New SIM² documentary on Europe’s quest to mine its own energy-transition metals
The documentary Europe’s mining renaissance: a catalyst for climate neutrality premiered in Leuven on 27 March 2024, during the DOCVILLE film festival (Aula Vesalius).
Why this documentary?
For this documentary, the film’s presenter, Peter Tom Jones, travelled to the far North of Sweden and Southern Finland. He descended 1,400 m underground to explore the illustrious underground iron ore/rare earth mine in the Arctic town of Kiruna, and visited Europe’s largest open pit copper mine and its vast tailing ponds in Aitik. To obtain a view of the indigenous people of the far North, Jones engaged with a key spokesperson from the reindeer-herding Sami in their homeland of Sapmi, where he also met with local citizens in Kiruna. In Finland he got to visit a bespoke battery assembly plant that is asking for more EU-sourced input materials, while in Belgium he interviewed various experts about Europe’s CRM potential and how mining waste can be transformed into green, low-carbon construction materials.
Jones also sat down with the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič to see how Europe’s new Critical Raw Materials Act aligns with the need to open new energy-transition mines. Šefčovič corroborated the urgent need for Mining Renaissance in Europe: “Mining had a bad aura around it, but that is gradually changing. We know that the European mines are the most responsible ones in the world. It’s our ethos. But, to meet the 2030 targets of the Critical Raw Materials Act, we will need to make it a little easier for the investors to come and invest in new European energy-transition mines.” Will Europe get its act together and secure its strategic autonomy? Will the “strategic projects” within the Critical Raw Materials Act – that would benefit from access to finance and shorter permitting timeframes – trigger the opening of new energy-transition mines before 2030? Or will anti-mining opposition and NIMBYism throw a spanner in the wheel? Jones: “The clock is ticking mercilessly, and Europe is at risk losing out”.
🙏 The film crew: Director Stijn van Baarle (Storyrunner) ׀ Presenter Peter Tom Jones (SIM² KU Leuven) ׀ Cameramen Michael Van de Velde & Jérôme Demeyere ׀ Sound technicians Casimir De Kimpe & Marius Acke ׀Graphic designer Jasper Vander Elst
🙏 Featuring: Jan Moström (LKAB, Euromines), Ulrika Huhtaniska (LKAB), Stefan Mikaelsson, Anders Sand & Mohammad Khoshkhoo (Boliden), Matthew Congleton (Valmet Automotive), Maroš Šefčovič (EC), Liesbeth Horckmans (VITO), Anne-Gwénaëlle Guezennec (BRGM), Thomas Lapauw (ResourceFull)
🙏 Acknowledgements: Co-funded by the EU (Horizon Europe ENICON & Horizon Europe EXCEED projects). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) and CINEA – European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Co-funded by SOLVOMET R&I Centre & SIM2 KU Leuven. Public outreach (non-financial) support from PROMETIA & Horizon Europe AVANTIS, CICERO Project & Horizon Europe LITHOS.
