Assessing the criticality of raw materials: understanding the EU list
July 1, 2023, in connection with the ISIE conference in Leiden
Course offered by Luis Tercero, Dieuwertje Schrijvers, Alessandra Hool
In this 5-hours course, participants were provided with an introduction to criticality and critical raw materials assessment. We took a deep-dive into the EU assessment methodology and participants learned about its composition, factors, indicators and common data sources. We also discussed in an interactive session what the recently proposed Critical Raw Materials Act could mean for future critical raw materials management in the EU.
In a hands-on exercise, participants reproduced an EU criticality assessment for selected raw materials, comprehending the influence of factors such as country concentration, political stability, economic sectors, and recycling rates, as well as the indicators determining these factors. They were provided with frequently used data sources for the indicators, where available, and learned how the choice of these sources and their availability influence the overall result.
After completing some preparatory studies (videos and readings) and completing of the course, participants had gained an insight into the considerations behind the EU methodology, were able to reproduce a standard procedure of a EU criticality assessment for a given material, and were familiarised with some of the key considerations in selecting appropriate data sources.
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