Critical Minerals, Climate, and the Environment

Mining almost always causes environmental degradation. Forests are cut down to extract mineral deposits. Rivers and lakes are polluted by mining byproducts. Soils are contaminated and eroded. Biodiversity loss and habitat destruction can be rampant. Such environmental impacts have adverse consequences for local communities, such as polluted water or food sources. In addition, although the net climate advantage of clean energy is still high, extraction of critical minerals often causes higher greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as compared to other minerals.