The energy transition requires a lot of minerals and metals — which could impact our lakes – Canadian Manufacturing

July 4, 2024

Bringing about the energy transition is essential, but it will require developing a significant amount of minerals and “green” electricity, such as hydroelectricity. These activities often take place on Indigenous lands and will have environmental consequences for our lakes and rivers.

Making the energy transition will also require new infrastructure, including the development of a global fleet of electric vehicles and the installation of large wind farms and solar panels. This is already leading to high demand for minerals, mainly metals, which are now considered critical and strategic.

This article is part of our series Our lakes: their secrets and challenges. This summer, The Conversation invites you to take a fascinating dip in our lakes. With magnifying glasses, microscopes and diving goggles, our scientists scrutinize the biodiversity of our lakes and the processes that unfold in them, and tell us about the challenges they face. Don’t miss our articles on these incredibly rich bodies of water!

Given the national importance of establishing a stable supply of metals and minerals in a complex geopolitical context, many mineral-rich countries will want to encourage the development of new mines. In Canada and Québec, these mines are often spread across the Canadian Shield, reaching as far as the Far North to areas that have already been made vulnerable by climate change.

Read More: https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/features/the-energy-transition-requires-a-lot-of-minerals-and-metals-which-could-impact-our-lakes/