabia is eyeing to fuel its post-oil future with mineral resources.  On January 10th the government revised its estimate of the value of its buried mineral wealth from $1.3trn to $2.5trn. This includes deposits of gold, copper and zinc.  January 11, 2024.

Lithium nexus: Energy, geopolitics, and socio-environmental impacts in Mexico’s Sonora project 12/22/2023

Lithium nexus: Energy, geopolitics, and socio-environmental impacts in Mexico’s Sonora project

Vlado Vivoda, Payne Institute Director Morgan D. Bazilian, Asmaa Khadim, Natalie Ralph, and Ghaleb Krame write about how the global transition to low-carbon energy systems has dramatically increased the demand for lithium, essential for energy storage and transport electrification—with lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries as the dominant technology in both market segments.  Enter the Sonora Lithium Project in Mexico, home to what could be one of the world’s largest lithium deposits.  This paper delves into these challenges using the Sonora Project as a lens, aiming to provide clarity and insights for various decision-makers, stakeholders, and researchers.  December 22, 2023.

Nations strike historic deal to transition off fossil fuels 12/13/2023

Nations strike historic deal to transition off fossil fuels

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributed to this article about how nearly 200 countries agreed to “transitioning away” from fossil fuels in energy systems in an agreement reached at the global climate summit.  The use of the “transitioning away” language comes after a contentious debate about whether or not the agreement should “phase out” fossil fuels or simply reduce their use.  December 13, 2023.

COP28: 5 big takeaways on a historic climate agreement 12/13/2023

COP28: 5 big takeaways on a historic climate agreement

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributed to this article about how this year’s United Nations Climate Conference (COP28) has ended with a historic new agreement: For the first time, world governments have said countries should transition away from fossil fuels.  Climate advocates have praised it as a step forward, but also raised concerns about potential loopholes in its language and criticized it for not going further as the climate crisis deepens — and fossil fuel production continues to increase. December 13, 2023.

What does the groundbreaking COP28 agreement mean for the US? 12/13/2023

What does the groundbreaking COP28 agreement mean for the US?

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributed to this article about how the unprecedented agreement reached at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai this week is unlikely to prompt a dramatic upheaval in the U.S. energy landscape, but it could bolster efforts to shift the country toward energy sources that are less harmful to the planet. The text, released Wednesday, calls for a “transition away” from planet-warming fossil fuels, marking the first time such language has appeared in a COP agreement. It further calls for tripling renewable energy development and doubling energy efficiency.  December 13, 2023.

Transition finance advances at COP28 12/12/2023

Transition finance advances at COP28

Payne Institute Program Manager Brad Handler writes about how announcements made during the COP28 climate talks signal progress on several fronts when it comes to unlocking finance to support the energy transition.  Transition finance holds the key in terms of giving the owners of emitting assets the financial incentive for closure or conversion, but flows of transition finance have not risen to the challenge so far.   December 12, 2023.

Why the U.S. has a serious mining worker shortage 12/8/2023

Why the U.S. has a serious mining worker shortage

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Jessica Smith and Research Associate Juliet Akamboe contributed to this news video about the role that miners play in the transition to green energy.  The demand for rare earth minerals such as lithium, cobalt and copper, critical components used to make batteries for electric vehicles and smartphones, is on the rise, and with it, the need for the expertise of miners.  December 8, 2023.

Vietnam Renewables: Investment Priorities 12/6/2023

Vietnam Renewables: Investment Priorities

Centre for Climate Finance & Investment at Imperial College Business School led a team, including the Payne Institute Sustainable Finance Lab Program Manager Brad Handler, to write “Vietnam Renewables: Investment Priorities”, a review of prospects and challenges to deploy more renewable energy in the country. The report offers specific steps for further renewable power deployment in Vietnam in the context of its economic growth and incredible resource potential (solar and wind), through a combination of policy and market mechanisms. December 6, 2023.