Availability of High-Tech Metals - New Developments in Research, Exploration and

the Raw Materials Markets

5. Astana Mining and Metallurgy Congress

AMM, Astana,12.-13. June 2014

Volker SteinbachFederal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), Germany

source: (Berner 2000)

Market penetration times on the US market

Commodity 2006* 2030* Future TechnologiesGallium 18% 397% Photovoltaic, IC, WLED

Indium 40% 329% Displays, Photovoltaic

Scandium low 231% SOFC Fuel Cells, Al-Alloys

Germanium 28% 220% IR optical Technologies

Neodym 23% 166% Permanent Magnets, Laser

Tantalum 40% 102% Micro Capacitors, Medicine

Source: Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung, Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung (2009)* BGR counted by new data

Foto: DG-Solartechnik Foto: PerkinElmer OptoelectronicsFoto: Zeiss Foto: Voith AG

Relation between recent worldwide production and the demand for future technologies

Global Raw Materials Demand for Future Technologies 2006 and 2030

Commodity 2006* 2030* Future TechnologiesGallium 18% 397% Photovoltaic, IC, WLED

Indium 40% 329% Displays, Photovoltaic

Scandium low 231% SOFC Fuel Cells, Al-Alloys

Germanium 28% 220% IR optical Technologies

Neodym 23% 166% Permanent Magnets, Laser

Tantalum 40% 102% Micro Capacitors, Medicine

Source: Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung, Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung (2009)* BGR counted by new data

Foto: DG-Solartechnik Foto: PerkinElmer OptoelectronicsFoto: Zeiss Foto: Voith AG

Relation between recent worldwide production and the demand for future technologies

Global Raw Materials Demand for Future Technologies 2006 and 2030

Commodity 2006* 2030* Future TechnologiesGallium 18% 397% Photovoltaic, IC, WLED

Indium 40% 329% Displays, Photovoltaic

Scandium low 231% SOFC Fuel Cells, Al-Alloys

Germanium 28% 220% IR optical Technologies

Neodym 23% 166% Permanent Magnets, Laser

Tantalum 40% 102% Micro Capacitors, Medicine

Source: Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung, Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung (2009)* BGR counted by new data

Foto: DG-Solartechnik Foto: PerkinElmer OptoelectronicsFoto: Zeiss Foto: Voith AG

Relation between recent worldwide production and the demand for future technologies

Global Raw Materials Demand for Future Technologies 2006 and 2030

Commodity 2006* 2030* Future TechnologiesGallium 18% 397% Photovoltaic, IC, WLED

Indium 40% 329% Displays, Photovoltaic

Scandium low 231% SOFC Fuel Cells, Al-Alloys

Germanium 28% 220% IR optical Technologies

Neodym 23% 166% Permanent Magnets, Laser

Tantalum 40% 102% Micro Capacitors, Medicine

Source: Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung, Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung (2009)* BGR counted by new data

Foto: DG-Solartechnik Foto: PerkinElmer OptoelectronicsFoto: Zeiss Foto: Voith AG

Relation between recent worldwide production and the demand for future technologies

Global Raw Materials Demand for Future Technologies 2006 and 2030

Commodity 2006* 2030* Future TechnologiesGallium 18% 397% Photovoltaic, IC, WLED

Indium 40% 329% Displays, Photovoltaic

Scandium low 231% SOFC Fuel Cells, Al-Alloys

Germanium 28% 220% IR optical Technologies

Neodym 23% 166% Permanent Magnets, Laser

Tantalum 40% 102% Micro Capacitors, Medicine

Source: Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung, Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung (2009)* BGR counted by new data

Foto: DG-Solartechnik Foto: PerkinElmer OptoelectronicsFoto: Zeiss Foto: Voith AG

Relation between recent worldwide production and the demand for future technologies

Global Raw Materials Demand for Future Technologies 2006 and 2030

Major metals

By products Fe AlMg

Ti

Sn

NiCu

Pb

Zn

Cr

Mn

Ag

Au

PGM

GaGe

InCd

CoAs

Bi PdNiRh

Ir

Os

Co

Ru

Bi AsPt

Se

Te

AgAu Pb Mo

Zn

FeCa/Si Hg

Sb

Mg

Mn

FeCu

HgSb

TiCa/Si

Ca/SiV

AlFe

Mg

MgPb

Ca/SiAl Cu

Co FeNi

As

Pb Zn

AlV

SnMgMn Cu

Cr TiAs

V Ga

Li

MnCuFe

Zn

CrTi

Cl

B

MnBr

Fe

Ni

Al

V

NbCrFe

SnAl

MgMn

ZrTa

Ag In

AuCuAg

Pt

RuTe

Os

Ir

Co

Se

Rh

W

BiSbCu

ZnAs

NbPbTa

MgFe

Hg

Ca/Si

CrSb

Assulfide and oxide oresulfide

ore

oxide ore

With specialinfrastructure

Limitedinfrastructure

No infrastructure→ tailings

The Metal Wheel: after Reuter et al. and Verhoef et al.

