Climate change and sustainability as drivers for the next mining and metals boom: The need for climate-smart mining and recycling

To avoid passing the Paris Agreement's proposed 1.5–2 °C global temperature rise and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) to reduce poverty, a rapid and sizeable investment in decarbonisation of energy systems, infrastructure and the built environment is needed. Many low-carbon sustainable technologies are more metal-intensive than current high carbon equivalents. Analysis of the increased demands of the transition to the low-carbon economy shows it could lead to the next mining and metals boom increasing metals demand by up to 10-fold by 2050. This major opportunity for the sectors will occur in tandem with additional climate change challenges. The industries will need to increase resilience to extreme events. Declining ore grades require greater energy input for extraction and processing so new methods to avoid associated emissions are required. While oil, gas and coal demand for energy consumption is projected to fall, non-fuel use of those resources will continue to have low-carbon alternative uses. Importantly, adaptation and mitigation opportunities have co-benefits. Profitable opportunities exist for the resource sectors to contribute to meeting the Paris Agreement and UN SDGs. A roadmap is presented that provides a synthesis of adaptation and mitigation strategies towards a climate-smart mining and recycling (CSM&R) strategy. •Climate change and sustainability to drive 10 fold growth in metal demand by 2050.•Decarbonisation of metal supply chains through cost effective tech and financing.•Climate adaptation-mitigation vital to secure materials for the low-carbon economy.•Demand for oil, coal and gas for energy to fall but will rise as chemicals feedstock.•Providing a sustainability roadmap for the resources sector for the 21st century.