E-waste mining a perspective for the Italian circular economy

18th October 2023 E-waste mining a perspective for the Italian circular economy

Importance of raw materials

At the beginning of 2023, the European Commission presented the centrepieces of its strategy to ensure its industry can compete with the United States and China. The strategy’s main aim is to make clean tech products and access raw materials required for the green transition.

The EU executive’s Net-Zero Industry Act and Critical Raw Materials Act, part of its Green Deal Industrial Plan, are designed to ensure the bloc is not just a frontrunner in cutting carbon emissions, but also ahead on the technology required. There are signs it is lagging.

$3 trillion to the green transition by 2030

Commission President @Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament that the global investment in the green transition is set to triple by 2030 from $1 trillion last year. She has added that: “The race is on”.

Improving Italy’s circular economy

The EU set a target that by 2030 it will produce at least 40% of the clean tech products. It will be achieved partly by streamlining the granting of permits for green projects and by fostering investment. Right now the new step can be observed especially in rising recycling capacities. Last Wednesday Minister Gilberto Pichetto stated Innovation and a more circular economy will help Italy ensure supplies of critical raw materials as part of a European-wide bid to reduce reliance on foreign imports.

Italy according to Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin had a strong recycling record on electronic waste but a lot can be done in this subject. According to Minister @Gilberto Pichetto Fratin Italy recycled more than 35% of electronic materials related to vehicles, batteries, and other energy systems, against a world average of 17.4%. He admitted that: „The percentage of non-recycled products is a challenge but at the same time an opportunity to generate jobs, reduce emissions and strengthen our country’s energy security”. Another input is still ongoing works of the Italian government on the establishment of the National Table of Critical Raw Materials.

Revised energy and climate plan

According to Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin in a revised Italian energy and climate plan “Italy will cover around 40% of the country’s gross energy consumption through renewables by 2030”

Next WMC Congress

World Mining Congress

2026

The 27th World Mining Congress will be organized in 2026 in Peru.

Learn more
27th
Next IOC Meeting

IOC / WMC Meeting

2025

The 106th IOC/WMC meeting will be organized on September 18th 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Learn more
106th

Our news Others news

30th May 2025 Unlocking the future of sustainable seabed mining

Seabeds raw minerals. Source; Photo by Nathan Langer on Unsplash

Lately a significant milestone in sustainable resource development has just been reached by Impossible Metals Inc.,…

29th May 2025 Velvet-Wood uranium and vanadium mine first project approved under new framework

The nuclear power plant at night. Source: Photo by Nicolas HIPPERT on Unsplash

The Velvet-Wood uranium and vanadium mine in San Juan County, Utah, has just received approval from…

28th May 2025 Harmony Gold with a $1.03 billion USD bid for MAC Copper

Gold bars. Source: Photo by Zlaťáky.cz on Unsplash

Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited has publicly announced a transformative step in the company's journey towards…

23rd May 2025 Gilar Mine begins production!

Miner and a truck in underground mine. Source: Photo by Munkh-Erdene Eenee on Unsplash.

Anglo Asian Mining has made a press release informing that it has commenced production at Gilar,…

22nd May 2025 Mineral lease is the milestone in U.S. offshore mineral development

Seabeds raw minerals. Source; Photo by Nathan Langer on Unsplash

To strengthen domestic critical mineral resources, the U.S. Department of the Interior is initiating a process…

22nd May 2025 Argentina gives green light to a $2.5 billion Rio Tinto’s lithium project

Lithium battery. Source: Photo by Vardan Papikyan on Unsplash

Argentina's government has given the green light to a $2.5 billion lithium mining project by Rio…

16th May 2025 Talon Metals with a record-breaking sulphide discovery

Yellow mineral rock. Source: Photo by Kin Shing Lai on Unsplash

Talon Metals Corp., the majority owner and operator of the Tamarack Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Project in central Minnesota,…

16th May 2025 Building a new global rare earth supply chain

Open-pit mine aerial view. Source: moritz-lange unspash

MP Materials, a leading U.S. rare earths miner, has entered a transformative partnership with Saudi Arabia’s…

12th May 2025 Saudi Arabia strengthens ties with the U.S. in mining and minerals sector

Truck during hauling process. Source: Photo by Dominik Vanyi on Unsplash.

Saudi Arabia is gearing up for a groundbreaking partnership with the United States in mining and…

6th May 2025 World Mining Data 2025 is available!

World Mining Data cover.

Data importance Data is the bedrock of modern decision-making, and in the world of mining, it's…