Sydney and Fudan University Working on a Critical Raw Material Passport

by | 16. Oct 2024 - 13:18 | Knowledge

Conflicting legal requirements across nations hinder implementation. A passport could offer a tool to evaluate products regarding their origin.

A team of researchers from the University of Sydney Law School and Fudan University in China is working on implementing a digital passport to increase the traceability of critical minerals in global supply chains. According to a media statement, a digital product passport (DPP) could be a vital tool for authorities, businesses, and consumers to evaluate products regarding their origin. A cross-border implementation would facilitate a circular economy and environmentally conscious production of raw materials. The researchers clarify that a DPP contains various information metrics along the whole value chain, from mining to refining and consumption, as well as recycling. The central topic of research is the actual implementation of such a passport, as Associate Professor Jeanne Huang from Sydney Law School clarifies: “Our research aims to resolve the conflict of laws that complicates the implementation of DPP’s across borders.” Conflicting legal requirements across different nations present the main challenge of adopting a standardized DPP.

In the recently appointed Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, the United Nations also advocated for more traceability and transparency regarding critical mineral supply chains to ensure the global energy transition is pursued with “equity, justice, and sustainability.” The panel recommended establishing an expert advisory group and a system to trace critical minerals to tackle challenges regarding extractive industries in developing nations.

Under the recently enacted Critical Raw Materials Act, the European Union also sets out to address the lack of information regarding critical minerals and recyclability. While not for every raw material, the law will require products with permanent magnets to include information on recyclability and recycled content of the contained rare earth elements. With the data, recycling companies can recover and revalorize the contents more easily, boosting the circularity of the critical minerals.

Photo: iStock/FotoGablitz