The European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA) has announced that it will support Norge Mining in securing finances for responsible sourcing of crucial minerals in Norway to secure EU’s autonomy on critical raw materials.
This follows Norge Mining’s 2021 announcement of the discovery of more than 70 billion t of phosphate rock in the Southwest of Norway containing phosphate, titanium, and vanadium in one of the most significant deposits of the EU critical raw materials.
ERMA has announced that it will support Norge Mining’s Norwegian-based sister company, Norge Mineraler AS, in the exploration and production of vanadium, phosphate and its subsequent derivative phosphorus, and titanium in Norway. All these raw materials are included in the European Union’s 2020 critical raw materials list, highlighting their strategic importance for a resilient European economy.
European production of these materials is critical to lowering the increasing risks associated with imported supply, as well as supporting Europe to achieve its 2050 net zero carbon emissions target. Currently, China produces approximately 59% of the world’s vanadium and 41% of titanium, while 34% of traded phosphate rock is sourced from Morocco, according to the latest EU figures. Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russia was the world’s largest supplier of aerospace-grade titanium.
Norge Mineraler AS holds 61 exploration licences, totalling more than 520 km2 in the Bjerkreim-Sokndal basin, located in southwestern Norway. The area’s large deposits of high-grade raw materials, and the company’s core focus on sustainable and responsible mining, make the project fully aligned with ERMA’s vision, as it will contribute to ensuring reliable, secure, and sustainable access to raw materials as key enablers for a globally competitive, green, and digital Europe.
Bernd Schäfer, CEO and Managing Director of EIT RawMaterials, which manages ERMA, commented:
“Europe is in an excellent position: we can use our advantage in clean tech innovation and skills development to turn the industry into a powerhouse of innovation and change, and, in doing so, achieve the highest social and environmental standards for European mining, just as Norge Mineraler AS is doing.”
John Vergopoulos, Chairman of Norge Mineraler AS, commented:
“Raw materials are finally getting the attention they deserve, and we are determined to help Europe secure a domestic supply of responsibly sourced critical raw materials to enable its successful transition to renewable energy sources. With the environment and community at the top of our corporate agenda, we are proud that Norge Mineraler AS is striving to meet the highest environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards for mining vanadium, phosphate, and titanium in Europe.”
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