Publications Repository - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Europe’s mining sector aligns itself with the sustainability agenda through concepts such as the circular economy, the coming energy and resource transition, a zero-waste economy, etc. Ironically, these concepts also cause misunderstandings within society, most notably that no more mining or smeltering will be needed. This can be seen in the current debate on the ban of lead, i.e. lead is a necessary carrier element for many CRMs and lead-metallurgy is fundamental for a true circular economy. Is education enough to overcome these misunderstandings or is something else needed?