Strategic metals and materials are usually relatively scarce or difficult to access and are unevenly distributed across the planet. However, they are necessary worldwide for strategic industrial and environmental applications, in particular involving the decarbonisation of energy.
Current geopolitical conflicts are merely amplifying the importance of this topic, as these materials are essential for the life of a State. Therefore, any shortage thereof, due to difficulties in their supply or operation, has major negative impacts at the industrial and economic levels.
This symposium provided objective scientific insight into the various facets of this cross-disciplinary topic at the heart of current concerns, in which chemistry plays and will continue to play an important role. The speakers included leading experts in the fields of research, industry, politics and the economy.
Christophe Poinssot, Deputy Managing Director of BRGM, and Patrick d’Hugues, director of the scientific programme on “Mineral resources and the circular economy”, participated as speakers.