The Criticality of Metals

Potential resource scarcity is increasingly in the news – lithium, indium, rare earths, and so forth.  The stories typically identify one or more metals as “critical” and then go on to discuss issues that challenge availability. However, determining criticality is a complex and sometimes contentious challenge. To explore criticality determination from the perspective of rigor and breadth, a comprehensive methodology has been applied to 62 elements of the periodic table. This presentation will present the results of this work by discussing the more critical metals that are identified by the analysis, the potential for substitution, and anticipated supply and demand issues for the future.

Some information about Prof Graedel:

Thomas Graedel is Clifton R. Musser Professor of Industrial Ecology in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University. His research is centered on developing and enhancing industrial ecology, the organizing framework for the quantification and transformation of the Anthropocene. His textbook, Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Engineering, coauthored with B. R. Allenby, was the first book in the field and is now in its third edition. His current interests include studies of the flows of materials within the industrial ecosystem, and of evaluating the criticality of metals. He was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2002 for “outstanding contributions to the theory and practice of industrial ecology”, and is a member of the UNEP International Resource Panel. He recently chaired and coauthored the U.S. National Research Council report on Linkages of Sustainability in the Federal Government.

Link to webpage of speaker: https://environment.yale.edu/profile/graedel/