SIM² KU Leuven has launched a new Research Line 6, titled Multi-stakeholder collaboration in metal and mineral production. This research line strengthens SIM²’s mission to advance the sustainable production and recycling of metals and minerals by explicitly addressing the social, cultural, economic, and geopolitical dimensions of resource production.
The transition to a climate-neutral society depends on secure access to energy-transition metals and minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and rare-earth elements. While recycling and demand-side management are essential, they cannot fully meet future demand on their own. Primary extraction and subsequent refining will therefore remain necessary.
At the same time, mining and refining activities have historically caused significant environmental, social, and cultural disruption, particularly in the Global South. These impacts have undermined trust and continue to shape public resistance to new projects across the world. Research Line 6 responds to this challenge by promoting a new approach to responsible metal and mineral production.
The focus is on community-centric and benefit-sharing models that recognise local communities as active stakeholders rather than passive recipients of impacts. Instead of relying on top-down acceptance strategies, the research line prioritises early and meaningful public engagement, co-creation with stakeholders, and long-term relationship building.
The research agenda includes mapping the social, natural, and cultural values of communities affected by mining, refining, or recycling activities. It also explores the increasingly geopolitical role of critical raw materials, which are central to strategic autonomy and global power relations. Through in-depth case studies, researchers examine land use, socio-cultural dynamics, sensitive issues, and existing community relationships in regions facing current or potential resource development.
Interdisciplinarity is at the core of Research Line 6. Geologists and engineers work closely with scholars from the Social Sciences and Humanities, as well as with NGOs, policymakers, educational institutions, and local communities. The research line brings together SIM² KU Leuven members Prof. Anouk Borst, Prof. Valérie Cappuyns, Dr. Peter Tom Jones, Prof. Philippe Muchez, and Elena Matvejeva.
Explore the new Research line 6 here.