Foto: Zeiss

Fiber optic cables, IR optical technologies

Production 2006 - 2010: 100 - 120 t

Demand 2030 : ca. 300 t (72 + 220 t)

Development of production until 2030

Active and planned mine capacities ca. 300 t / year

Other sources / technologies:Recycling potentialImproved recovery technologies

ca. 40 - 80 t / year

Situation alarmingHigh country concentration, country risk (China)

Production: By-product from Zn-Cu-ores (USA, China) and coal (China, Russia)

German-info.com

Germanium: Global demand for high-tech applications in 2030 compared to the production in 2006

15 Mt slags from 80 years of production (Kipushi Ge-rich Zn-Cu ore plus stratiform Cu-Co ores)Core: 0.4 % Co, 12.5 % Zn, 1.3 % Cu, 250 ppm GeMargin: 1.2 % Co, 12 % Zn, 2 % Cu, 100 ppm Ge

STL plant (since 2000)55 % OM Group (U.S. - Finland)25 % Groupe Forrest (Congo D.R.)20 % Gécamines (Congo D.R.)Production: 4,000 t Co, 2,500 t Cu, 15,000 t Zna few tons of Ge p.a. (?)

Potential > 2,250 t Ge~ 20 years of world supply !

“Big Hill“ of Lubumbashi, DRC: a possible source of germanium

Position of the largest Ge–coal deposits of the World. 1 — Novikovsk2 — Bikinsk3 — Pavlovsk4 — Shkotovsk5 — Lincang6 — Wulantuga7 — Wumuchang(Seredin & Finkelman, 2008, Int J Coal Geol)

1060 t 850 ppm

1665 t 700 g/t

2600 t 300 g/t

1015 t 450 g/t

880 t 1043 g/t

1600 t 270 g/t

4000 t 30-50 g/t

13,000 t Ge reserves in 7 coal fields

The Eastern Asian Germanium-rich Coal Province

Germanium: Recycling

• Little recycling from postconsumer scrap• 25-35% of total Ge used from recycled scrap

• Infrared optics: 30% production from recycled material

• Fibre optics: 60% recycled material; recovery from fibres 80%; 0.3-1 g GeO2 per km cable

• Electronics, solar: 50% waste accumulation, recycled• Polymerization catalysts: 10-70 ppm in PET bottles, no recycling of Ge

possible

German-info.com

• MoU on cooperation in the fields of geology and mining

• BGR / DERA commissioned for its implementation - primary task: re-evaluation of mine projects in Kazakhstan (2012-2013)

• Agreement for the disclosure of "analytical" data (information on occurrences and mineral deposits in Kazakhstan)

• Survey of selected projects and verification through on site inspection

• Presentation of the results to the German and Khazakh industry at an industry workshop in Hannover in December 2013

Kazakh-German Raw Materials Partnership

Methodological approach

Screening of 318 projects; pre-selection of 80 projects

Pre-assessment (deposit quality, reported metal contents and grades, further technical parameters)

Review of data by the Technical Working Group (40)

Project factsheets (15 projects)

Final product: Investor's Handbook

Vanadium project(South Kazakhstan)

318 mineral deposits, waste dumps and tailings projects considered

Information sources

Nmber of projects

Tauken Samruk 59Private companies 8

Geological Committee 251

Total 318

*IM = industrial MineralsNi = primary commodityW = possible by-products

PGM, Cu, Co

Ga, In, Ge, Co

Ga, In, Ge, Co

Ga, V

REE, Mo, U

W

Zn, Pb, Au, W

PGM

Mo, PGM, Te, Rh, Se, Ni. Fe

Sn, Ta

Ta, U, REE

REE

Rh

U

In, W

Cu, Sb, Ag

BGR Project: Re-evaluation of mine projects in Kazakhstan

Ta Nb

SbGe InREE

Y Ni PGECo

Key aspect

Development of a new research topic at BGR:World-wide raw material potentials for metals of strategic economic importance to secure a future supply to the German industry► Characterisation of complex non-conventional deposit types for an identification of new potentials for high-tech metal supply (process-oriented research, trace metal distribution, exploration indicators)► Potential for high-tech metals in mine residues► New technologies for extraction of trace metals (e.g., using bio-leaching)

Availability and new potentials for mineral resources

Securing the supply of raw materials in the EU – current initiatives

Hochtechnologie-Elemente in MMR

(c) Marum

(c) NOAA

4000 – 6000 m

1000 – 2500 m

1800 – 3000 m

Deep-ocean mineral deposits as source of high-tech metals

► Ferromanganese nodules(Co, Li, Nd, Ga, Ce, Tb, Dy, Mo)

Ferromanganese crusts(Co, Te, Se, Pt, Tb, Dy)

► Marine sulfides(Ag, Au, In, Ga, Ge, Se, Te, Sb)

Indium enrichment in marine sulfides

Natural resources(ores, concentrates)

Enhanced recoveryof by-product metals from ore (e.g., indium from zinc ore)

Development of non-conventional deposit types for high-tech metals

Making recycling of metals of strategic economic importance more efficient

Material efficiency of Critical Raw Materials

Source: Modified from Faulstich (2010)

Foto: PerkinElmer OptoelectronicsFoto: Voith AGFoto: DG-Solartechnik

Conclusion, High-Tech Metals

• Germany is dependent on the world markets• According to the geology: no shortages for high-tech metals• Shortages caused by the marked situation

country concentration, geostrategic risks, conflict minerals• High-tech metals are mostly by-products (co-elements);

their production depends on the production of major elements (like Pb, Zn, Cu)• Technical realisation of the production of co-elements by metallurgical

treatment (e.g. Ge from coal ash) is needed• Development of non-conventional deposit types (marine mineral resources,

oxydized ores)• Low recycling rates