Governments around the world are rushing to find raw materials to meet the growing demand for the burgeoning expansion of green technologies. We have previously discussed the problem in our blog, “Lithium and the Environment“, posted on December 7, 2022.
In order to expedite the development of a secure supply of new raw material sources, governments are easing the approval process for projects that once took years, or sometimes forever.
For example, a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, highlighted the struggles of a small, mountain village in northern Portugal, where the local residents are fighting a proposed effort to mine one of Europe’s richest lithium deposits.
There is also an international effort to seek raw materials in areas that are typically populated by relatively poor populations with limited ability to effectively object. In other words, offshoring messy activities.
All comments and suggestions are welcome.
Walter J. Kirchberger, CFA