A Strategy for Stable Supply of Metal Resources Considering Environmental Issues

Abstract

We are living in natural environment with artificial circumstances. We can’t return to old historical lives. How we can success to do harmonious coexistence between keeping environment and economic growth, which is a trade off relation very often. One of answers is 3Rs（Reduce, Reuse and Recycling）of artificial waste which can’t retuned to original state by themselves. 3Rs can reduce the consumption the primary resources, save energy and control of diffusion of harmful elements to nature, if they have done on the right way. A strategy of mineral resources and supporting technologies for it in Japan is shown in the presentation to achieve a sustainable growth. Most natural mineral resources are imported in Japan, since there are no natural mineral resources except limestone. Not only commodity metals like iron and copper but minor rare metals are very important in Japan to keep providing high technological electronics applicants like PC and cellular phones. Some of mineral resources can be imported from very limited countries, for example, rare earth elements（REE）are imported only from China. It also causes a difficulty of stable supply of metal resources. So, to overcome uncertainness of supply of minerals and metals, Japanese government has taken a following strategy have taken as follow:
  （1）Exploration and exploitation of metal resources
  （2）Further promotion of recycling of metals
  （3）Development of substitutes for minor rare metals
  （4）Stockpile of minor rare metals for emergency
A new project is proposed to develop a simulation model which can estimate total energy consumptions for the supply of all materials considering supply chains of resources including recycle uses.