Mining in Austria

Rare earths remain highly coveted and controversial

The mining of lithium means a serious encroachment on natural areas (symbolic image).

(Bild: agnormark/stock.adobe.com)

Gold rush mood prevails in the race for raw materials for high-performance batteries. Controversial lithium mining also on the Koralpe in Carinthia. US President Trump is already "extorting" rare earths from Ukraine. 

It was a shockwave for conservationists when the Carinthian provincial authority announced that no environmental impact assessment was required for the planned lithium mine on the Koralpe. The decision was a punch in the gut for concerned residents. GLOBAL 2000 activist Anna Leitner is sounding the alarm: "The rapid expansion of global mining - fuelled by the greed for raw materials - for the energy transition and digitalization completely disregards nature conservation."

"Without a thorough EIA, it is impossible to assess the harmful effects of the project," Greenpeace head Alex Egit also rails. What's more, the approval process is being rapidly accelerated and chased through the courts due to the pressure of global demand for raw materials. Egit's fear: "The currently adopted Brussels regulation on the extraction of so-called critical raw materials is fueling this destruction!"

Strict standards to prevent overexploitation
"The global mining companies are shamelessly exploiting the hype to maximize profits," warns Leitner. However, she does not doubt that the so-called rare earths are needed, but strict standards are needed. GLOBAL 2000 has therefore lodged a formal complaint against the Koralm decision: The cumulative impact of the project on traffic, air quality and noise emissions must be scrutinized.

Greenpeace is protesting - in light of the demand for rare earths - against mining in the deep sea and also in Austria. These are interventions in very sensitive ecosystems.

(Bild: © Gordon Welters / Greenpeace)

Mineral resources for the energy transition are to be "mined" in the idyllic Koralpen region of all places.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

Not only the quality of life of the population is at risk, but also the pristine Koralpe! The sensitive biotope is a recreational area and habitat for many species.

President Trump demands raw materials from Ukraine
This is why GLOBAL 2000, together with alliance partners from Denmark and Australia, has sent information to the New York Stock Exchange NASDAQ to warn them of incorrect statements by the European Lithium/Critical Metals Corporation in relation to the Austrian Wolfsberg Lithium Project.

The Austro-American company persistently claimed that the planned mine was the first of its kind to be fully approved by the Austrian authorities. The obvious brazen background: to drive up the shares with these statements!

Facts & figures on lithium

The lithium mineral spodumene has been found at 450 locations worldwide - from Afghanistan to Nigeria and Austria. Rare earths are also found in soot filters and catalytic converters in combustion cars and in wind turbines. China has the largest reserves of rare earths in the ground. Extraction there has a catastrophic impact on the environment. Neither neodymium (for strong permanent magnets) nor other rare earths are used in e-models such as the BMW iX3.

As reported, the operators have been targeted several times by the domestic financial market regulator and sentenced to high fines. Nevertheless, Brussels maintains that these raw materials are needed for renewable energies. For the "overexploitation" of nature - sanctioned by the "Critical Raw Materials Act" - 170 projects have already been submitted. The applicants remain in the shadows.

In addition to the non-renewable lightest metal in the world, the US President is also aware of the treasure of rare earths. In return for military aid, Trump is bluntly demanding that Ukraine supply rare earths in return for further weapons aid.

Mining endangers the global environment
Lithium has become a coveted raw material, with demand skyrocketing worldwide. As a central component of batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energies, it is a cornerstone of the eco-revolution. Disposal and recycling play a major role!

Not only the lithium components must be disposed of in an ecologically clean and flawless manner. After all, valuable raw materials can also be recovered from it. We have been running a number of pioneering projects for a long time.

Die steirische „Saubermacher“-Entsorgerlegende Ingenieur Hans Roth

Bild: Saubermacher

What conservationists don't like to hear: The hype, which is also fueled by wind power, has its price. Mining in sensitive ecosystems, as in the local case of the Koralpe, has not only environmental but also social consequences.

This is because the mining of spodumene, the lithium-containing rock, changes landscapes, destroys habitats and puts a strain on local communities. "The end does not justify the means," criticizes Anna Leitner, an expert on resources and supply chains at GLOBAL 2000: "We must not allow the urgent need for raw materials to lose sight of the environment."

With a critical eye on the exploding global lithium boom, the committed activist calls for strict compliance with environmental standards and the comprehensive involvement of local residents in all decision-making processes.