Many advanced engineering applications, such as clean-energy production, communications and computing, use emergent technologies that utilize numerous chemical elements.[4]
In 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) created the Critical Materials Institute (CMI) to address the issue.[10] In 2015, the European COST Action TD1407 created a network of scientists working and interested on TCEs, from an environmental perspective to potential human health threats.[11]
A study estimated losses of 61 metals to help the development of circular economy strategies, showing that usespans of, often scarce, tech-critical metals are short.[12][13]
Sample uses of technology-critical elements (excluding rare-earth) [11]
Element
Compound
Applications
Gallium (Ga)
GaAs, GaN
Wafers for (a) integrated circuits in high-performance computers and telecommunications equipment and (b) LEDs, photodetectors, solar cells and medical equipment
Trimethyl Ga, triethyl Ga
Epitaxial layering process for the production of LEDs
Germanium (Ge)
Ge
Substrate for wafers for high-efficiency photovoltaic cells
Ge single crystals
Detectors (airport security)
Hafnium (Hf)
Hf
Aerospace alloys and ceramics
HfO2
Semiconductors and data storage devices
Indium (In)
In2O5Sn
Transparent conductive thin film coatings on flat-panel displays (e.g. liquid crystal displays)
Niobium (Nb)
CuNbGaSe (CIGS)
Thin film solar cells
HSLA ferro-Nb (60 % Nb), Nb metal
High-grade structural steel for vehicle bodies
NiNb
Superalloys for jet engines and turbine blades
Nb powder, Nb oxide
Surface acoustic wave filters (sensor and touch screen technologies)
Platinum-group metals (PGMs)
Pd, Pt, Rh metals
Catalytic converters for the car industry
Platinum (Pt)
Pt metal
Catalyst refining of petroleum and magnetic coating of computer hard discs
Iridium (Ir)
Ir
Crucibles for the electronics industry
Osmium (Os)
Os alloys
High wear applications such as instrument pivots and electrical contacts
Tantalum (Ta)
Ta oxide
Capacitors in automotive electronics, personal computers and cell phones
Ta metal
Pacemakers, prosthetic devices
Tellurium (Te)
CdTe
Solar cells
HgCdTe, BiTe
Thermal cooling devices and electronics products
Zirconium (Zr)
Zr
Ceramics for solid oxide fuel cells, jet turbine coatings, and smartphones
The extraction and processing of TCEs may cause adverse environmental impacts. The reliance on TCEs and critical metals like cobalt can run the risk of the “green curse,” or using certain metals in green technologies whose mining may be damaging to the environment.[15]
The clearing of soil and deforestation that is involved with mining can impact the surrounding biodiversity through land degradation and habitat loss. Acid mine drainage can kill surrounding aquatic life and harm ecosystems. Mining activities and leaching of TCEs can pose significant hazards to human health. Wastewater produced by the processing of TCEs can contaminate groundwater and streams. Toxic dust containing concentrations of metals and other chemicals can be released into the air and surrounding bodies of water.
Deforestation caused by mining results in the release of stored carbon from the ground to the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2).[15]
^Gunn, G. (2014). Critical Metals Handbook. Wiley.
^European Commission (2014). Report on Critical Raw Materials for the EU. Report of the Ad-hoc Working Group on Defining Critical Raw Materials. European Commission.
^Parthemore, C. (2011). Elements of Security. Mitigating the Risks of U.S. Dependence on Critical Minerals. Center for New America Security.
^ abAli, S.; Katima, J. (2020). Technology Critical Elements and the GEF, A STAP Advisory Document. Washington, DC.: Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility.
^ abAli, S.; Katima, J. (2020). Technology Critical Elements and their Relevance to the Global Environment Facility. Washington, DC.: Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility.
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